Pictured below is the plaque that stands outside the visitor center at the foreside entrance. We thought it was interesting that along with the notable events listed that it does not say Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, but United States Navy Yard, and on the bottom Town of Kittery. It was erected by York in Maine, so perhaps this was their bias. I don't follow the feud between Maine and New Hampshire as to where the yard is located, but for people booking our hotel who are visiting or working at the yard, we are the closest off-base hotel as the wolf runs: 1.3 miles from the location of this sign to the back entrance of our hotel at 59 Old Post Rd, or a 5 minute drive. And a final note, on the plaque it says principal construction of submarines. Everyone on the yard calls submarines boats. I suppose everything is so top-secret, they can't even reference the types of craft they repair there?