The USS Constitution's Last Visits to Washington, D.C.

The Constitution's final visits to Washington Navy Yard and D.C.  were during her National Cruise following a four-year restoration that was completed in 1931.   The "Old Ironsides" arrived at the Yard on November 7, 1931, and stayed for eleven days.  During that time thousands of visitors walked its decks, including President Herbert Hoover on November 11.

On November 18, the minesweeper USS Grebe towed the ship back down the Potomac River to warmer climes for the rest of its tour.  The Grebe, a World War I ship, remained the Constitution's tender and towing ship for the whole tour.  The Grebe was also at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

The Constitution returned on April 16, 1932, where it remained until December 8.

By the time of the ship's last visit, Washington Navy yard was no longer a shipbuilding facility.  Now it was better known as a Naval Gun Factory.  However, the Yard still had  people with the needed skills to  to repair wear and tear on the ship's wooden decks caused by the trampling of feet from over two million visitors during its National Cruise.

--Brock-Perry