USS Salem

06/02/2026

Visit USS Salem this weekend as we participate in Museum Ships Weekend - Amateur Radio Event. We are also excited to host Brandeis University Graduate Student Sound Artists for their Waveforms Sound Installation inspired by USS Salem. Through distinct approaches to sound and listening, the installations explore the relationship between technology, memory, and the unique acoustic spaces of the historic vessel. Come Discover Quincy!

05/31/2026

Change of Command ceremony.

Bravo Zulu CPO Desmarais and Best Wishes to CPO Vaghela. USS Salem is proud to be the base of operations for U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Squadron 7-Zulu - U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps. What a great program for local youth!

05/31/2026

Thanks to volunteer Larry Ouellette who gave a couple tours yesterday to City of Quincy Ambassadors who are learning about our city's historic assets. Come Discover Quincy, Meet Boston, Visit Massachusetts

05/30/2026

Thanks to our hardy visitors especially those from Arizona, Texas, Vermont and England, who bared the elements to come onboard today. It was a WILD ONE! Winds have since laid down.

05/08/2026

We are so grateful to Mayor Koch and the City of Quincy for their support of our community's historic attractions. USS Salem is run solely by volunteers committed to preserving our city's proud Shipbuilding past. Our Volunteer Operations Team greet visitors, give guided tours and work on our collection of 10,000 + items. Our Preservation Team needs all the skilled trades, general cleaning and maintenance, and lots of painting to maintain the Quincy Built 717' world's only preserved Heavy Cruiser. Want to get involved? Sign up for the City Program or stop in on a Saturday morning and ask for Jerry, our Volunteer Coordinator.

Mayor Thomas Koch and the Quincy History Working Group announce the launch of Quincy's first annual Historic Volunteer Corps Training Program, a new initiative that will recruit, train, and place community volunteers as Heritage Ambassadors and Historic Site Guides at the city's storied historic sites. The program launches in the summer of 2026 — the year the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, known nationally as America250 — when Quincy's historic sites are expected to welcome a larger number of visitors.

Volunteers will serve as greeters or guides at a historic site of their choosing, providing visitors and neighbors with an engaging, informed introduction to the city's rich history. No prior experience is required.

The program offers two volunteer tracks. Heritage Ambassadors serve as visitor services representatives — welcoming guests, providing wayfinding, and serving as knowledgeable public faces for Quincy's historic landscape. Historic Site Guides lead or assist with guided tours at one assigned historic site. Both roles are open to community members of all backgrounds and life stages, and both represent permanent, valued contributions to the city's cultural life.

Each volunteer will receive four hours of structured training, an introduction to the historic sites across the city, and the opportunity to select a site and role that matches their interests and availability. Cohort members will receive a certificate from the City of Quincy upon completion. Flexible scheduling options are available to accommodate a wide range of participants.

The program is sponsored and supported by the Quincy History Working Group, a coalition of the city's leading historic and cultural institutions. Partner organizations include:
• The City of Quincy's Director of Historic and Heritage Resources
• Adams National Historical Park
• The Quincy Chamber of Commerce
• The Quincy Historical Society
• The Tour Program at United First Parish Church (Church of the Presidents)
• The Dorothy Quincy Homestead
• Historic New England's Quincy House
• USS Salem / United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum
• Quincy Quarry and Granite Workers Museum
• Archives & Special Collections, Thomas Crane Library

How to Apply:
The Quincy History Working Group invites interested community members to bring their curiosity and their time. Training, flexible scheduling options, and a friendly and welcoming team will be provided. No prior experience in history or education is necessary.
Application Details
Training commitment: Four hours of structured training, plus an introduction to Quincy's historic sites
Season: Summer 2026 (June through October)
Credential: Certificate from the City of Quincy upon completion of training
Apply: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/s6Bx23SqBA?origin=lprLink
Application deadline: May 18, 2026
Questions: Quincy Public Historian Bob Damon: [email protected] 617.548.2923

05/07/2026

We are so grateful to our organization's founder, former Mayor Jim Sheets, for his public service and particularly his commitment to preserving the ship building history in the City of Quincy. Fair Winds and Following Seas.

A public memorial service honoring former Mayor James Sheets will be held on Saturday, May 9 at 10:00 a.m. in the Richardson Room of the Thomas Crane Library, located at 40 Washington St in Quincy.

The service is open to the public, and all are welcome to celebrate the life of Mayor Sheets, who dedicated much of his life to public service in the City of Quincy and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

James Sheets passed away on January 15, 2026 in his home state of Pennsylvania. Over the course of his distinguished career, he served as a Quincy City Councilor, State Representative, and 31st Mayor of the City of Quincy. Following his tenure in elected office, he continued his commitment to education and public service as an instructor at Quincy College.

05/04/2026

228 years ago in 1798, the U.S. Congress established the Department of the Navy to create a dedicated executive department focused on naval affairs, responding to threats like the Quasi-War with France and the Barbary Pirates off the coast of Africa.

This historic move ensured expert leadership and oversight for all naval operations. It also marked the year the Continental , originally formed in 1775 and disbanded in 1783, were re-established as the United States Marine Corps and placed under the Navy's jurisdiction, solidifying the enduring partnership between the two.

For 228 years, this collaboration has been crucial in ensuring the Marine Corps is the first to fight. It has facilitated the training, equipping, and maintaining of combat-ready forces, continually embodied by the powerful synergy between the Navy and Marine Corps team. Happy 228th Anniversary to the U.S. Department of the Navy!

✍️ (U.S. Marine Corps graphic by Lance Cpl. Matthew Morales)

🖌️ (U.S. Navy painting by Tomiro)

05/03/2026

Good luck to our hometown New England Free Jacks in their Salute to Service Game today at 4pm. Our museum is open 10am-4pm. Stop by on your way to the City of Quincy!

01/31/2026

Come Discover Quincy's proud Shipbuilding History just 15 minutes south of Boston. We reopen for the season Saturday, April 18th.

This Massachusetts Harbor Holds an Entire Fleet of Historic Naval Giants You Can Explore 👇🏻