After World War I, a movement was begun to build Naval Air Station 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-acre (1.67 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[citation needed] (equivalent to $6.89 million in 2023 dollars)[1] 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.[2]
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:
1956 – PB4Y Privateer 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.[3]
1947 – PV-2 Harpoon crashed on approach to Sand Point Naval Air Station runway. The aircraft now sits under 140' of water off Sand Point.[4]
Deactivationedit
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. The airfield runways were demolished in the late 1970s and new construction on the north end for NOAA was completed in 1982 . 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.[5][6]
The former naval station was added to the National Register of Historic Places July 2, 2010 as Naval Air Station (NAS) Seattle[7] and designated a Seattle landmark as the Sand Point Naval Air Station Historic District on March 16, 2011.[8] Since then, many of the buildings have been redeveloped as affordable housing,[9] sports facilities,[10] artist studios,[11] breweries[12] and more.
Referencesedit
^Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
^ Crowley, Walt (November 22, 1998). "HistoryLink: U.S. Army flyers land at Sand Point Airfield to complete first aerial circumnavigation of the globe on September 28, 1924". HistoryLink.org. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
^Boyd, Scott. "The PB4Y Privateer Wreck". Emerald Sea Photography. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
^Boyd, Scott. "The PV-2 Harpoon Aircraft Wreck". Emerald Sea Photography.
^Seattle.gov – Magnuson Park – history – conversion – accessed October 23, 2010
^Seattle.gov – Magnuson Park – history – planning – accessed October 24, 2010
^Previous National Register Updates July 2, 2010, wisconsinhistory.org. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
^Former Sand Point Naval Air Station Designated as a Historic District, MAin2 (Historic Seattle's Preservation Blog), March 18, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
^"Inside Mercy Housing's restoration of Building 9 at Magnuson Park". June 25, 2018.
^"ARENA SPORTS + MAGNUSON ATHLETIC CLUB Renovation of historic seaplane hangar for new indoor sports facility and health club".
^"Magnuson Cafe and Brewery opening this summer in Seattle". May 22, 2018.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Naval Air Station Seattle.
"The Fin Project"
History Link.org – Sand Point Naval Air Station: 1920–1970
Seattle Parks and Recreation – Magnuson Park – History: early airfield development
Council Bill No: CB 118438, creating the Sand Point Naval Air Station Landmark District; numerous related documents attached.
April 11, 2024
naval, station, puget, sound, confused, with, puget, sound, naval, shipyard, bremerton, washington, former, united, states, naval, station, located, sand, point, seattle, washington, today, land, occupied, magnuson, park, naval, station, seattlesand, point, se. Not to be confused with Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton Washington 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 Naval Station Puget SoundNaval Air Station SeattleSand Point Seattle Washington in the United StatesNS Puget SoundLocation in the United StatesCoordinates47 40 55 1 N 122 15 19 7 W 47 681972 N 122 255472 W 47 681972 122 255472 Naval Station Puget Sound TypeNavy base and naval air stationSite informationOwnerDepartment of DefenseOperatorUS NavyConditionClosedSite historyBuilt1922 1922 In use1922 1995 1995 FateRedeveloped as Magnuson ParkEventsFirst aerial circumnavigation 1924 U S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic Landmark DistrictDesignated2 July 2010Reference no 09001218Periods of significance1925 19491950 1974Areas of significanceArchitectureMilitarySeattle LandmarkOfficial nameSand Point Naval Air Station Landmark DistrictDesignated16 March 2011Contents 1 History 1 1 Deactivation 2 References 3 External linksHistory editAfter World War I a movement was begun to build Naval Air Station 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 acre 1 67 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 citation needed equivalent to 6 89 million in 2023 dollars 1 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 2 nbsp Aerial photograph of Naval Air Station Seattle in the 1940s 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 1956 PB4Y Privateer 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 3 1947 PV 2 Harpoon crashed on approach to Sand Point Naval Air Station runway The aircraft now sits under 140 of water off Sand Point 4 Deactivation edit 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 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 5 6 The former naval station was added to the National Register of Historic Places July 2 2010 as Naval Air Station NAS Seattle 7 and designated a Seattle landmark as the Sand Point Naval Air Station Historic District on March 16 2011 8 Since then many of the buildings have been redeveloped as affordable housing 9 sports facilities 10 artist studios 11 breweries 12 and more References edit Johnston Louis Williamson Samuel H 2023 What Was the U S GDP Then MeasuringWorth Retrieved November 30 2023 United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series Crowley Walt November 22 1998 HistoryLink U S Army flyers land at Sand Point Airfield to complete first aerial circumnavigation of the globe on September 28 1924 HistoryLink org Retrieved September 1 2010 Boyd Scott The PB4Y Privateer Wreck Emerald Sea Photography Retrieved May 23 2011 Boyd Scott The PV 2 Harpoon Aircraft Wreck Emerald Sea Photography Seattle gov Magnuson Park history conversion accessed October 23 2010 Seattle gov Magnuson Park history planning accessed October 24 2010 Previous National Register Updates July 2 2010 wisconsinhistory org Retrieved March 25 2011 Former Sand Point Naval Air Station Designated as a Historic District MAin2 Historic Seattle s Preservation Blog March 18 2011 Retrieved March 22 2011 Inside Mercy Housing s restoration of Building 9 at Magnuson Park June 25 2018 ARENA SPORTS MAGNUSON ATHLETIC CLUB Renovation of historic seaplane hangar for new indoor sports facility and health club Building 30 West Magnuson Cafe and Brewery opening this summer in Seattle May 22 2018 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Naval Air Station Seattle The Fin Project History Link org Sand Point Naval Air Station 1920 1970 Seattle Parks and Recreation Magnuson Park History early airfield development Council Bill No CB 118438 creating the Sand Point Naval Air Station Landmark District numerous related documents attached Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Naval Station Puget Sound amp oldid 1197810511, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
