Public Works Building, Quonset Point NAS.

The documentary work of BASE began in May of 1998 and covers a twenty-six month period ending in July of 2000. Having learned of the state's redevelopment plan for Quonset and Davisville, which included extensive demolition at Davisville, we began making regular visits to photograph the sites' remaining buildings. Since 1998, both Quonset and Davisville have undergone major demolition. Many of the buildings shown in this archive are now gone.

The photographs of Davisville have been organized according to the base's various subsections. These subsections are a reflection of the diverse activities performed on this vast, multifunctional site; each possesses a distinct ambiance and unique architectural mix. Brief introductions provide some background on each subsection and its original function. Quonset NAS had less immediately distinct subdivisions, so we have treated all of Quonset as a unified whole.

Davisville NCBC Subsections::

Administrative Triangle (DAT)
Warehouse Triangle (DWT)
Camp Endicott (DCE)
Camp Thomas (DCT)
Advance Base Depot (DABD)
Advance Base Proving Ground (DABP)
West Davisville (WD)

Building numbers & photo labeling

Nearly all of the structures at the Quonset and Davisville bases were numbered by the Navy. Though not always legible on the buildings themselves, these numbers can be found on the maps of the bases. Photo captions refer to building numbers wherever possible.

Each photo is identified by the following characteristics:

• Building Number
• Building Name & Construction Date
• Photo Date
• Frame Number (refers to photo date & negative frame)

Print archives of these photographs have been donated to the RI Historical Society and the RI Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission in Providence, RI. Approximately 60 of these images were presented in an educational exhibit that traveled around Rhode Island during 2000-2001. The materials from this exhibit have been donated to the collection of the RI Historical Society / Heritage Harbor Museum. (See credits for additional information.)

Maps

Detailed maps are provided for each of the areas of the Quonset and Davisville bases. The information is from a 1971 map that shows the site at the height of its development. The general map of the base shows Quonset NAS in dark gray and NCBC Davisville in light gray. The map of NCBC Davisville shows the subsections that were used in the documentation of this site.

On each detailed map, the boundaries of the subsection are filled in with gray. Within each of the base's subsections, buildings existing at the time of our documentation are shown in white or yellow. Buildings shown in yellow are linked to specific photographs; click on these buildings to access the photo of that location. Buildings colored in gray were no longer standing at the time of our documentation.