Dozens of military bases and installations throughout the country are rich with history, dating back more than a century. Many American bases predate the Civil War. Others, amazingly, are almost as old as the country itself. Over the years, some of these very old bases have grown to be truly massive, covering tens of thousands of acres. Here is a look at America’s largest military bases.
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. The number of active duty service men and women assigned to each base came from the 2017 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 World War I and World War II. All of the bases on this list were established 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.
Many of the cities and towns that are host to the historic bases on this list have been shaped, in part, by the men and women in uniform who have been stationed there over the decades and centuries. Here is a look at America’s military cities.
Click here to see America’s oldest military bases
28. Offutt Air Force Base
> Year opened: 1891
> Location: Bellevue, Nebraska
> Total active duty personnel: 6,120
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
27. Naval Station Newport
> Year opened: 1883
> Location: Newport, Rhode Island
> Total active duty personnel: 2,920
Source: matt_hecht / Flickr
26. Picatinny Arsenal Army Base
> Year opened: 1880
> Location: Morris County, New Jersey
> Total active duty personnel: 124
Source: my_public_domain_photos / Flickr
25. Fort Huachuca Army Base
> Year opened: 1877
> Location: Cochise, Arizona
> Total active duty personnel: 4,018
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Source: armymedicine / Flickr
24. Fort Sam Houston Army Base
> Year opened: 1876
> Location: San Antonio, Texas
> Total active duty personnel: 10,735
Source: charlesduggar / Flickr
23. Fort Sill Army Base
> Year opened: 1869
> Location: Lawton, Oklahoma
> Total active duty personnel: 11,739
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
22. Naval Submarine Base New London
> Year opened: 1868
> Location: Groton, Connecticut
> Total active duty personnel: 6,249
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
21. Francis E Warren Air Force Base
> Year opened: 1867
> Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming
> Total active duty personnel: 3,075
Source: Mark Wilson / Getty Images
20. Fort Myer Army Base
> Year opened: 1863
> Location: Arlington, Virginia
> Total active duty personnel: 2,090
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Source: army_sustainment_command / Flickr
19. Rock Island Arsenal Army Base
> Year opened: 1862
> Location: Arsenal Island, Illinois
> Total active duty personnel: 361
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
18. MCRD Parris Island Marine Corps Base
> Year opened: 1861
> Location: Port Royal, South Carolina
> Total active duty personnel: 7,063
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17. Fort Riley Army Base
> Year opened: 1853
> Location: Riley, Kansas
> Total active duty personnel: 15,651
24/7 Wall St.
Source: usnavy / Flickr
16. Point Loma Navy Base
> Year opened: 1852
> Location: San Diego, California
> Total active duty personnel: N/A
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
15. Yuma Proving Ground Army Base
> Year opened: 1850
> Location: Yuma County, Arizona
> Total active duty personnel: 145
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Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr
14. Fort Bliss Army Base
> Year opened: 1849
> Location: El Paso, Texas
> Total active duty personnel: 25,291
Source: presidioofmonterey / Flickr
13. Presidio Of Monterey Army Base
> Year opened: 1846
> Location: Monterey, California
> Total active duty personnel: 3,485
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Source: John M. Chase / Getty Images
12. Naval Academy Navy Base
> Year opened: 1845
> Location: Annapolis, Maryland
> Total active duty personnel: 1,282
11. Fort Hamilton Army Base
> Year opened: 1831
> Location: Brooklyn, New York
> Total active duty personnel: 184
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
10. Naval Medical Center Portsmouth
> Year opened: 1830
> Location: Portsmouth, Virginia
> Total active duty personnel: 2,646
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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 active duty personnel: 3,435
Source: Brannon Deugan / U.S. Navy
8. Naval Hospital Pensacola
> Year opened: 1826
> Location: Pensacola, Florida
> Total active duty personnel: 798
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
7. Pensacola Naval Air Station
> Year opened: 1826
> Location: Pensacola, Florida
> Total active duty personnel: 7,189
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
6. Key West Naval Air Station
> Year opened: 1823
> Location: Key West, Florida
> Total active duty personnel: 770
Source: John Snyder / U.S. Army
5. Watervliet Arsenal Army Base
> Year opened: 1813
> Location: Watervliet, New York
> Total active duty personnel: 119
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
4. Portsmouth Shipyard Navy Base
> Year opened: 1800
> Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
> Total active duty personnel: 1,075
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
3. Norfolk Naval Shipyard Navy Base
> Year opened: 1794
> Location: Portsmouth, Virginia
> Total active duty personnel: 105
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Source: nancykennedy / Getty Images
2. US Military Academy Army Base West Point
> Year opened: 1790
> Location: West Point, New York
> Total active duty personnel: 1,518
Source: Scott Finger / U.S. Army War College Public Affairs
1. Carlisle Barracks Army Base
> Year opened: 1776
> Location: Carlisle, Pennsylvania
> Total active duty personnel: 515
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