Creation Before the Boston Navy Yard complex was developed, the plot was in the then-separate town of
Charlestown, settled in 1629. It was mostly undeveloped marsh or pasture, with some buildings at the current yard's southwest corner, and may have been used by both American Patriot
Paul Revere and British forces during the
American Revolutionary War. The Navy was founded with the
Naval Act of 1794, under which
six frigates were to be built, each at a different new shipyard.
Joshua Humphreys, the frigates' contractor, visited New England in 1799–1800 to investigate sites for a shipyard. Humphreys suggested a marshy site in Charlestown, near a mansion owned by Aaron Putnam, where he said could be obtained for $19,350. President
John Adams agreed on 9 May 1800 to build a shipyard at Charlestown. Charlestown was among the
United States Navy's original six shipyards, along with
Brooklyn,
Norfolk,
Philadelphia,
Portsmouth, and
Washington navy yards. Putnam was tasked with studying the feasibility of acquiring land in the area. land acquisition for the initial phase of construction began on 26 August 1800. The initial acquisition was completed on 3 April 1801, comprising ten land lots. This gave the Navy a site of , at a cost of $37,348. Employment generally peaked during wars (except for the
Vietnam War) and decreased during peacetime.
19th century 1800s to 1820s Samuel Nicholson, the yard's first commandant, oversaw limited improvements to the complex, which began in 1802. The first
wharf was among the earliest structures built; The site was little used before the
War of 1812, The
Treasury Department leased at the yard's northeastern corner in 1802 for a marine hospital, and the
War Department occupied a laboratory. That year, a
Marine Corps detachment began guarding the yard and constructed their first barracks there. Quarters G, the commandant's house, was constructed in 1805 as the yard's first residence. Modifications to Quarters G, conducted two years later, marked the earliest repairs to the yard. In 1809, the
U.S. Army completed a
gunhouse and a firearms
magazine that it shared with the Navy, and shortly thereafter, a boundary fence was built between the Army and Navy facilities. The original Marine barracks was replaced with a brick structure in 1810–1811, and a parade ground was built simultaneously. By 1812, a report by Commandant
William Bainbridge found the complex in poor condition. The yard contained Quarters G and I; a blacksmith's shop; various other offices, residences, and storage structures; and a boat landing and wharf. A
slipway for manufacturing ships was planned, but construction was deferred for a lack of funds. after Congress finally provided an appropriation for Charlestown Navy Yard, The slipway was enclosed by a shiphouse in late 1813 but was blown apart and replaced within a year. In the mid-1810s, defensive weaponry was installed at the entrances, and a perimeter fence was added. With
retrenchment after the war, the
Board of Navy Commissioners considered moving all the Navy's storehouses to Charlestown (which never occurred) and erecting a dry dock there. During 1817, the Navy built Quarters A (the porter's and guard's residence) and moved the fence following a
land swap. A new spar shed The Navy also acquired land on the western boundary, relandscaped that site, and added outbuildings. It obtained further land in the Lower Yard from the Army in 1821. Afterward, the Navy also sought to take over the Marine Hospital, with which he remained involved for nearly two decades. Also in the 1820s, Parris designed a carriage house; and a shipbuilding ways and a third shiphouse were built. Other upgrades in the late 1820s included a new
artillery battery and re-landscaping of the area near Salem Turnpike. Meanwhile, the
U.S. executive branch had begun thorough studies of the country's navy yards in 1826; Baldwin was appointed as chief engineer for the Charlestown Navy Yard study. It recommended removing several buildings and adding a dry dock, shipbuilding way, and street grid, along with several ultimately-unbuilt canals. Most of the existing buildings to date were grouped in two areas, while marshland and a creek took up the remaining site. The administration of President
Andrew Jackson studied the country's seven navy yards in 1829, finding that the Charlestown yard could not be eliminated "without injury to the naval service".
1830s to 1850s The Upper Quarters, housing
non-commissioned officers, was completed in 1833. Due to granite shortages and inclement weather, work on the dry dock (later Dry Dock 1 it was finally inaugurated on 24 June 1833. With Dry Dock 1's completion, steam-powered equipment was introduced to the yard, Jackson approved plans for the
Charlestown Ropewalk in 1834. The ropewalk, approval of which followed years of negotiations, During that decade, Congress also gave the
U.S. Marine Corps permission to acquire land for a new barracks near the Navy Yard, which never happened. and initially supplied rope for the entire Navy. Other buildings, including hemp, tar, and engine houses, were built to support the ropewalk's operations. By later that decade, the new Dry Dock 1 was already too small for ships such as
Fulton. The perimeter wall was also expanded to surround the entire yard, and another entrance was built. By then, Charlestown Navy Yard was a major facility for the Navy, maintaining the Navy's wooden-hulled ships. Only one wharf could accommodate long ships, so the Navy added two more wharves during that decade, each with various ancillary buildings. Ten ships involved in the war were serviced at Charlestown, and successive commandants remodeled the grounds around their house. By the early 1850s,
''Gleason's Pictorial'' described Charlestown Navy Yard as having three shiphouses, two storehouses, a parade grounds, and a landscape with tree-lined avenues. Charlestown Navy Yard remained a busy facility a new Gate 4, allowing the yard to install and repair ship engines. The yard was retrofitted with natural gas illumination the next year. The Navy also renovated numerous buildings, lengthened the fences, paved more roads, and landscaped the yard.
1860s and 1870s Activity increased again during the
American Civil War (1861–1865). The yard built 17, launched 23, and converted 40 vessels for wartime use, in addition to repairing over a hundred more vessels. Various temporary buildings were constructed at the yard. and installed hydrants, replacing older
wells. Other new facilities during the war included a heavy hammer house, The Navy also acquired White's Wharf and two buildings west of the existing complex. Ship construction proceeded slowly, and in 1866 the Navy canceled work on the remaining incomplete vessels. The yard was downgraded to an equipment and recruit facility. By 1868, the
U.S. House of Representatives was considering closing the yard, citing its limited area and the region's increasing demand for industrial waterfront space. The next year, a U.S. Navy board proposed a new master plan that included constructing three dry docks, various shops, and residential quarters; moving the ropewalk to the
Chelsea Naval Hospital; and obtaining the Mystic Flats to the east. Through that decade, Charlestown Navy Yard declined as maintenance lagged, though the yard remained an important repair and ropemaking facility. By then, the public could enter the yard except on Sundays. Upgrades in the early 1870s included a new shiphouse, a scale house, and an experimental timber-bending mill. The complex had four wooden wharves, which needed constant upkeep. The yard became part of Boston in 1874, when that city annexed Charlestown. The Navy installed a wood treatment plant in 1877, the functionality of which
The New York Times called questionable at best.
1880s and 1890s Four workshops and three storage sheds were built during the 1880s. and an 1880 fire damaged several buildings near the ropewalk. An attempt to close the yard in 1882 elicited outcry. Local residents disputed the U.S. government's ownership of the land, though the Navy said all previous landowners had given up their ownership claims. Afterward, the ropewalk was the main facility keeping the yard open. In 1887, Charlestown became a "general manufacturing yard" for equipment, specializing particularly in anchors, sails, rope, and chains. By then, employment had increased again to 260. Some wharves were repaired during the late 1880s, and repairs of both civilian craft and older naval vessels took place. Two-fifths of the complex's 88 buildings were wooden structures (many dating from the Civil War), and entire sections of the complex were unusable. Significant upgrades finally took place from the 1890s onward, though one historian retrospectively called these improvements slapdash and sometimes fleeting. At the time, the yard was organized into eight departments and also included a receiving ship, prison, and Marine detachment. Congress allocated $152,000 in 1890, which was used to upgrade several buildings. Initially, appropriations were allocated only for minor repairs, Congressional legislation for a new dry dock was introduced in 1894; by then, Navy Yard officials perceived the existing Dry Dock 1 as too small. The yard's overcrowded naval prison was upgraded that year, and employment gradually increased. and public access was temporarily restricted. The workforce tripled from 500 to 1,500. It also awarded a contract to build Dry Dock 2, construction of which was delayed by accidents and the contractor's bankruptcy. The complex still had difficulties repairing the Navy's newest vessels, Further legislation in 1899 provided funding for four dry docks nationwide; the legislation allowed up to one granite dry dock, which Secretary
John Davis Long decided should be built at Boston.
Early 20th century In the early 20th century, the complex was modernized to accommodate larger, diesel-powered vessels and
destroyers. In addition to the new dry dock and piers, about 80 buildings were added from 1898 to 1931, After World War I, the Navy acquired several annexes, including Lockwood's Basin and
South Boston Naval Annex. Boston Navy Yard's commandant also supervised facilities in nearby towns, including
Chelsea Naval Hospital and
ammunition and
niter storage depots. which then employed about 2,000 people. The Navy carried out upgrades, including rebuilding the railroad system, constructing a utility tunnel, and adding electric and telephone service. Existing piers were expanded or rebuilt, The reconstruction of Pier 1 had required the demolition of several structures, and the Navy built a coaling plant and a radio tower there. The Navy also renumbered the piers and the street grid. while outdoor ordnance-storage "parks" in the Upper Yard were replaced with tennis courts. the carpenter's shop subsequently burned in 1910. These structures, which comprised three-quarters of new construction before 1914, and assorted structures such as workshops, a pitch house, and a toilet. Dry Dock 2 opened in 1905, and an associated pump house, docks, and crane tracks were completed at that time. Buildings such as the equipment and machine shops were modified, Additions in the early 1910s included a
wireless station tower and an officer's quarters. However, the yard was working at only one-fourth capacity, and the Navy had considered closing it. The onset of
World War I quintupled employment between 1915 and 1919, during which the workforce grew from 2,500 to 12,844. Boston Navy Yard became a significant site for the conversion of civilian vessels to military use. It was also a
supply depot and port of
embarkation, used by 50 vessels daily on average. The Navy developed 36 structures (including seven temporary structures) during that time. A
marine railway, used for hull inspections, was constructed in 1918–1919. Other structures completed in the late 1910s included a bandstand, After the war, the Navy planned to continue operations at Boston Navy Yard.
1920s and 1930s Relatively little work took place immediately following World War I, The yard's staff, which numbered 5,865 that year, was reduced to less than 3,000 by 1922. and after the yard completed
Whitney two years later, shipbuilding also subsided. Modifications during the 1920s consisted mostly of repairs and machinery installations, along with some recreational facilities. the perimeter wall was partly replaced, and some wooden piers were rebuilt. New buildings during the late 1920s included a pump house though the Navy was also considering closing the yard by then. The closure did not occur at the time, but the threat remained for years. most destroyers were built in Dry Dock 2 and completed in Dry Dock 1, while ship repairs were conducted ashore. The
National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933 enabled the Navy to finance ship construction and upgrade some facilities. From the mid-1930s onward,
Works Progress Administration (WPA) forces extensively overhauled the complex. On the waterfront, they rebuilt several buildings; repaired the dry docks, marine railway, and Pier 1; and constructed a gas station and pipe shop. The complex's railroad was rebuilt again. Shipyard workers established a newsletter in 1936, which ran until 1974.
Mid-20th century Early and mid-1940s: World War II At the outbreak of
World War II (1939–1945), Boston Navy Yard had 3,900 employees. While the yard was generally in good condition, some facilities (including the railroad) needed work, and the yard was closed to the public. Employment reached 18,200 by 1841 as wartime activities escalated. who worked in three eight-hour shifts by 1942. The Navy spent $15 million upgrading Boston Navy Yard and $35 million on the annexes throughout the war. To increase shipbuilding capacity, the Navy announced plans for two new shipways in 1940; when they were completed the next year, the Navy moved shipbuilding activities there. The marine railway was rebuilt, and new toilets and lockers. The Lower Yard received 12 new structures, Other buildings were modified or demolished, and the Upper Yard's bandstand was replaced. With insufficient room at Charlestown to accommodate all the Navy's activities, several annexes were acquired or upgraded, and many repair activities were moved to the South Boston Annex. Under the
Lend-Lease Act, it built vessels used by the allied British
Royal Navy.
Late 1940s and 1950s After World War II, Charlestown (Boston) Navy Yard was officially renamed
Boston Naval Shipyard, The grounds were partly reopened to the public, The yard finished several craft already underway, and its staff oversaw the decommissioning of nearby military facilities. The complex also handled vessel repairs and deactivations, and became particularly known for overhauling destroyers. In 1947, the Navy formally designated Boston Navy Yard as a facility for vessel "construction, docking, overhaul, and alteration"; the yard was initially tasked with handling smaller ships, but its official purpose was later expanded to include larger craft such as
aircraft carriers. Boston Naval Shipyard's purpose remained little changed until its deactivation, The plan—which involved extensively overhauling, demolishing, or constructing dozens of buildings—went largely unrealized. In the late 1940s, the Navy added tennis courts, and during the
Korean War (1950–1953), the yard outfitted many vessels with
radar and
sonar equipment. The Navy converted one building into a sonar facility, a function later moved to South Boston. Other new facilities included a chapel, grit hopper, and fuel tank, The Navy considered overhauling submarines at Boston Naval Shipyard, but
Charleston Naval Shipyard in South Carolina ultimately assumed these functions instead. and was eventually withdrawn. The Navy also expanded the dispensary; rebuilt the foundry and the Electronics & Electrical Building; and demolished two buildings and the main gate. Shipway 1 was rebuilt that decade, From 1959 onward, it conducted
Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhauls.
1960s and 1970s: Final years, closure Further development of Boston Naval Shipyard subsided in the 1960s. but President
John F. Kennedy intervened to prevent it. McNamara dropped plans to close the yard in 1963, shuttering two other yards instead. The shipyard continued to repair, retrofit, and overhaul vessels, The Machine Shop was expanded in the late 1960s; this was the shipyard's final significant construction project before its closure. By 1970, the yard employed 7,400 people. and mainly existed to support a fleet based at
Newport, Rhode Island. It also was incapable of maintaining the Navy's
nuclear-powered fleet or accommodating larger vessels such as the
Forrestal. The marine railway, deemed no longer operable, Even so, as late as 1972, the Navy had prepared plans to modernize the yard. Amid allegations that the closure was politically motivated, By then, Boston Naval Shipyard employed 5,228 civilians and about 150 military personnel. worker layoffs began in August 1973, and the Marines departed in May 1974. after which only a few security staff remained on site. The disused complex had ten piers and a myriad of buildings. Local residents were ambivalent about the closure, as such a move had been contemplated repeatedly, and the neighborhood was gentrifying. == Redevelopment ==