The Charlotte North Carolina Confederate Navy Yard

With Charlotte North Carolina's distance from the sea, you sure wouldn't expect to find a navy yard, but one existed there from the spring of 1862 to January 7, 1864. The Gosport Navy Yard at Norfolk, Virginia, was moved there for protection from Union attack.

Confederate officials looked at several sites for it, but chose Charlotte because of rail connections.

All of the machinery from Gosport and employees were moved there by railroad.

A huge explosion destroyed it shortly after activity at the site began. Investigators were never able to find out why.

Three hundred machinists eventually operated at the rebuilt facility and the area around it became known as Mechanicsville. Mines, anchors, gun carriages, and engines were made there. The propeller and shaft of the CSS Albemarle were made there. It was officially called the Charlotte CSA Naval Ordnance Depot and Naval Works.

Stuff I Didn't Know. --Old B-Runner