South Boston Naval Annex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids South Boston Naval Annex |
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| South Boston, Massachusetts | |
The Annex, circa 1958. In this image, South is on top.
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| Type | Shipyard annex |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Navy |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1920 |
| In use | 1920–1974 |
The South Boston Naval Annex was a large area in South Boston, Massachusetts where the United States Navy built and repaired ships. It covered about 167 acres (67.6 hectares). This place was like a helper, or "annex," to the main Boston Navy Yard.
It was open from 1920 until 1974, when both it and the main shipyard closed. The annex is famous for Dry Dock Number 3, which is one of the biggest dry docks on the East Coast. A dry dock is like a special bathtub for ships, allowing them to be worked on out of the water. In 2022, most of this historic site was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
How It Started
In 1920, the United States Department of Defense bought a big piece of land in South Boston. They divided it between the Naval Annex and the South Boston Army Base. The Navy then started building many structures at the annex. Construction continued for years, especially leading up to World War II. A special train line, Track 61, helped move materials to the annex.
Busy Times During World War II
During World War II, the South Boston Naval Annex became very important. The Navy needed to build and fix many ships quickly.
Building Important Structures
In March 1940, workers began building a long quay wall (a dock for ships) and a large machine shop. The machine shop was about 1,300 feet (396 meters) long and 500 feet (152 meters) wide. The next year, a new power plant was built to provide electricity and air for tools.
More docks were added in 1941, including two long timber piers. A new shop, 420 feet (128 meters) long and 120 feet (37 meters) wide, also started construction that September.
A Huge Dry Dock for Cruisers
In December 1941, work began on a massive graving dock, which is another name for a dry dock. This dock was 693 feet (211 meters) long and 91 feet (28 meters) wide at its entrance. It was deep enough for large ships like cruisers. This important dock was finished and ready for use by March 1943. It is now known as Dry Dock Number 3.
A Home for Sailors
Also in 1941, a barracks (a building for soldiers or sailors to live in) was built for 500 ship crew members. This was needed because ships were being repaired around the clock, and their crews couldn't stay on board.
The annex kept growing. In late 1942, another 900-foot (274-meter) pier was started. Shops for riggers (people who work with ropes and cables) and painters were also built. Many improvements were made to roads, train tracks, and equipment.
After the War: Storage and Closure
After World War II ended, the annex was used to store ships that were no longer actively sailing. These ships were kept "in reserve." In 1974, the main Boston Navy Yard closed, and so did the annex. The land was then bought by the City of Boston and became the Boston Marine Industrial Park.
The "Mothball Fleet"
From 1946 to 1961, the South Boston Naval Annex was home to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Boston. This was a "mothball fleet" where many Navy ships were stored after World War II. Some of these ships were brought back into service for the Korean War and Vietnam War. Others were updated or changed for new roles. When the reserve fleet closed in 1961, the ships were either taken apart for scrap, used for target practice, or moved to other reserve fleets.
What's There Now?
Today, the old Naval Annex is part of the larger South Boston Waterfront. Many different companies now operate there. For example, Sail Boston has used the area to host tall ships when they visit the city. The land that was once the South Boston Army Base is now the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal, where cruise ships dock.
A building from 1943, once a Marine machine shop (called "Building 53"), now houses the Harpoon Brewery, an auto repair shop, and a seafood company. Three of the four original large warehouse cranes are still working today!
Big Ships and Big Repairs
Dry Dock Number 3 is still very active. It is used by Boston Ship Repair to fix large ships, including those from the US Navy and other government agencies.
For example, in 1992, the famous luxury liner Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) needed repairs after hitting an uncharted rock. Dry Dock Number 3 was the only nearby dock big enough to fix it. The former battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59) also used Dry Dock Number 3 for repairs from 1998 to 1999.
Many of the old Navy Annex buildings and cranes are still standing, keeping their original numbers.
More to Explore
- Port of Boston
- South Boston Waterfront
- List of military installations in Massachusetts
Find Out More Online
- Map of the yard on Wikimapia
- Video of the yard, circa 1957 or 1958
