Naval Training Center San Diego, Military training complex in Point Loma, San Diego, United States
The Naval Training Center is a former military complex in Point Loma, San Diego, occupying more than 500 acres and featuring hundreds of buildings in Spanish Colonial Revival style. The structures spread along wide avenues lined with palms and maintained lawns that lead toward the northern shore of the bay.
Congress approved construction in 1919, and the base opened in 1923 as a training facility for Navy and Naval Reserve sailors. The site served recruit training for over seven decades, closing after the end of the Cold War.
Closed in 1997, the site became Liberty Station, where artists now work in former barracks and families walk along the wide paths between historical buildings. The old training grounds host markets and events where visitors experience the military architecture from a fresh perspective.
The area is easy to explore on foot, with most shops, galleries, and cafes located in the central zones. Parking is available near the main complexes, and visitor restrooms are located in public areas.
A concrete warship called USS Recruit, built in 1949, still stands on solid ground within the site. The replica vessel served recruits as a training platform and remains an unusual relic from the active naval base era.
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