The Mare Island Comeback

Mare Island in Vallejo, CA is making a Comeback!

And for the first time in years, has major development plans and a tremendous opportunity with more space available for businesses through Choose Vallejo.

Just in the last few years shows like 13 Reasons Why, MythBusters and an upcoming Transformers movie were filmed here thanks largely in part to Film Mare Island, Cinelease, Lennar Mare Island and City of Vallejo - Local Government.

Home to the oldest golf course west of the Mississippi, Mare Island Golf Club has one of the best views for golf in the Bay Area, allowing you to see deep into the distant corners of the North Bay.

Taste the amazing wine of Vino Godfather Winery located on Walnut Ave inside one of the Historic Admiral Mansion’s, giving you a first hand experience into the charm and sheer brilliance these buildings still possess to this day. They have live music every Saturday with plenty of wine to spare!

Drink craft beer along the water, with nine historic Coal Sheds sitting prominently on the waterfront of Mare Island. Converted from their original role of providing coal for the steamships of the Naval Base, the Coal Sheds now house artists, speaker manufacturers, Renaissance faire producers, welders and of course the Mare Island Brewing Co. which is currently in their final phases of construction. Their Taproom is located directly across the water inside the Vallejo Ferry Terminal.

Ride over from San Francisco directly to Vallejo on the San Francisco Bay Ferry which has daily trips to and from SF, and just within the last year, now provides ferry riders a direct stop to the newly constructed Mare Island Ferry Terminal.

Mare Island is also home to Touro University, CA which was established in 1997 and offers graduate degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant studies, nursing, public health and education. The mission of Touro University is to educate caring professionals to serve, to lead and to teach. Students from diverse backgrounds are recruited nationally to create a dynamic, robust learning environment.

But did you know it was once a thriving Naval Base?
The base served America from 1854 to 1996 and provided outstanding service from Steamboats all the way to Nuclear Submarines. Spanning World War I and II, Vietnam and the Cold War.

Some notable achievements included:

Creating the Navy’s first Aircraft Landing Deck as well as launching the first electrically driven ship in the US Navy. They were in fact the same ship, the USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3) was the United States Navy's first aircraft carrier, converted in 1920 from the collier USS Jupiter (AC-3), and also the US Navy's first turbo-electric-powered ship.

The only battleship ever built on the West Coast was the USS California (BB-44), one of two Tennessee-class battleships completed shortly after World War I, was the fifth ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 31st state. She was the last American battleship built on the West Coast, and the only one of the dreadnought type.

Built 5 of the 7 top scoring United States Submarines of World War II were built on Mare Island: The 1943 USS Tang – submarine (sank 24 ships in 5 World War II Pacific patrols (2nd highest number for a U.S. submarine). The 1941 USS Silversides – submarine (sank 23 ships in 14 World War II Pacific patrols (3rd highest number for a U.S. submarine). The 1944 USS Spadefish – submarine (sank 21 ships in 5 World War II Pacific patrols (4th highest number for a U.S. submarine). The 1943 USS Seahorse – submarine sank 20 ships in 8 World War II Pacific patrols (6th highest number for a U.S. submarine). The 1942 USS Wahoo – submarine (sank 20 ships in 7 World War II Pacific patrols (6th highest number for a U.S. submarine).

And a World record still held to this day

A destroyer ship built and launched in less than 1 month. the Mare Island Naval Shipyard holds this shipbuilding speed record for a destroyer that still stands, launching the USS Ward, in just 17 1⁄2 days in May–June 1918. She fired the first American shot in World War II, when she engaged a Japanese submarine before the attack on Pearl Harbor, and successfully sank her opponent.

Today the spirit of servicing and repairing ships lives on through the hard working people at Mare Island Dry Dock, LLC. and the history of the brave men and women who defended our Nation and helped define the legacy of Mare Island can be found at the Mare Island Museum.

We’re proud of Mare Island and its History and look forward to what development it has in store!

For more information about the geography and conservation of Mare Island you can also reach out to the Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve.

Visit our site for information on events and hotels in Vallejo!

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You never mentioned that Mare Island had the west coast Nuclear Power School (NPS) up by the north entrance. The NPS barracks are long gone, but the school building still stands (at least when I checked 4 years ago).

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Papa Roach, “Before I Die”, 2012 -2013. Azuar Dr, Walnut Ave, and more.