With a renewed interest in the Constitution and funding for its restoration, work began to save the ship. It was showing signs of decay by the mid-1920s and underwent a comprehensive restoration in drydock starting in 1927, still in Boston. After much work was completed, it was ready for the public.
With a crew of 81 officers, sailors, and marines, the Constitution in 1931 set off for a National Cruise with more than 70 planned stops at port for public exhibition. This was, in part, done as a thank you to the many patriotic Americans who had chipped in to fund the restoration of the ship, including schoolchildren who contributed pennies, nickels, and dimes totaling $154,000. For this journey, the USS Grebe towed the Constitution to ports on the East and West coasts as well as the Gulf of Mexico. It was greeted with much fanfare and visited by the locals along with politicians and dignitaries while the crew and officers provided information about the ship to its visitors. It proved to be a memorable event for those fortunate enough to enjoy it. Following the cruise, the ship was moved to Boston, where it remains on exhibit in conjunction with its museum.
As its bicentennial approached in the ’90s, more work was put into the Constitution to make it seaworthy. Navy personnel had always been caretakers of the ship throughout its history, and, in 1996, for the first time, its commander was a female, Lt. Commander Claire V. Bloom. She also had the great honor of being the first to command the ship as it sailed under its own power, making it the oldest ship able to be sailed in existence.
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