Prior to European colonization, the area where the Naval Support Facility Anacostia was located was inhabited by the Nacotchtank, an Algonquian people.

Other Nacotchtank archaeological sites have been found at Giesboro Point on the Potomac River, close to where the Naval Support Facility was once located.

[3] The two burial mounds, which included Nacotchtank bones and skulls, were discovered in 1936 by crews working at Bolling Air Force Base.

[4] The Navy began testing seaplanes at this facility in 1918, and eventually it became a naval air station, supporting conventional aircraft.

Redesignated as a naval support facility, NSF Anacostia served as the headquarters for Commander, Naval Installations, Navy Office of the Chief of Information and continued to maintain a large heliport facility, primarily used by Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) in support of "Marine One" presidential transport operations with VH-3D and VH-60N aircraft.