In 1866, following the end of the Civil War, there was a large decrease in the number of people working at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, although the yard continued to finish off the vessels that were already under construction.
Shipbuilding methods had improved greatly during the war's duration, and the shipbuilding technology that the Navy used was now obsolete; this was compounded by a series of other problems that the Navy faced in general, such as corruption.
Likely as a result, the Brooklyn Navy Yard did not start construction on any vessels between 1866 and 1872.
Some boats were launched during this period, such as Kenosha, which was launched in 1868.
By the late 1860s and early 1870s, the Navy Yard was creating steel steam vessels, as they were faster and easier to maneuver compared to wooden vessels.
An iron plating shop had been constructed for the construction of such vessels.
Trenton, launched in 1876, was the final wooden vessel with sails that was constructed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
During the late 19th century, there were calls to close the shipyard permanently, although these never came to fruition.

By 1872, there were 1,200 people on the Brooklyn Navy Yard's payroll, a number that could be increased fourfold in case of war.
Workers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, who were employees of the federal government, received employment protections that were considered novel at the time.
For instance, an act passed in 1867 protected Navy Yard employees' rights to political free speech, and an act passed in 1872 restricted laborers, mechanics, and workmen from working more than eight hours per day.

By the end of the 1880s, the shipbuilding industry at Brooklyn Navy Yard was active again, as the Navy started expanding its fleet.
The Navy Yard created larger battleships, as well as torpedo boats and submarines, and many of the vessels launched from the yard featured modern ordnance, propulsion systems, navigation, and armor.
The new construction required expanded shipways for launching ships.
Since 1820, the Brooklyn Navy Yard had used wooden slipways, with wooden ship houses above each slipway, which protected the wooden ships' hulls, but in the 1880s, these slipways were updated with granite girders.

The Navy also constructed two additional dry docks, both of which soon encountered problems.
Dry Dock 2, originally a timber dry dock, was built in 1887 and soon encountered problems due to its poor construction quality.
Dry Dock 2 collapsed in a severe storm in July 1899 and was rebuilt in masonry in 1901.
Dry Dock 3, a timber dock, was similar in design to Dry Dock 2.
It started construction in 1893 and was completed in 1897.
Shortly afterward, Dry Dock 3 was found to be too short by four inches and too shallow by two feet, so it was fixed.
The initial timber construction of Dry Docks 2 and 3 required a large maintenance cost, unlike for the masonry Dry Dock 1, which had required only one reconstruction in 40 years.
Both dry docks still exist, but are now inactive.
To support the additional dry docks and shipway capacity, several structures such as large machine shops, an administration building, and a pattern building were constructed in the 1890s.

Unlike other U.S. Navy shipyards at this time, the Brooklyn Navy Yard was very active in shipbuilding.
One of the most notable ships from the Brooklyn Navy Yard during the late 19th century was Maine, which was launched from Building Way 1, the new slipway.
Maine's keel was laid in 1888, launched in 1895, and destroyed in Cuba's Havana Harbor in 1898.
USS Cincinnati, laid down in 1892 and commissioned in 1894, was the lead cruiser of the Cincinnati class.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard required large quantities of national flags, naval pennants and canvas gunpowder bags.
The task of sewing these materials had historically been performed by men, but the yard began hiring women for the task due to a need for skilled labor.
By the late 1890s, many of the yard's newly hired flag makers were women, and most of these women were widows of soldiers killed in war.
The flag makers, working up to
In 1866, following the end of the Civil War, there was a large decrease in the number of people working at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, although the yard continued to finish off the vessels that were already under construction. Shipbuilding methods had improved greatly during the war's duration, and the shipbuilding technology that the Navy used was now obsolete; this was compounded by a series of other problems that the Navy faced in general, such as corruption. Likely as a result, the Brooklyn Navy Yard did not start construction on any vessels between 1866 and 1872. Some boats were launched during this period, such as Kenosha, which was launched in 1868. By the late 1860s and early 1870s, the Navy Yard was creating steel steam vessels, as they were faster and easier to maneuver compared to wooden vessels. An iron plating shop had been constructed for the construction of such vessels. Trenton, launched in 1876, was the final wooden vessel with sails that was constructed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. During the late 19th century, there were calls to close the shipyard permanently, although these never came to fruition.
By 1872, there were 1,200 people on the Brooklyn Navy Yard's payroll, a number that could be increased fourfold in case of war. Workers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, who were employees of the federal government, received employment protections that were considered novel at the time. For instance, an act passed in 1867 protected Navy Yard employees' rights to political free speech, and an act passed in 1872 restricted laborers, mechanics, and workmen from working more than eight hours per day.
By the end of the 1880s, the shipbuilding industry at Brooklyn Navy Yard was active again, as the Navy started expanding its fleet. The Navy Yard created larger battleships, as well as torpedo boats and submarines, and many of the vessels launched from the yard featured modern ordnance, propulsion systems, navigation, and armor. The new construction required expanded shipways for launching ships. Since 1820, the Brooklyn Navy Yard had used wooden slipways, with wooden ship houses above each slipway, which protected the wooden ships' hulls, but in the 1880s, these slipways were updated with granite girders.
The Navy also constructed two additional dry docks, both of which soon encountered problems. Dry Dock 2, originally a timber dry dock, was built in 1887 and soon encountered problems due to its poor construction quality. Dry Dock 2 collapsed in a severe storm in July 1899 and was rebuilt in masonry in 1901. Dry Dock 3, a timber dock, was similar in design to Dry Dock 2. It started construction in 1893 and was completed in 1897. Shortly afterward, Dry Dock 3 was found to be too short by four inches and too shallow by two feet, so it was fixed. The initial timber construction of Dry Docks 2 and 3 required a large maintenance cost, unlike for the masonry Dry Dock 1, which had required only one reconstruction in 40 years. Both dry docks still exist, but are now inactive. To support the additional dry docks and shipway capacity, several structures such as large machine shops, an administration building, and a pattern building were constructed in the 1890s.
Unlike other U.S. Navy shipyards at this time, the Brooklyn Navy Yard was very active in shipbuilding. One of the most notable ships from the Brooklyn Navy Yard during the late 19th century was Maine, which was launched from Building Way 1, the new slipway. Maine's keel was laid in 1888, launched in 1895, and destroyed in Cuba's Havana Harbor in 1898. USS Cincinnati, laid down in 1892 and commissioned in 1894, was the lead cruiser of the Cincinnati class.
The Brooklyn Navy Yard required large quantities of national flags, naval pennants and canvas gunpowder bags. The task of sewing these materials had historically been performed by men, but the yard began hiring women for the task due to a need for skilled labor. By the late 1890s, many of the yard's newly hired flag makers were women, and most of these women were widows of soldiers killed in war. The flag makers, working up to 
Brooklyn Navy Yard