The Quonset hut was first designed in the United States. It was based on the Nissen hut, which was made by the British during World War I. Hundreds of thousands of Quonset huts were made during World War II. After the war, the left over huts were sold to the public. The name comes from the site where they were first made. This was Quonset Point at the Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center in Davisville, Rhode Island.