The 56th Congress of the United States passed an act authorizing the Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable John D. Adger Smyth and Senator Benjamin Tillman had persistently lobbied the Navy for a shipyard in order to revitalize the area’s economy. In 1890, Charleston, having never fully recovered economically from the Civil War, was awarded the contract for a naval yard. On April 1, 1996, the Base officially closed. In 1993, with the Cold War over and defense budget cuts looming, the decision to close the Charleston Naval Base was reached. Over the years, the base was periodically considered for closure, but through lobbying efforts by local leaders and state representatives, the Charleston Naval Base remained a highly productive working base until the end of the Cold War. Navy ships and submarines.ĭuring wartime, base activity and employment increased, falling off during peacetime. These military organizations were collectively known as the Charleston Naval Base and provided berthing, logistics, training and repair services to U.S. Over the years, it has been home to numerous tenants and related support commands, ashore and afloat. Hundreds of thousands of people were employed, two hundred fifty-six vessels built, thousands of others supported and millions of dollars poured into the area’s economy.Ĭovering 1,575 acres the Base is located on the west bank of the Cooper River six miles north of the point where the Ashley and Cooper Rivers meet to flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Originally designated as the Navy Yard and later as the Naval Base it had a large impact upon the local community, the tri-county area and the entire State of South Carolina. The Charleston Naval Base provided defense for the United States from its formation in 1901 to its closure in 1996.
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