Visitors on Deck: Evan and Others
This photo shows Evan and a group of missionaries on the deck of a boat--probably the USS Constitution (famously known as "Old Ironsides"), which is the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat.
The distinct details visible in the background and surrounding deck confirm the ship's identity:
Spar Deck & Steel Standing Rigging: The slanted steel wire shrouds/stays running overhead and the wooden deck planking match the upper spar deck of Old Ironsides.
Pin Rail / Bulwark: The wooden cap rail behind the group and the metal knee bracket attached to the white painted bulwark are distinctive structural elements along the inner walls of the vessel.
Authorized by the Naval Act of 1794 and launched in Boston in 1797, she was built from dense American live oak and white oak, with copper bolts forged by Paul Revere.
During the War of 1812, in a battle against the British frigate HMS Guerriere, observers noted British cannonballs bouncing harmlessly off her triple-layered wooden hull. A sailor reportedly shouted, "Huzzah, her sides are made of iron!"—earning her the immortal nickname. Over her operational combat career, USS Constitution maintained a 33–0 battle record, defeating enemy ships without ever being captured or sunk.
In 1830, when the ship was deemed unseaworthy and faced scrap, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. wrote the famous poem "Old Ironsides," sparking nationwide public outcry that saved her for restoration.
Today, USS Constitution remains an active-duty ship of the United States Navy stationed at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts. She is crewed by active U.S. Navy personnel who provide educational tours to the public year-round.
