Vallejo in Solano County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

First U.S. Naval Station In The Pacific

July 9, 2020

1. First U.S. Naval Station In The Pacific Marker

Inscription.
Mare Island Navy Yard was established September 16, 1854, by the then Commander David G. Farragut, USN. Site selected in 1852 by a commission headed by Commodore John D. Sloat, USN.

Mare Island had the Navy's first shipyard, ammunition depot, hospital, Marine barracks, cemetery, chapel and radio station in the Pacific.

Erected 1960 by California State Park Commission and Solano County Historical Society. (Marker Number 751.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Military. In addition, it is included in the California Historical Landmarks series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 16, 1854.

Location. 38° 6.585′ N, 122° 15.841′ W. Marker is in Vallejo, California, in Solano County. Marker is at the intersection of Tennessee Street and Mare Island Way, on the left when traveling west on Tennessee Street. Marker is located at a small park just before entering Mare Island Naval Base. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11 Tennessee Street, Vallejo CA 94590, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. USS Independence Cannon (within shouting distance of this marker); This Eight Inch Gun (within shouting distance of this marker); USS Warren Cannon (within shouting distance of

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this marker); The Heritage House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Hunter Memorial Promenade (approx. 0.3 miles away); St. Vincent Ferrer Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Vallejo War Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Battle Station Torpedo (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Vallejo.

Regarding First U.S. Naval Station In The Pacific. During its tenure as the Navy's oldest base on the west coast, Mare Island built 512 ships and repaired hundreds more. Those ships, both great and obscure, fought in every conflict since. Mare Island's first ship, the paddle-wheeled gunboat Saginaw, was launched before the Civil War, in 1859, and its last ship, the nuclear submarine U.S.S. Drum, was launched in 1970 when our country was divided over the Vietnam war. These vessels also included the small ferryboat Pinafore, which chugged between Mare Island and Vallejo for 30 years starting in the 1890's, and the battleship U.S.S. California, the only battleship built on the west coast.

This site was designated as California Registered Historical Landmark No.751 on October 11, 1960.

Also see . . .

First U.S. Naval Station in the Pacific image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Nathan Schmidt, August 28, 2010

2. First U.S. Naval Station in the Pacific

Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Naval History and Heritage Command website entry (Submitted on October 19, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

First U.S. Naval Station In The Pacific Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

July 9, 2020

3. First U.S. Naval Station In The Pacific Marker - wide view

Credits. This page was last revised on October 19, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 28, 2010, by Kate Schmidt of Vallejo, California. This page has been viewed 1,126 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 11, 2020. 2. submitted on August 28, 2010, by Kate Schmidt of Vallejo, California. 3. submitted on July 11, 2020. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.