The first Murmansk settlement was founded in 1915. It was founded during World War I so Russia's allies could send supplies to a port that wasn't blocked by ice. The location soon had a naval base and port. The settlement became an official city in 1916, and was named Romanov-on-Murman (Russian: Рома́нов-на-Му́рмане, Romanov-na-Murmane). The city was given it's current name on 16 April 1917.