Mare Island

Mare Island is located in Vallejo, California. It is a 23 mile peninsula, northeast of San Francisco bordered by the Napa River and the San Pablo Bay. The peninsula was discovered by Perez Ayala in 1775. Its name came following the shipwreck of a ferry carrying men and livestock. When one of the mares managed to swim ashore in the days following the wreck, the peninsula was renamed by the horse's owner to honor her strength and resourcefulness. In 1850, shortly following California's statehood assignment, the president proclaimed Mare Island would be used by the government and the peninsula was purchased by the U.S. Navy Department. It became the first permanent U.S. Naval installation on the west coast. Up until World War II, the island was used for ship upbuilding. Some changes took place on the island following the Pear Harbor attack and the base was eventually deactivated in 1995 during a swarm of base closures. The Navy still has a reserve base in the area. Restoration of the naval shipyard and island began in 1993 and an effort has been made to rebuild the more than 600 structures on the island. It was appointed a National Historic Landmark, a State Historic Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Districts. Forty-two city landmarks are also part of that list.