At some point, this photograph was identified as "Old Ironsides"--the U.S.S. Constitution--and dated June 16, 1914. But something's wrong. The New Orleans papers of that date make no mention of a visit from the boat, and, besides, at that time Old Ironsides had not yet been restored and had been decommissioned as a warship (Old Ironsides was restored in the late 1920s with money donated by school children and patriotic groups). The historic ship did visit New Orleans in 1932 as part of the newly recommissioned ship's triumphant world tour, but we believe this photograph was taken earlier than that. So what boat is this? Could it really be Old Ironsides after all--as it certainly appears to be--quietly docked in the Crescent City before its return to fame and glory? All we can safely say is that the photo shows a sailing ship at dock in New Orleans in the early part of the twentieth century.

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