Page 7 - Historical Study of Yerba Buena Island, Treasure Island and Their Buildings

Preface

The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Act of 1990 (BRAC) requires a" . .. timely closure and
realignment of military installations." One action of the 1993 BRAC Commission placed Naval
Station Treasure Island (NA VST A TI) on the list of closing military facilities and, in so doing,
established a closure date of September 30, 1997 for the Naval Station. As the "draw-down" of the
facility began, NA VST A TI Environmental Office realized that key personnel could take vital
historical information with them as they were transferred or retired. Therefore, this historical study
was commissioned to record historical data, while there was still time to access personnel and records.
This historical study is divided into two chapters. Chapter 1 is the History of Y erba Buena and its
buildings Pre-183 5 to the present. Chapter 2 is the History of 'Freasure Island and its buildings from
1936 to 1995.

The history of these two islands is quite unique. Yerba Buena Island is a natural island occupied by
Native Americans for hundreds of years before the arrival of the Europeans: Treasure Island, a "man-
th
made" island, is a tribute to man's ingenuity and the engineering strides of the 20 Century.
Yerba Buena Island, discovered by the Spanish, was known over the years by a variety of names, such
as "Isla de Alcatraces, "Yerba Buena Island", and "Goat Island", to name a few. After the Spanish,
other European settlers came and claimed the island for themselves. In 1848, when California became
the property of the United States, the United States (US) government solved the problem of ownership
by claiming all coastal islands. This set the stage for the US military to establish control of the island
that spanned the next one hundred and eleven years. The US Army established a post in 1866 and
remained the primary tenant until -1898. In 1875, the Department of Treasury (DOT) installed a
lighthouse on the Island. It was operated by the Lighthouse Service until 1939, when it was turned
over to the US Coast Guard via intra-departmental transfer of function.. The US Navy became the
Island's primary tenant in 1898, when it established a Recruit Training Station. Today, ninety-seven
years later, the US Navy continues in that role. The US Army remained as co-tenant until 1959. The
US Coast Guard will continue to operate at Yerba Buena Island after the US Navy closes the Naval
Station in 1997.

Treasure Island was created to celebrate the completion of the great engineering marvels of the
Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, and to provide San Fransisco with an
airport site. The construction of Treasure Island commenced on February 11, 1936. The Army Corps
of Engineers completed the construction, under budget by $4, l 00, eighteen and one-half months later
on August 24, 1937. On February 18, 1939, the Golden Gate International Exposition opened for two
years of celebration. It closed on September 29, 1940. Because of the beginning of World War II in
Europe in 1939, the US Navy was granted a lease for use of the island on February 28, 1941. In 1943,
the Navy, liking the location of the island, offered the City of San Francisco a large parcel of land in
San Bruno as an exchange for the Treasure Island property. The results of the trade netted the City of
San Francisco land for its proposed international airport, while the Navy secured a permanent base
within the San Francisco Bay.

With the closure of Naval Station Treasure Island, along with Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Naval Air
Station Alameda, Fleet Industrial Supply Center Oakland (ex-Oakland Naval Supply Center), the
Oakland Army Base and the Army Presidio in San Francisco, the long tradition of military presence in
the San Francisco Bay Area is concluding. An era of military, local, and state history, as well as
National history is also drawing to an end.

September 1, I 995 Historical Study ofYerba Buena Island, P-1
Treasure Island, and their Buildings