From its humble beginning as a collection of state militias, the United States military has grown into the world’s foremost fighting force. Over its nearly two-and-a-half-century history, the U.S. military has evolved into a modern institution that bears little resemblance to its origins. Still, some vestiges of the past remain.
Dozens of military bases and installations throughout the country are steeped in history, dating back 100 years or more. Many bases predate the Civil War and some are nearly as old as the country itself. Often expanding over time, some of these bases rank among the largest military installations in the country and have a considerable impact on the economy and the identity of their surrounding communities.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed and independently verified the history of active military installations listed on MilitaryBases.com to identify America’s oldest military bases. Bases were ranked by the year in which they opened. Base personnel counts, which include dependents of the service members stationed there, came from the 2016 Demographics Report, compiled by Defense Department contractor Military OneSource. Installations outside the 50 states were not considered.
The majority of active military bases in the United States were built in the first half of the 20th century, before and during the first and second world wars. All of the bases on this list opened in either the 18th or 19th centuries. Almost all are used by either the Army or the Navy, and the two bases on this list now used by the Air Force — the newest service branch — were initially built as Army installations. Most of these bases are located in older states, east of the Mississippi River.
Click here to see America’s oldest military bases.
Source: offutt_afb / Flickr
28. Offutt Air Force Base
> Year opened: 1891
> Location: Bellevue, Nebraska
> Total personnel: 14,995
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
27. Naval Station Newport
> Year opened: 1883
> Location: Newport, Rhode Island
> Total personnel: 6,934
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Source: Hayley Smith / Crane Army Ammunition Activity
26. Picatinny Arsenal Army Base
> Year opened: 1880
> Location: Morris County, New Jersey
> Total personnel: 419
Source: usacehq / Flickr
25. Fort Huachuca Army Base
> Year opened: 1877
> Location: Cochise, Arizona
> Total personnel: 8,844
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Source: armymedicine / Flickr
24. Fort Sam Houston Army Base
> Year opened: 1876
> Location: San Antonio, Texas
> Total personnel: 26,364
Source: Lt. Col. Lindy White / US Army National Guard
23. Fort Sill Army Base
> Year opened: 1869
> Location: Lawton, Oklahoma
> Total personnel: 25,169
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
22. Naval Submarine Base
> Year opened: 1868
> Location: Groton, Connecticut
> Total personnel: 13,889
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
21. Francis E Warren Air Force Base
> Year opened: 1867
> Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming
> Total personnel: 6,433
Source: Mark Wilson / Getty Images
20. Fort Myer Army Base
> Year opened: 1863
> Location: Arlington, Virginia
> Total personnel: 5,572
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Source: Linda Lambiotte / U.S. Army Sustainment Command
19. Rock Island Arsenal Army Base
> Year opened: 1862
> Location: Arsenal Island, Illinois
> Total personnel: 1,397
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
18. MCRD Parris Island Marine Corps Base
> Year opened: 1861
> Location: Port Royal, South Carolina
> Total personnel: 9,489
Source: diversey / Flickr
17. Fort Riley Army Base
> Year opened: 1853
> Location: Riley, Kansas
> Total personnel: 38,868
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Source: kenlund / Flickr
16. Point Loma Navy Base
> Year opened: 1852
> Location: San Diego, California
> Total personnel: N/A
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
15. Yuma Proving Ground Army Base
> Year opened: 1850
> Location: Yuma County, Arizona
> Total personnel: 482
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Source: Joe Raedle / Getty Images
14. Fort Bliss Army Base
> Year opened: 1849
> Location: El Paso, Texas
> Total personnel: 62,490
Source: presidioofmonterey / Flickr
13. Presidio Of Monterey Army Base
> Year opened: 1846
> Location: Monterey, California
> Total personnel: 6,991
Source: pingnews / Flickr
12. Naval Academy Navy Base
> Year opened: 1845
> Location: Annapolis, Maryland
> Total personnel: 3,099
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Source: Chris Hondros / Getty Images
11. Fort Hamilton Army Base
> Year opened: 1831
> Location: Brooklyn, New York
> Total personnel: 585
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
10. Naval Medical Center Portsmouth
> Year opened: 1830
> Location: Portsmouth, Virginia
> Total personnel: 7,189
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Source: Capt. Katie Chen / U.S. Army National Guard Photo
9. Fort Leavenworth Army Base
> Year opened: 1827
> Location: Leavenworth, Kansas
> Total personnel: 10,588
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Source: Brannon Deugan / U.S. Navy
8. Naval Hospital Pensacola
> Year opened: 1826
> Location: Pensacola, Florida
> Total personnel: 1,867
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
7. Pensacola Naval Air Station
> Year opened: 1826
> Location: Pensacola, Florida
> Total personnel: 13,723
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
6. Key West Naval Air Station
> Year opened: 1823
> Location: Key West, Florida
> Total personnel: 1,827
Source: John Snyder / U.S. Army
5. Watervliet Arsenal Army Base
> Year opened: 1813
> Location: Watervliet, New York
> Total personnel: 414
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
4. Portsmouth Shipyard Navy Base
> Year opened: 1800
> Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
> Total personnel: 2,623
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
3. Norfolk Naval Shipyard Navy Base
> Year opened: 1794
> Location: Portsmouth, Virginia
> Total personnel: 144,727
Source: Sgt. 1st Class Brian Hamilton / U.S. Army
2. US Military Academy Army Base West Point
> Year opened: 1790
> Location: West Point, New York
> Total personnel: 4,433
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Source: Scott Finger / U.S. Army War College Public Affairs
1. Carlisle Barracks Army Base
> Year opened: 1776
> Location: Carlisle, Pennsylvania
> Total personnel: 1,969
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