Hundreds of Dahlgrens in one place-photo I've never seen before

[cannonmn]

Here's a great stereoview of the Charlestown Navy Yard (Boston, MA) back when, with what looks like hundreds of 9-inch? Dahlgren guns lined up in the gun park.  I've never seen this photo before, somehow.  Since it won't be posted where it is in about a month, you may want to download it (click for larger photo, right click then "save as.")
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/c-1875-Stereoview-Hundreds-of-Union-Cannon-Charlestown-Navy-Yard-/261114150967?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item3ccb9dc037

[onegreatshot]

Wonder where they all went. That is a lot of Cannons.

[Zulu]

Wonder where they all went. That is a lot of Cannons.

They went into making airplanes during the scrap drives of the world wars.
Zulu

[KABAR2]

They didn't know to put a powder can in the photo for scale back then...... 
More likely they gave their metal for liberty ships.......

[cannonmn]

Most of those guns were sold off as surplus in the 1890's.  Some were donated to various GAR posts in the Northeast.  National Archives record group 74, Entry 122 consists of dozens of thick volumes of disposition reports for all naval stations which had inventories of cannons.  I photographed selected pages a couple of years ago.  Here's one showing where some of the iron guns at Boston went-sold to a Mr. McKenna.  The bronze guns were largely sent to the Naval Gun Factory in Washington where they were melted down to make other things, but a few were loaned or donated to GAR posts.  Each gun disposed of by the Navy was recorded by type, metal, and all markings, where it was located, and where it went, in this large group of volumes.  I  have to say that it was a sad thing to see, those detailed lists of hundreds and hundreds of Dahlgren boat howitzers of all sizes, all headed to Washington to be melted down.
 
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b62/cannonmn/miscforumsetc/Forums59/Disp%20of%20Naval%20Guns%20RG74E122/IMG_7601.jpg
 

[Cannoneer]

Thanks, I haven't seen this one before either.

[bluelake]

Several are in my hometown area of northern lower Michigan.  One off the Hartford is in my hometown's main park--I loved playing on it as a kid. 
 
 

[onegreatshot]

Thanks for the display of the manifest. Those guns were big, well over 16,000 lbs. Must of help build a lot of other war products.