Keyport, Washington
Encyclopedia
Keyport is an unincorporated community
in Kitsap County, Washington
, United States
. The community is located at the eastern terminus of State Route 308 on the Kitsap Peninsula
, 3.42 miles (5.5 km) east of Subase Bangor. Keyport's ZIP Code
, 98345, had a ZCTA
population of 554 at the 2010 census
, in addition to a small contingent of Navy personnel.
Keyport was named for Keyport, New Jersey
in 1896. Its nickname is "Torpedo Town USA". Situated on a small peninsula jutting into Liberty Bay near Poulsbo
, it is the home of a small United States Navy
depot tasked with ranging and repairing torpedoes
for the US Navy and allies.
The photo on the Wiki Torpedo link appears to be taken aboard one of the locally based Torpedo test craft YTT.
), the naval station had a number of names such as, Pacific Torpedo Station and Naval Torpedo Station, until in the 1990s the base was named the Naval Undersea Warfare Engineering Station (NUWES). The land the base sits on was originally a pig farm, which led to some interesting nicknames in the base's early years. As the Cold War
drew to a close a number of budget cuts, two RIFs and several Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) actions caused Keyport's parent command in Newport, R.I.
to reserve the engineering function to itself, at least on paper, resulting in a name change to Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Keyport (NUWC). One of many subsequent reorganizations resulted in another name change to Naval Sea Systems Command, Keyport (NAVSEA). Following the US Navy's current trend of aligning base names locally the current station name is Naval Base Kitsap
- Keyport, similar to the other facilities in Bremerton
and Bangor. However the tenant Commands remain's as before (NAVSEA and NUWC). Keyport survived all these threats without closing its gates but the civilian workforce at Keyport has fallen from about 3,500 personnel in 1990 to 1,348 in 2005.
which exhibits many displays on undersea technology, including the Trieste II
, which descended to 20,000 ft (6,100 m). There is also a boat dock operated by the local Port Authority. Kitsap County maintains a small county park on the beach just across SR-308 from the main gate.
The base sports a boat launch, a large picnic area on a lagoon, and a number of hiking trails on "Radio Hill" used by base employees during lunch breaks. Recreational boaters, however, are cautioned to stay at least 300 feet (91.4 m) away from the production area of the base.
Places to eat include the Keyport Mercantile, which is right up from the boat launch and the Whiskey Creek Steak House located the only road into town.
site with four areas requiring action due to chemical contamination, including the former landfill
on the western edge of the installation with the potential to contaminate neighboring well water. The chemicals of concern are chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyl
s (PCBs). Treatment for CAH hot spots in the landfill is by phytoremediation
(growing poplar trees). Also removal of PCB-contaminated sediments, upgrade the tide gate, upgrade and maintain the landfill cover and conduct long-term monitoring.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Kitsap County, Washington
Kitsap County, Washington
Kitsap County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington, named after Chief Kitsap of the Suquamish tribe. As of 2011 state estimate, its population was 253,900. Its county seat is at Port Orchard, and its largest city is Bremerton....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The community is located at the eastern terminus of State Route 308 on the Kitsap Peninsula
Kitsap Peninsula
The Kitsap Peninsula is an arm of land that is part of the larger Olympic Peninsula in Washington state that lies west of Seattle across Puget Sound. Hood Canal separates Kitsap Peninsula from the rest of the Olympic Peninsula...
, 3.42 miles (5.5 km) east of Subase Bangor. Keyport's ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
, 98345, had a ZCTA
ZIP Code Tabulation Area
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas are statistical entities developed by the United States Census Bureau for tabulating summary statistics from Census 2000. This new entity was developed to overcome the difficulties in precisely defining the land area covered by each ZIP code...
population of 554 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, in addition to a small contingent of Navy personnel.
Keyport was named for Keyport, New Jersey
Keyport, New Jersey
Keyport is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,240. Keyport's nickname is the "Pearl of the Bayshore" or the "Gateway to the Bayshore"....
in 1896. Its nickname is "Torpedo Town USA". Situated on a small peninsula jutting into Liberty Bay near Poulsbo
Poulsbo, Washington
Poulsbo is a city on Liberty Bay in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is the fourth largest city in Kitsap County and one of the main suburbs of Seattle in the Kitsap area. The population was 9,200 at the 2010 census....
, it is the home of a small United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
depot tasked with ranging and repairing torpedoes
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
for the US Navy and allies.
The photo on the Wiki Torpedo link appears to be taken aboard one of the locally based Torpedo test craft YTT.
Base name changes
From the earliest days (pre-World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
), the naval station had a number of names such as, Pacific Torpedo Station and Naval Torpedo Station, until in the 1990s the base was named the Naval Undersea Warfare Engineering Station (NUWES). The land the base sits on was originally a pig farm, which led to some interesting nicknames in the base's early years. As the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
drew to a close a number of budget cuts, two RIFs and several Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) actions caused Keyport's parent command in Newport, R.I.
Naval Station Newport
The Naval Station Newport is a United States Navy base located in the towns of Newport and Middletown, Rhode Island. Naval Station Newport is home to the Naval War College and the Naval Justice School...
to reserve the engineering function to itself, at least on paper, resulting in a name change to Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Keyport (NUWC). One of many subsequent reorganizations resulted in another name change to Naval Sea Systems Command, Keyport (NAVSEA). Following the US Navy's current trend of aligning base names locally the current station name is Naval Base Kitsap
Naval Base Kitsap
Naval Base Kitsap is a U.S. Navy base located on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington state. It was created in 2004 by merging the former Naval Station Bremerton with Naval Submarine Base Bangor...
- Keyport, similar to the other facilities in Bremerton
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
and Bangor. However the tenant Commands remain's as before (NAVSEA and NUWC). Keyport survived all these threats without closing its gates but the civilian workforce at Keyport has fallen from about 3,500 personnel in 1990 to 1,348 in 2005.
Tourism
Keyport's major tourist facility is the Naval Undersea MuseumNaval Undersea Museum
The Naval Undersea Museum is an official naval museum located at Keyport, Washington, USA. The museum is one of the 12 Navy museums that are operated by the Naval History & Heritage Command. The museum sits next to a branch of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center...
which exhibits many displays on undersea technology, including the Trieste II
Bathyscaphe Trieste II
Trieste II ' was the successor to Trieste — the United States Navy's first bathyscaphe purchased from its Swiss designers. The original Trieste design was heavily modified by the Naval Electronics Laboratory in San Diego, California and built at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard...
, which descended to 20,000 ft (6,100 m). There is also a boat dock operated by the local Port Authority. Kitsap County maintains a small county park on the beach just across SR-308 from the main gate.
The base sports a boat launch, a large picnic area on a lagoon, and a number of hiking trails on "Radio Hill" used by base employees during lunch breaks. Recreational boaters, however, are cautioned to stay at least 300 feet (91.4 m) away from the production area of the base.
Places to eat include the Keyport Mercantile, which is right up from the boat launch and the Whiskey Creek Steak House located the only road into town.
Cleanup
Like many American bases, the Navy base at Keyport is designated a SuperfundSuperfund
Superfund is the common name for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 , a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances...
site with four areas requiring action due to chemical contamination, including the former landfill
Landfill
A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...
on the western edge of the installation with the potential to contaminate neighboring well water. The chemicals of concern are chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyl
Polychlorinated biphenyl
Polychlorinated biphenyls are a class of organic compounds with 2 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl, which is a molecule composed of two benzene rings. The chemical formula for PCBs is C12H10-xClx...
s (PCBs). Treatment for CAH hot spots in the landfill is by phytoremediation
Phytoremediation
Phytoremediation Phytoremediation Phytoremediation (from the Ancient Greek , and Latin (restoring balance or remediation) describes the treatment of environmental problems (bioremediation) through the use of plants that mitigate the environmental problem without the need to excavate the...
(growing poplar trees). Also removal of PCB-contaminated sediments, upgrade the tide gate, upgrade and maintain the landfill cover and conduct long-term monitoring.