Naval Station Puget Sound
Encyclopedia
Naval Station Puget Sound is a former United States Naval
station located on Sand Point
in Seattle, Washington
. Today, the land is occupied by Magnuson Park.
, a movement was begun to build Naval Air Station
(NAS) Seattle at Sand Point, and King County
began acquiring surrounding parcels. In 1922 the U.S. Navy
began construction on the site, which it was leasing from the county, and in 1926 the Navy was deeded the 413 acres (1.7 km²) field outright. The name Carkeek Park was subsequently given to a new park
on the west side of the city, north of Ballard
on Puget Sound
. This deed amounted to a public gift of $500,000 from the county to the Navy, in 1926 dollars; this would be $5,283,000 in 2005 dollars, not including significant real estate appreciation. The Seattle Chamber of Commerce—a commercial entity—had done the same thing for the Army 28 years before with Fort Lawton, much of which is now Discovery Park.
Sand Point Airfield was the endpoint of the first aerial circumnavigation
of the world in 1924. The historic flight helped convince Congress to develop Sand Point as a Naval Air Station.
The former grass runways were paved in 1940-41, just prior to the U.S. entering World War II
. The primary runway was aligned 14/32 and was just under a mile in length at 5050 feet (1539 m).
During its years of operation, Naval Station Puget Sound was used as a facility to train naval aviators. Several trainer aircraft were forced to ditch in lake Washington over the years due to pilot error or aircraft malfunction. The wrecks of these aircraft still remain submerged near present day Magnuson Park, where they are often visited by local divers:
NAS Seattle was deactivated in 1970 and the airfield was shut down; the reduced base was renamed "Naval Support Activity Seattle." Negotiations began as to who would receive the surplus property. In 1975 a large portion of the Navy's land was given to the City of Seattle and to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA). The city's land was largely developed as a park and named Sand Point Park. In 1977, it was renamed Magnuson Park in honor of longtime U.S. Senator
Warren Magnuson, a former naval officer from Seattle. Both names for the park are commonly used. The airfield runways were demolished in the late 1970s and new construction on the north end for NOAA was completed in 1982 (photo - 1981). The installation was renamed "Naval Station Puget Sound" in 1986 and recommended for closure in April 1991, and the remaining land was divided among several entities, including the city. The base was formally closed four years later in September 1995.
The former naval station was added to the National Register of Historic Places
as Naval Air Station (NAS) Seattle and designated a Seattle landmark as the Sand Point Naval Air Station Historic District on .
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...
station located on Sand Point
Sand Point
Sand Point is a peninsula that juts into Lake Washington from north Seattle, Washington, USA. It is mostly occupied by Magnuson Park and gives its name to the Sand Point neighborhood to the west. Formerly a U.S. naval air station, it is mostly public park area, but with a portion occupied by...
in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. Today, the land is occupied by Magnuson Park.
History
After 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...
, a movement was begun to build Naval Air Station
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
(NAS) Seattle at Sand Point, and King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
began acquiring surrounding parcels. In 1922 the U.S. 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...
began construction on the site, which it was leasing from the county, and in 1926 the Navy was deeded the 413 acres (1.7 km²) field outright. The name Carkeek Park was subsequently given to a new park
Carkeek Park
Carkeek Park is a 216-acre park located in the Broadview neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The park contains Piper Orchard, Pipers Creek , play and picnic areas, picnic shelters, and hiking trails. A pedestrian bridge across the main lines of the BNSF Railway connects to the Carkeek Park...
on the west side of the city, north of Ballard
Ballard, Seattle, Washington
Ballard is a neighborhood located in the northwestern part of Seattle, Washington. To the north it is bounded by Crown Hill, ; to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont ; to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal; and to the west by Puget Sound’s Shilshole Bay. The neighborhood’s...
on Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
. This deed amounted to a public gift of $500,000 from the county to the Navy, in 1926 dollars; this would be $5,283,000 in 2005 dollars, not including significant real estate appreciation. The Seattle Chamber of Commerce—a commercial entity—had done the same thing for the Army 28 years before with Fort Lawton, much of which is now Discovery Park.
Sand Point Airfield was the endpoint of the first aerial circumnavigation
First aerial circumnavigation
The first aerial circumnavigation of the world was conducted in 1924 by a team of aviators of the United States Army Air Service, the precursor of the United States Air Force...
of the world in 1924. The historic flight helped convince Congress to develop Sand Point as a Naval Air Station.
The former grass runways were paved in 1940-41, just prior to the U.S. entering World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The primary runway was aligned 14/32 and was just under a mile in length at 5050 feet (1539 m).
During its years of operation, Naval Station Puget Sound was used as a facility to train naval aviators. Several trainer aircraft were forced to ditch in lake Washington over the years due to pilot error or aircraft malfunction. The wrecks of these aircraft still remain submerged near present day Magnuson Park, where they are often visited by local divers:
- 1956 - PB4Y PrivateerPB4Y PrivateerThe Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer was a World War II and Korean War era patrol bomber of the United States Navy derived from the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. The Navy had been using unmodified B-24s as the PB4Y-1 Liberator, and the type was considered very successful...
crashed shortly after takeoff when the pilot missed setting the flaps. The aircraft now sits under 155' of water near the boat ramp at Magnuson Park. - 1947 - PV-2 Harpoon crashed landed on approach to Sand Point Naval Air Station runway. The aircraft now sits under 140' of water off Sand Point.
NAS Seattle was deactivated in 1970 and the airfield was shut down; the reduced base was renamed "Naval Support Activity Seattle." Negotiations began as to who would receive the surplus property. In 1975 a large portion of the Navy's land was given to the City of Seattle and to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
(NOAA). The city's land was largely developed as a park and named Sand Point Park. In 1977, it was renamed Magnuson Park in honor of longtime U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Warren Magnuson, a former naval officer from Seattle. Both names for the park are commonly used. The airfield runways were demolished in the late 1970s and new construction on the north end for NOAA was completed in 1982 (photo - 1981). The installation was renamed "Naval Station Puget Sound" in 1986 and recommended for closure in April 1991, and the remaining land was divided among several entities, including the city. The base was formally closed four years later in September 1995.
The former naval station was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Naval Air Station (NAS) Seattle and designated a Seattle landmark as the Sand Point Naval Air Station Historic District on .