U.S. Naval Air Station, Blacksmith Shop, South Avenue, Pensacola, Escambia County, FL

Significance: Constructed between 1901 and 1907 to house the boiler and engine rooms for Building No. 38, Building No. 38-A served in a support role to the Pensacola Navy Yard until its closure in 1911, and later for NAS Pensacola when it opened in 1914. The design and plans came from the Bureau of Yards and Docks (BuDocks), and were likely standardized plans modified to meet local conditions. The contractor is unknown. The Pensacola Navy Yard experienced a small resurgence in activity and funding following the Spanish-American War in 1898. Building No. 38-A resembles several other small structures at the installation, including Building No. 26, the Foundry, built in 1882. The Navy converted Building No. 38-A into a blacksmith shop by 1916 and to a plant maintenance shop by the 1960s. By the 1990s, the building supported waterfront operations at the base. The one-story, rectangular, load-bearing masonry building features a pedimented gable roof with a cast-stone circular vent on either gable end. Exterior decorative elements also include an arched, double-entry door, and windows featuring cast-stone sills and arched lintels with keystones. Alterations to the building have been moderate. The original smokestack and gabled monitors were removed prior to 1919. Original doors and windows have been replaced, modified, or boarded over. Interior modifications include the addition of metal-frame partition walls. Despite these alterations, Building No. 38-A remains compatible in form, massing, and scale to its original design. Building No. 38-A is located in the southeastern section of NAS Pensacola, within the boundaries of the Pensacola Naval Air Station Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The National Park Service designated this district as a National Historic Landmark in 1976.
Survey number: HABS FL-497
Building/structure dates: 1901 Initial Construction
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 76000595