On December 28, 1941, Rear Admiral Ben Moreell, Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks (BUDOCKS), requested specific authority to activate, organize, and man a unique, very special organization that would support the Navy and Marines in remote locations and defend themselves if attacked — the Naval Construction Battalions. On January 5, 1942, he was given that authority and the original Battalions were formed at a new Naval base in Davisville, Rhode Island.

The Seabee Museum and Memorial Park began as an idea in the minds of a group of retired Navy Seabees who were members of Seabee Island X-1 Davisville.

In the late 1990s, the original home of the Seabees, Camp Endicott, Rhode Island, was deactivated by the Navy and the land and buildings were transferred to the State of Rhode Island.

Island X-1 approached the state with a plan to lease or transfer about 6-acers of land containing the historic concrete Chapel-in-the-Pines, constructed by the Seabees in the 1960s, three ammo bunkers and two Quonset huts. A key component was moving the famous Gate Seabee a few hundred yards north to its present position on the Museum grounds.

A non-profit 501(c) (3) corporation was formed originally made up of members from Island X-1 Davisville.

It’s important to note that this is a Seabee Museum, built by Seabees, run by Seabees, for Seabees and their families, as well as for the public. The majority of physical support comes from volunteer former Seabees, the Seabee Reserves, and the wives, sons, and friends of Seabees in Rhode Island.