Charlestown Navy Yard

Established in 1800 at the point where the Mystic and Charles Rivers converge, this was once the country's premier naval dockyard. Its most famous occupant is the USS Constitution, which earned its nickname, 'Old Ironsides', during the War of 1812, when a sailor watched as shots fired by a British cannon bounced off its hull. The sailor is said to have shouted, 'Her sides are made of iron!' Although 'Ironsides' is actually made of oak, the nickname stuck. The Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship in the country - and although it has largely remained in dry dock since the late 19th century, it did set sail for the first time in 116 years in 1997, its bicentennial year. The ship is also towed into Boston harbour and turned around once a year to ensure that the hull weathers evenly. Free tours are given daily. The Constitution's neighbour is the restored naval destroyer USS Cassin Young, which during World War II served in the Pacific to provide early warning of air attacks to the rest of the fleet, and thereby suffered kamikaze suicide attacks by Japanese fighter pilots.