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In 1853, Vallejo’s Mare Island became the first permanent US naval installation on the west coast, bringing jobs and economic stability to the area for over a century. Let’s take a look at some of the history of the peninsula and the vessels borne from its harbor.

Admiral Farragut in dress uniform. In 1853, Secretary of the Navy James C. Dobbin selected Commander David G. Farragut to create Mare Island Navy Yard near San Francisco in San Pablo Bay. On September 16, 1854, Commander Farragut arrived to oversee the building of the Mare Island Navy Yard at Vallejo, California, which became the primary port for ship repairs on the West Coast.

Ox cart in an alley behind front-row quarters, Mare Island Naval Shipyard, 1860. During Mare Island’s early years, ox carts were used to haul cord wood, equipment and other supplies. The first team of oxen was brought to Mare Island during the Navy Yard’s first week of operation in 1854.

The ferry Vallejo arriving at Vallejo from Mare Island, 1908. The ferry is loaded with Mare Island workers. The ferry operated on the Vallejo-Mare Island run from 1879 to 1947.