National Historic Landmark

LUNA (tugboat)

Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Listed
October 5, 1983
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83004099

About this property

Luna is a historic tugboat normally berthed in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Luna was designed in 1930 by John G. Alden and built by M.M. Davis and Bethlehem Steel. She is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a U.S. National Historic Landmark. In 1985, the Luna was designated as a Boston Landmark by the Boston Landmarks Commission. Luna is the last surviving full-sized wooden ship-docking tug on the US Gulf and Atlantic coasts and was the world's first diesel-electric tugboat built for commercial service. These two distinctions have led to designation of Luna as a US National Historic Landmark. Today Luna is preserved at Chelsea, Massachusetts, in Boston Harbor, where her rehabilitation process has been underway since the tug was rescued from being broken up in 1995. Luna is the responsibility of the Luna Preservation Society and its progress is recorded in their website. Due to her wartime service with a civilian crew, Luna is also a member of the Naval Historic Vessel Association.

Location

Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
42.38642, -71.04172

Categories

COMMERCEMILITARYENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Chelsea Square Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Downtown Chelsea Residential Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi
Naval Hospital Boston Historic District
Listed
0.4 mi
McKay, Donald, House
Industrial
0.5 mi
Congregation Agudath Shalom
Industrial
0.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Chelsea Creek
1775Revolutionary War
0.8 mi
Battle of Chelsea Creek (1775)
1775Revolutionary War
0.9 mi
Battle of Breed's Hill
1775Revolutionary War
1.2 mi
Bunker Hill — Prescott's Redoubt
1775Revolutionary War
1.2 mi
Battle of Bunker Hill – Rail Fence Line
1775Revolutionary War
1.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was LUNA (tugboat) listed on the National Register?

LUNA (tugboat) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 5, 1983.

What type of historic resource is LUNA (tugboat)?

LUNA (tugboat) is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is LUNA (tugboat) a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. LUNA (tugboat) has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for LUNA (tugboat)?

The period of significance for LUNA (tugboat) is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near LUNA (tugboat)?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near LUNA (tugboat) will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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