Battle of New Orleans.

Friday, November 13, 2020

About That U.S. Navy White Oak Forest in Indiana-- Part 2: Welcome to Constitution Grove

The USS Constitution , called "Old Ironsides" is a museum ship docked in Boston, but she has an active duty crew and commander.  She has even sailed under her own power as recently as twenty years ago.

So, one of the Navy's unusual jobs is there at a civilian forester maintained.  They call the group of trees Constitution Grove in Indiana.

From the USS Constitution Museum "The Wooden Walls" of USS Constitution.

The USS Constitution received, according to Secretary  of War Knox, "the best white oak."  However, with each restoration of the ship, white oak of the size needed became increasingly difficult to obtain.  Nearly two generations and three restorations ago, white oak trees at the Naval Facilities Engineering  Command in Crane, Indiana,  were designated for the USS Constitution.

At the time, as the 1973 work began on the ship, the U.S. Navy noted:  "Seasoned white oak, ... needed in the ... overhaul of ... Constitution, was difficult to ... procure."  Over 150 white oak trees spread over the  64,000 acre base were designated for the ship.

In April 2012,  70 of these trees were examined and 35 selected that will be used to replace  the 30-40-foot long rotted hull planks on the ship.

--Brock-Perry


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