Mare Island

Established in 1854, Mare Island Naval Shipyard is the oldest Naval installation in the Pacific and much of the developed portions of the Island have been designated as a National Historic Landmark, the highest designation bestowed by the National Park Service on a historic resource. Other National Historic Landmarks in California include the Hearst Castle at San Simeon, Balboa Park in San Diego and the Presidio in San Francisco.

National Historic Landmarks are nationally significant historic places designated by the Secretary of the Interior because they possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. Today, fewer than 2,500 historic places bear this national distinction. Working with citizens throughout the nation, the National Historic Landmarks Program draws upon the expertise of National Park Service staff who work to nominate new landmarks and provide assistance to existing landmarks.

Just before the shipyard closure in March 1996, many of the buildings on Mare Island turned 50 years old, which led to a stringent review process to qualify them for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. A total of 500 buildings on Mare Island are now eligible for the National Register and contribute to the National Landmark designation, yet, only 50 are currently listed.

Among the listed buildings, is St. Peter's Chapel, now, the oldest naval chapel. Dedicated in October, 1901, the chapel houses the most Tiffany stained-glass in a single site, west of the Mississippi. Sixteen of the stained-glass memorial panes are signed Tiffany Studio works and the other stained glass windows in the Chapel are designed by Tiffany. This amazing collection of glass, combined with exquisitely detailed brass and carved wooden plaques, make the opportunity to view the Chapel during the Flyway Festival, a rare treat, indeed!

St. Peter's Chapel is nestled amongst extensively landscaped grounds and "Captain's Row", an outstanding array of turn-of-the-century mansions. If you wish to experience these mansions in all their glory, join local volunteers for the  Annual Daffodil Tea.

Anna Key Turner, the daughter of Francis Scott Key, the author of our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner, is buried in a white, picket-fenced military cemetery on the slopes of the Island's highest point on the southern end of the Island. You may visit the U.S. Navy’s oldest cemetery in the Pacific where Anna Key Turner was buried 125 years ago this year with members of her family and hundreds of other naval personnel from the U.S., as well as other countries. We offer Sierra Club or other naturalist and volunteer led walks or van tours to the top of Mare Island's hill.

The Festival offers an opportunity to take-in the breath taking vistas of San Pablo Bay and the Carquinez Strait from the vantage point of the hilltop in the Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve. Visit www.mareislandpreserve.org for information about our new hours of operation Friday through Sunday, 10am to 5pm and special events and programs about the history of the Navy’s oldest Ammunition Depot in the Pacific and the incredible natural and scenic treasures of the Preserve.

Mare Island consists of 5,657 acres, including 3,075 acres of tidal and non-tidal wetlands that provide habitat for many wetland dependent species, including the federally listed as endangered salt marsh harvest mouse. Of that acreage, less than a 1000 acres was developed for the mixed uses of the former shipyard now being converted to public use by the Island's developers.

History of the Flyway Festival and Building 505

At one time pigeons were used as messengers between Mare Island and naval activities at Yerba Buena Island. The work of pigeons in early communications was later replaced by the first wireless station or "radio shack" on the Pacific Coast. Mare Island became the hub of Pacific radio communications by 1915. To meet the increasing demand for Pacific communications, Building 505 was built in 1940. Eligible for listing on the National Register, it is reported that through this facility, the mainland learned of the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II. The Radio Station gradually fell out of use, although it was used as a retail store prior to the base closure in 1996.

It is hoped that it may one day enter a new era of communications when a local non-profit organization acquires the 21,000 square foot building to convert it to an environmental education and interpretive center, for the entire Bay Area. As the only center of its kind in the North Bay, serving over 2 million residents and countless visitors, the San Pablo Bay Discovery Center will serve as a vital connection between wildlife resources and the communities of this region.

Fifteen years ago this January, the U.S. Navy hosted our first environmental education and family oriented migration celebration for 4 hours on a Saturday morning at Building 505 on Mare Island.

Those who joined with us during our first years at Building 505, will never forget the garish fluorescent green, bubblegum pink and bright blue colors we inherited from the combination garden supply/lawn mower sales, laundromat and barber shop. Still, the building has great light and space and the radio station call letters NPG with a graphical radio signal remain inlaid in brass in the terrazzo entrance floor.

Despite its derelict appearance, people from throughout the region and beyond flocked to Building 505 - a place now indelibly imprinted in our minds and dreams. Why?

A hand-full of Navy employees, community members and National Wildlife Refuge staff envisioned Building 505 as the hub of a new era of communications. They worked tirelessly year after year, with at first school children writing the charming letters that graced the entrance walls of early Festivals and later with the growing support of Festival attendees who sat down and wrote letters to their Congressional Representatives, the Mayor of Vallejo and others urging that this building be transferred and utilized by the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge for multiple environmental education and administrative uses.

Building 505 is located at the northwestern edge of the Naval base, entirely surrounded by non-tidal, seasonal wetlands. From it's third floor viewing tower known as the "penthouse" one can experience magnificent 360 degree vistas, including Mt. Diablo to the south and San Pablo Bay, the largest of the bays which make up the San Francisco Bay Estuary stretching toward Mt. Tamalpais to the west.

To the north is a view of the San Pablo Baylands, the expansive labyrinth of tidal sloughs and agricultural lands, woven together with Sonoma Creek and the Napa River, which extend towards the mountains that create the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. The city of Vallejo is visible to the east.

Building 505 still serves as a beacon, reminding the community to never forget the dreams envisioned for its future. It silently reminds us that it is the place in which many of us first connected with the teeming wild places in our own backyard, where we first learned something we never knew about our precious environment, where we first thrilled at seeing native birds eye to eye. It's a place where many dedicated people have joined to share their passion for wildlife and, as a result, have been inspired to lend a helping hand in protection of our natural world.

For the 13 years since we began opening its doors and transforming it-for a few hours-into a celebration of the natural treasures which surround us, I believe it has been, and hope it will continue to be, a catalyst for environmental awareness and natural resource stewardship for the people who live near the north shores of San Francisco Bay.

The plans to transfer Building 505 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from the U.S. Navy fell through sometime ago. Now, we are inviting you back to the table to write yet another round of letters to the Mayor and City Council of Vallejo and your Congressional Representative as well as Congressman George Miller who represents Mare Island, asking that we as a non-profit organization representing a number of partner organizations be allowed to continue the renovation of Building 505 for use as the dreamed of permanent San Pablo Bay Discovery Center and a permanent home for the Flyway Festival. Nine years ago lead paint in the soil was cleaned-up and the pilings were checked for structural integrity, giving the green light for more substantial revitalization of the building. Progress is slow, but motivation from the regional community in need, remains high. So, stop by the Building 505-Rekindle the Dream booth and letter writing station at the Wildlife Expo. Sign up to volunteer on the project throughout the year.

For more history of the Flyway Festival, see the Contact Us page.