Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
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The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS), often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships.
Ironically, the navy yard is neither in Portsmouth, nor even in New Hampshire. It is located on the other side of the Piscataqua River from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the state of Maine, occupying the whole of Seavey Island in the river. Many of the personnel working at the shipyard live in nearby Kittery, Maine.
The yard was established in June 1800, making it the oldest continuously-operating shipyard of the Navy. Its first ship was the 74-gun ship of the line Washington, launched in 1814.
It is also the home of "The Castle", a former military prison which derives its name from the resemblance to a medieval castle. This building was the primary prison for the Navy and Marine Corps, as well as housing many German U-Boat crews after capture, until it closed in 1974.
Recently, there has been controversy within the Shipyard. Both Maine and New Hampshire laid claim to the naval base until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Maine. However, residents of the area in each state still have strong opinions on the topic of ownership.
External link
- Portsmouth Naval Shipyard homepage (http://www.ports.navy.mil/)