On July 14, 1933, the USS Constitutionthe world’s oldest seaworthy warship, entered Bellingham Bay. Thousands visited it during its seven-day stay.
Launched in 1797, the three-masted wooden-hulled frigate has a long history. It protected American shipping during the Quasi-War with France and helped defeat pirates in the First Barbary War. But it achieved its greatest fame during the War of 1812. The ConstitutionDefeat of the British ship Guerriere electrified the struggling young nation.
The ship was immortalized in the 1830 poem “Old Ironsides,” which helped save the ship from decommissioning. In 1907, she became a museum ship. To celebrate her restoration, which was largely funded by schoolchildren, the ship embarked on an exhibition cruise across the United States, visiting 90 ports. The Constitution was towed by the USS Grebea minesweeper.
Welcome, Old Ironsides!
On July 1, 1931, the two ships left Boston, transited the Panama Canal and headed for the West Coast, visiting both large and small ports. Everett was the last stop before Bellingham, where the ship completed its 68th Stopover and northernmost port of call. On the trip they sailed past Mount Constitution on Orcas Island, which was named after the ship by explorer Charles Wilkes.
Great excitement greeted the Constitution And Great Crested GrebeArrived in Bellingham in the afternoon. People flocked to see them arrive, even watching them from downtown rooftops. Ships from the Bellingham Yacht Club welcomed the ships on Eliza Island. Two miles offshore Constitution was received by the tugs Richard Holyoke and Prosper. These two tugs of the Bellingham Tug & Barge Company pulled the Constitution into the dock, followed by the Great Crested Grebe. The whistles sounded in sawmills and factories, including “Big Ole” at Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills.
After docking, Mayor John Kellogg and a committee responsible for the celebrations welcomed the ConstitutionLieutenant Commander Henry Hartley was in command of the historic ship while its captain, Commander Louis Gulliver, was on leave.
Visit to the Constitution
The ship was open for free tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Thousands of people came each day, creating long lines. No parking was allowed near the dock. Army Street was closed to traffic at Laurel Street.
The Parents’ Association brought students to the ship. The Mlunt Baker Theater showed the 1926 silent film “Old Ironsides” at a special morning matinee for children on July 15.
One visitor had a personal connection to the ship. Abiah M. Geiger of Bellingham was the widow of Shapleigh Geiger, the great-grandson of Betsy Ross, who sewed the first American flag – and the flag for the USS Constitution“Very interesting old ship,” she told reporters.
Entertaining the crew
The community came together to welcome both officers and crew. Hartley, an avid fisherman, visited Lake Whatcom. The Bellingham Golf and County Club offered free golf to the officers and all staff were offered free use of the YMCA.
On July 15, officers and their wives attended a Washington State Firemen’s Association demonstration at Battersby Field, culminating in firefighters setting and extinguishing a replica four-room house.
The next day, the officers had lunch at Heather Meadows on Mount Baker. That evening, they enjoyed a Southern chicken dinner at Frank and Ruby Taft’s resort and restaurant, The Willows, on Lummi Island. They also took a tour of the Pacific American Fisheries cannery, where they watched salmon being packed.
Three hundred people attended a luncheon held in honor of the officers at the Leopold Hotel on Monday, July 17. Hartley spoke on the history of the “famous old frigate.” Officers also spoke to other groups. On July 14, Boatswain Robert Craig and Quartermaster General William Stowe gave an illustrated lecture on the ship’s restoration in the Knights of Columbus Hall. The public was invited. Two days later, Hartley attended the men’s Bible class of the Ninety-and-Nine Church of the First Christian Church.
The sailors of the USS Constitution And Great Crested Grebe also played baseball against local teams at Battersby Field. They were beaten 10-2 by Gordon’s Wreckers on July 17. Two days later, the Sailors faced the Bellingham Tulips. Although the Sailors lost 8-0, their pitcher Hart struck out nine Tulip batters.
The ConstitutionThe visit culminated in a parade on July 18. Led by a joint Army and Navy flag guard, the parade included veterans and civic groups as well as a naval band from the USS Concord The parade was followed by an “Old Ironsides” ball at the State Armory.
Safe journey, USS Constitution!
On July 20 at 7 a.m., the USS Constitution on the way to Anacortes on a “calm sea under a cloudless sky,” wrote the Bellingham-Herald“And after so stormy a career in war and peace, may her voyage continue until she reaches her final port of heroic ships, to live on in the hearts of patriotic Americans!”
A total of 43,064 people visited the ship during its seven-day stay in Bellingham, far more than the city’s official population! The ship gained an hour on its journey because Anacortes was on standard time rather than daylight saving time. It then continued on to Portland. The historic ship continued its journey and returned to Boston in May 1934. Today it welcomes visitors at the USS Constitution Museum in Boston.
