USS Holland (SS-1) was the United States Navy's first commissioned submarine, named for her Irish-American inventor, John Philip Holland. The boat was originally laid down as The "Holland VI", and launched by the Crescent Shipyard of Elizabeth, New Jersey, on 17 May 1897. This historic and pioneering ship was launched some 6 years prior to the first Wright Brothers of 1903 — both events being of high significance in engineering and transportation technology progress, in the age of (industrial) revolution. The work [on Holland VI] was done at (Ret.) Navy Lt. Lewis Nixon's Crescent Shipyard for John Holland's company - then known as The Holland Torpedo Boat Company. The craft was built under the supervision of John Holland who designed the vessel and its details in unison with the Crescent Shipyard's chief constructor/naval architect, Arthur Leopold Busch, a recent emigre to the United States from Great Britain - who ended up playing an integral role in the development of the modern (naval) submarine. Busch, after meeting Mr. Holland in 1896, had essentially taken Holland's sketches and ideas as he transformed them into blueprints and steel. The keel to this craft was laid down at this time with both men present at the scene (and) in clear view of the proceedings that were transpiring. The two men worked together using many of John Holland's proven concepts and patents to make the submarine a reality - both men complementing each others contributions to the development of the modern submarine as Holland had finally found the right man in the naval architect, Arthur L. Busch. On August 25, 1905 the Holland made history by being the first American submarine to carry a U.S. President. On that date, Theodore Roosevelt boarded the USS Holland (SS-1) and observed while she ran submerged for 55 minutes. 

The Holland featured all the major features which submarines of the early 20th century would exhibit, albeit in later, more advanced forms. It had both an internal-combustion engine for running on the surface, and an electric power plant for submerged operation. She had a reloadable torpedo tube and a deck gun, in its case a pneumatic "Dynamite Gun." There was a conning tower from which the boat and its weapons could be directed. Finally, she had all the necessary ballast and trim tanks to make precise changes in depth and attitude underwater.

The Holland VI (eventually) proved its validity and worthiness as a warship (of stealth) and was ultimately purchased by the American Government on 11 April 1900. It was considered to be the first truly successful craft of its type (in modern history). The submarine along with six other Holland submarines were based in New Suffolk, New York on the North Fork of Long Island between 1899 and 1905 prompting the hamlet to claim to be the "First Submarine Base" in the United States. The success of the submarine was instrumental in the founding of The Electric Boat Company - now known as the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation. The company can trace its origins to this very point with these events, beginning with the formation of John Philip Holland's original company and the revolutionary submarines that were developed at this shipyard. The Holland VI was modified since its christening, and was renamed as the USS Holland (SS-1) when it was commissioned by the U.S. Navy on October 12, 1900, at Newport, Rhode Island, with Lieutenant Harry H. Caldwell in command. The USS Holland is the first commissioned submarine in the United States Navy and is the first of the unbroken line of submarines in the Navy. It is the third submarine to be owned by the Navy however. The first such submarine is the Submarine Propeller (aka the Alligator) and the second is the Intelligent Whale. On October 16, 1900, Holland left Newport under tow of tug Leyden for Annapolis, Maryland, where she trained midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy as well as officers and enlisted men ordered there to receive training vital in preparing for the operation of other submarines being built for the Fleet. Holland proved valuable for experimental purposes in collecting data for submarines under construction or contemplation. Her 166-mile surface run from Annapolis to Norfolk, Virginia, January 8 to January 10, 1901, provided useful data on her performance underway over an extended period. Except for the period June 15 to October 1, 1901, which was passed training cadets at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island, Holland remained at Annapolis until July 17, 1905, as a training submarine. Holland finished out her career at Norfolk, Virginia. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on November 21, 1910. She was sold as scrap to Henry A. Hitner & Sons, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 18, 1913 for one hundred dollars. Her purchaser was required to put up $5,000 bond as assurance that the submarine would be broken up and not used as a ship.

USS Holland SS-1 Propulsion System