I really can't believe the Bush clan wants to close this base..... here's some history.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS), Cradle of American Shipbuilding, located in the Piscataqua River Estuary between New Hampshire and Maine where in 1690 the first naval warship in North America was built, is the oldest naval shipyard continuously operated by the United States Government since its establishment in June 1800. At that time, President Thomas Jefferson approved the purchase of an island in the Piscataqua River as a site for a naval shipyard. Continuously, for more than two centuries, the men and women of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard have built and serviced naval vessels for our Nation's defense.

The Shipyard launched its first product, the 74-gun warship USS WASHINGTON, in 1815. During World War I, the PNS workforce expanded to nearly 5,000 people as it took on a new and important role--the construction of submarines--in addition to the overhaul and repair of surface vessels. World War II saw the civilian employment rolls swell to over 25,000 men and women. During World War II over 70 submarines were constructed at PNS, and 4 submarines were launched on the same day. Following World War II, PNS was the Navy�s center for submarine design and development. The research submarine, USS ALBACORE, with its revolutionary tear-drop shaped hull and round cross section, set the standard for all subsequent submarine hull design world-wide.

In the mid 1950's, the Shipyard engaged in an extensive training program to acquaint employees with the special techniques and exacting requirements for the overhaul and construction of nuclear-powered submarines. Soon after, the keel of USS SWORDFISH, the first nuclear-powered submarine built in a naval shipyard, was laid, heralding in a new era for the Shipyard. In 1959, USS NAUTILUS, the first nuclear-powered submarine, entered PNS for her first complete overhaul, the first of any nuclear-powered ship. PNS continued to design and build submarines, including USS DOLPHIN, the Navy's deep diving research submarine, until 1969, when the last submarine built in a public shipyard, the nuclear powered USS SAND LANCE, was launched.


Sorting out the priority of place for the competing claims among Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Washington Naval Shipyard and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is an interesting experience.

The first purchase of land by the U.S. Government for the purposes of establishing a naval shipyard was for the Washington Naval Shipyard in October 1799. The name was "Washington Naval Shipyard" since it was established to build and repair naval vessels. The name "Washington Navy Yard" appeared in common usage in the late 1980s as a preference for "The Naval Gun Factory", the name the yard had assumed following the War Between the States. The conclusion is inescapable that the Washington Naval Shipyard was the first shipyard established by the U.S. Government. However, shipbuilding and repair ceased after the War Between the States, and the Washington Naval Shipyard became a manufacturer of ordnance and other materiel for the Fleet. The Washington Naval Shipyard, while the first shipyard established, ceased to function as a naval shipyard in the latter decades of the 19th Century.

The land on which Norfolk Naval Shipyard is sited was purchased by the U.S. Government for purposes of a naval shipyard in June 1801. Included in the land purchased were small "yards" where ships for commercial purposes had been built prior to the American Revolutionary War era. During the American Revolution several warships (of a relatively undistinguished nature) were built in these "yards" and delivered to the Continental Navy. "Yards" on the land subsequently purchased by the U.S. Government for a naval shipyard had been leased by the fledgling U.S. Government in May 1794 as a place where U.S. naval vessels (of which there were very, very few) might be repaired. Thus, Norfolk Naval Shipyard may rightly style itself the oldest naval shipyard on a site devoted to shipbuilding.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard may validly claim the title "Cradle of American Shipbuilding" as well as being the area where warship construction began in North America. HMS Falkland was constructed for the British Royal Navy in 1690 in what is now New Castle, NH. (If HMS Falkland had been constructed on nearby Fernald's Island, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard could claim the distinction of being the oldest naval shipyard on a site devoted to shipbuilding, but that is not the case.) The Fernald yard on Fernald's (now Seavey's Island) built and repaired commercial vessels from the 1750s. John Langdon's yard on Rising Island (now Badger's Island) constructed and repaired commercial vessels from the 1760s, and in May 1776 launched the first vessel designed and built specifically as a naval vessel, (USS Raleigh) to be delivered to the Continental Navy. Prior to the launching of USS Raleigh, a light frigate of 32 guns, all vessels purchased into the Continental Navy were commercial vessels taken from the trade and outfitted with armaments. Langdon's yard subsequently launched USS Ranger, after the Bonhomme Richard, arguably the most famous of Continental Navy warships, and also the only ship-of-the line constructed during the American Revolution, the 74-gun USS America in 1782. However, USS America never sailed under the American flag, the vessel, which J. P. Jones anticipated would be his command, was instead given to the French Government in appreciation for France's contributions in money and manpower to the cause of American Independence.

Each of the three historic naval shipyards can rightfully claim some "first". Portsmouth Naval Shipyard claims the titles 'Cradle of American Shipbuilding' and oldest naval shipyard continuously operated by the United States Government

Quite a lengthy post - only thing is BRAC is not a "Bush clan" thing.

There have been 4 previous rounds of BRAC - 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995, and the latest is current 2005. BRAC was Congressionally mandated so the Executive Branch (Bush 41, Clinton, and Bush 43) are obligated by law to implement.

I agree that Portsmouth is an important part of our history and would be sad to see it go. But just as other historic bases faced closure or have been closed, it is up to us to keep the history alive even if the base is no longer active.

Tough decision to decide what stays and what goes, I don't sympathize with the BRAC commission members or the grief they must endure throughout this process.

Oh - you really don't need to duplicate your posts to the other forums. I am not sure if the redundancy is acceptable.

Interesting post... But I wonder when YOU wrote it? Or perhaps you did a little plagiarism, and borrowed the whole thing from this article?

You might have at least given the authors some credit.


The duplicate post was removed by a Moderator.

Do you really think I have as much time as you to sit around and write essays? I live in the area. And I know the base's significance..... and used a website to provide the info...... so shoot me.

Uhhh - this is BBS not a name calling board. Lighten up!

Lrae is right, if there is something significant in your post, then just LINK to it and we can go read it - don't need to reproduce novels on this site or get political about things...

Lighten Up?

Why is everyone a critic? It's text.....not mpegs. I don't think it's a matter of space. And no offense to anyone.....the internet is a wastleland. And while Keyhole is an awesome resource......I don't consider it Harvard.

Didn't really intend to hurt those insecure repubs out there. Or the slow readers of the world.

Seems to me the issue is just about giving proper credit for other people's original work. No matter how much of a "wasteland" the web has become.

OMG another Sherlock Holmes ....... the post was scrutinized a few different ways.

Read deeper ..... I never took credit for what was written in the post.

The text comes from the actual government website for Portsmouth.

I'm not looking for a grade or looking to capitalize from this in any way..........just trying collect and share info.

Thanks for posting the background info.

If you have further interest in Fernald's Island, there are some interesting image overlays at http://www.fernald.org/genealogy/.

Seavey and Lay Islands: FernaldsInKitteryZoom.kmz
Lower Kittery: FernaldsInKitteryWide.kmz