In 1775 a British guard house or prison was established at Gosport where armed men wearing the king's dress stood guard.

U.S. Marines have had a presence at the Navy Yard since 1801.

The shipyard has had several different names during it's 235 years of operations.  It was known as Gosport Shipyard from Mar. 27, 1794, Gosport Navy Yard from Apr. 30, 1798, U.S. Navy Yard, Norfolk, Va from May 10, 1862, and finally Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va since Feb. 13, 1929.

In 1801, Gosport Shipyard was purchased by the Federal Government from the State of Virginia for the sum of $12,000. This tract was situated in the Northeast corner of the present Shipyard and erected upon it, prior to 1827, were the following structures: an office, a commandant's house, marine barracks, brick storehouse which stood near the First Street Gate, a powder magazine, a "smithery", and two large covered building-ways known as "ship-houses". In the center of the Yard stood a large frame two-story building used as a marine hospital, and also as a rigging-loft and gunners store-room. A brick wall, begun in 1803, marked the northern and western boundaries, while wooden docks, requiring frequent repairs, stood along the water-front. In October, 1801, a marine-guard was sent to Gosport yard, and the navy-agent was directed to furnish them with quarters. It is probable that the wooden barrack building which stood on about the same site that the brick barracks were afterward built upon was erected for the purpose.  The Marine Guard was detached in 1804, but was reestablished in November 1807.

In 1813, a report to the Navy Department describes the Yard as follows:
“The Commodore’s dwelling is of brick, two stories high; the marine barracks miserable huts of wood wanting much repaid; the officers’ quarters (meaning those of the Marine Officers) are low two story frame buildings, the whole 150 feet from the west wall which is only five and a half feet high; the North (apparently referring to the Yard) is bounded by warehouses and timber sheds, having to extend a fence on the East side to low water mark. The marine hospital stands in the center of the Yard, tow stories high and was formerly occupied as boatswains and gunners storerooms, built of wood, the center of which is occupied as a hospital, the garret as a rigging loft, and the lower part gunner stores, storekeeper’s office, purser’s issuing room and office.  The blacksmiths’ shop begun of brick, 165 feet by 50 feet, including anchor and plumber shop not completed, the old shop being dangerous to heat a large fire.  One large timber shed, 300 feet long with brick pillars and 50 feet wide.  One small shed for the armorer and plumber; two sheds appropriated for, one for the joiners, the other for the mast makers.”

During the latter part of 1818 the old wooden marine barracks which housed the first marine guard were torn down and new barracks of brick were built closer to the west wall and little more to the southward than the original ones.

In November, 1823, the Secretary of the Navy reported to Congress the following as the improvements at Gosport up to that date, "a brick wall around the yard; a comfortable dwelling for the commandant; a large and convenient smiths shop of brick- two large brick warehouses; a few frame-buildings used as joiners' shop, coopers' shops, very convenient houses and quarters for the marines; a building-slip; a substantial ship-house; and a pair of mast-shears."

On April 20, 1861 Gosport Navy Yard, in Norfolk, VA, is partially destroyed by sailors and U.S. Marines to prevent the Gosport Navy Yard facilities from falling into Confederate hands.  On May 11, 1862, the Yard was evacuated and burned by Confederates.

In 1907 the authorities, realizing that the Yard must expand in order to carry on its important work, purchased the large tract of land to the southward known as the “Schmoele Tract” upon which now stand the Marine Barracks and the large modern shops.

In August, 1911, Marine Barracks, Norfolk, began operating as a temporary Recruit Depot, training recruits until October 1915, when the depot was moved from the Marine Officers' School at Norfolk to Marine Barracks, Port Royal, South Carolina, which later became known as Recruit Depot, Parris Island.