BOSTON – Two local residents were among 100 people in the Northeast states and their guests who were welcomed aboard the USS Constitution (“Old Ironsides”), the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world, on July 22 for a tug-powered cruise around Boston Harbor, including a 21-gun salute from her cannons.

Winners Zac Anderson of Leeds and Susan Spellman of Auburn and their families joined the festivities aboard “Old Ironsides.”

The cruise was the culmination of the sixth year of “Old Ironsides” Across the Nation, a collaborative program between the USS Constitution Museum and the Navy. The program takes the stories of the USS Constitution to residents throughout the United States. The program focuses on one region each year.

From 1,824 lottery entries by residents of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, 100 citizens and their families and friends won the chance to tour Boston Harbor aboard the 208-year-old wooden ship, which still serves in the active-duty Navy.

While in Boston for the turnaround cruise, winners and guests were welcomed at a special reception at the museum, toured the maintenance and repair facilities led by members of the Naval Historical Center Detachment – Boston, and had other family activities.

Museum staff conducted a teacher workshop for winners in the educator category, where each teacher received a free copy of the inter-disciplinary curriculum, “All Hands on Deck: Learning Adventures Aboard Old Ironsides’.”

The USS Constitution Museum is located in the Charlestown Navy Yard across from the USS Constitution (www.oldironsides.com). The museum’s Web address is www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org.