Tag: Mare Island
St. Peter’s Chapel in Vallejo: The Oldest Naval Chapel in the United States
Tucked away on Mare Island in Vallejo, California, St. Peter’s Chapel is one of the most endearing historic landmarks in the North Bay Area. Often overlooked by visitors, this small wooden chapel holds a remarkable distinction – it is widely recognized as the oldest naval chapel in the United States. Originally built in 1901,...
California’s Most Haunted Places: Where History Meets the Paranormal
Behind the picture-perfect landscapes of California’s rugged coastline, golden sand-filled beaches, rolling hills, wine valleys, and mountain ranges, lies a shadowy trace of Urban Legends that describe the most haunted and cursed places in the state. These terrifying tales blur the line between fact and folklore, as they are born...
Mare Island Naval Hospital: Inside the History of Vallejo’s Former Navy Hospital
The Mare Island Naval Hospital is a historic building that makes you slow down before you even know what you are looking at. Sitting on Mare Island in Vallejo, the old hospital has the size, symmetry, and worn-down grandeur of an institution that once mattered deeply to the people who passed through it. For decades, …...
Top 10 Haunted Cemeteries in California
Cemeteries are meant to be the final resting place for our dearly departed. A place for peace and serenity. Unfortunately, with some historic cemeteries, it seems that stories of restless spirits and displaced, disembodied souls seem all too eager to connect with the living. Are Cemeteries Haunted? The answer to this question comes down...
Alden Park on Mare Island: Missiles, Trees, and Naval History in Vallejo
Alden Park on Mare Island looks peaceful at first: a shaded lawn, old trees, benches, and a historic bandstand in the middle of a quiet park. Then you notice the Polaris missile, the SUBROC missile, old Navy guns, concrete bomb shelters, memorials, and a wartime submarine artifact scattered through the same setting. That contrast is...
Mare Island Naval Cemetery in Vallejo: History & Visit Guide
Mare Island Naval Cemetery sits quietly on a hillside near the southern end of Mare Island in Vallejo, California. Surrounded by a white picket fence and overlooking the Napa River, this small historic burial ground does not need much space to make a long-lasting impression. At the entrance, roses soften the scene. Inside, eucalyptus...
A three hour tour of the World War II ‘Mighty Midget’ ship
In 1944, as the United States was already deeply entrenched in World War II, 130 Mighty Midgets, officially titled Landing Craft Support (Large), were created by three American shipyards and sent to aid military efforts in the Pacific Theater operations. These ships were basically tanks on water as they had two twin 40mm guns, four...
