Hunters Point Naval Shipyard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hunters Point Naval Shipyard |
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| San Francisco | |
Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in 2020
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| Coordinates | 37°43′32.18″N 122°22′8.19″W / 37.7256056°N 122.3689417°W |
| Type | Shipyard |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Navy |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1870 |
| In use | 1941–1974 |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II Cold War |
The Hunters Point Naval Shipyard was a large shipyard (a place where ships are built and repaired) for the United States Navy. It was located in San Francisco, California, covering about 638 acres of land right on the waterfront.
This shipyard started as a private business in 1870. It grew into a very important place for fixing ships, especially during big wars. The Navy bought it in 1940, just before World War II. It was a busy naval base for many years, but it closed permanently in 1994. Since then, a huge effort has been underway to clean up the land from years of industrial and nuclear use.
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A Look Back at Hunters Point Shipyard
Hunters Point began as a commercial shipyard in 1870. It had two large graving docks, which are special basins that can be drained to allow ships to be worked on. The Union Iron Works company bought and expanded it. Later, the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company owned it, calling it the Hunters Point Drydocks.
In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt trusted his famous "Great White Fleet" of battleships to be repaired here. This showed how important the shipyard was. The drydocks were built on solid rock and were considered some of the largest in the world in 1916. They were big enough for the biggest warships and passenger ships of the time.
Before World War II, the Navy often used these docks. They were important because they offered deep-water facilities between San Diego and Washington state. The main naval base nearby, Mare Island Naval Shipyard, was too shallow for larger ships.
In 1940, the Navy bought the shipyard from its private owners. They renamed it the San Francisco Naval Shipyard. It became one of the most important shipyards on the West Coast during World War II. Many people moved to the area to work there.
Wartime and Nuclear Research
In July 1945, a very important and secret mission happened here. The key parts of the first atomic bomb were loaded onto the USS Indianapolis at Hunters Point. The ship then took them to Tinian.
After World War II, the shipyard became home to the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory. This was the biggest military facility in the U.S. for studying nuclear effects. They even used the yard to clean ships that had been exposed to radiation from nuclear tests. Because of all this work, the site has a lot of leftover radiation and other pollution.
The Giant Crane
In 1947, a huge crane, known as the Hunter's Point crane, was built at the shipyard. It was the largest crane in the world at the time! Its job was to lift the massive turrets (the rotating parts holding the guns) off battleships. This allowed the guns to be quickly replaced or repaired.
This giant crane was also used for testing missiles. In 1959, during "Operation Skycatch," dummy Polaris missiles were fired and caught by cables from the crane. Later, a large frame was added to the crane to test UGM-73 Poseidon missiles. This made the crane nearly 500 feet tall, making it a very noticeable landmark.
Reserve Fleet and Closure
The Pacific Reserve Fleet, Hunters Point was a "mothball fleet" of World War II ships kept at the shipyard. These ships were ready to be used again if needed. Some were reactivated for the Korean War and Vietnam War.
The Navy continued to use the shipyard for repairs until 1974. Then, they leased most of it to a private company. The shipyard was briefly reopened by the Navy between 1986 and 1989.
Today, the Hunters Point Shipyard is also home to a community of artists called the Hunters Point Shipyard Artists (HPSA). They have rented studios in the former naval shipyard since 1983.
Cleanup and Future of the Shipyard
In 1987, there was a discussion about making Hunters Point the home port for the reactivated USS Missouri (BB-63) battleship. However, after much debate, the Navy decided to send the Missouri to other locations.
In 1989, the base was declared a Superfund site. This means it needed a long-term cleanup because of serious pollution. The Navy officially closed the shipyard in 1994 as part of a program to reorganize military bases. Besides radioactive materials, the site also had pollution from old power plants that used coal and oil.
Redevelopment Challenges
As of 2025, the former shipyard is still being cleaned up. The Navy is trying to declare parts of it clean so new homes and businesses can be built. A company called Lennar has already built and sold many new homes there.
However, there have been many concerns about the cleanup. Some regulators and workers claim that the site is still very contaminated. They say that the company hired for the cleanup, Tetra Tech, might have falsified radiation test results. They also say that employees who tried to follow proper testing rules were fired. The Navy has admitted that some soil samples were "anomalous" (unusual).
In 2016, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stopped the transfer of more land from the Navy to developers. They wanted to make sure that the public would not be exposed to radioactive materials.
Community Concerns and Cleanup Standards
In 2000, San Francisco voters overwhelmingly passed "Proposition P." This proposition stated that the Navy must clean up the shipyard to the highest possible standard. This means the land should be safe enough for "unrestricted use," like building homes.
However, the Navy has changed its cleanup plans over time. They have lowered the cleanup standards for some areas. Instead of removing all contaminated soil, they sometimes plan to install covers over the soil. This means the contamination is still there, just covered up. This has caused worry among residents and activists. They believe the Navy is not following the city's policy or federal laws for Superfund sites, which require community agreement on cleanup levels.
In 2020, there were efforts to bring back a "Restoration Advisory Board" (RAB). This board would allow the community to have more say in the cleanup process. Studies have also found high levels of certain metals in shipyard workers and residents, highlighting the ongoing health concerns.
Dry Docks
The shipyard had several large dry docks for repairing ships. Here are some details:
| Dock No. | Material of which dock is constructed | Length | Width | Depth | Date Completed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Concrete | 743 feet 5 inches (226.59 m) | 122 feet (37 m) | 28 feet 10 inches (8.79 m) | 1903 | |
| 3 | Concrete | 1,005 feet 4 inches (306.43 m) | 153 feet (47 m) | 39 feet 10 inches (12.14 m) | 1919 | |
| 4 | Concrete | 1,092 feet (333 m) | 171 feet (52 m) | 50 feet 5 inches (15.37 m) | 1942 | |
| 5 | Concrete | 420 feet (130 m) | 66 feet (20 m) | 27 feet (8.2 m) | 1944 | |
| 6 | Concrete | 420 feet (130 m) | 81 feet (25 m) | 27 feet (8.2 m) | 1944 | |
| 7 | Concrete | 420 feet (130 m) | 66 feet (20 m) | 27 feet (8.2 m) | 1944 |
See also
