Conqueror was being launched into Puget Sound, it was a fishing boat built in Tacoma. View of "Conqueror" with owners and crew aboard the newly built fishing boat; photo ordered by Charles F. A. Mann of Industrial Development Service, advertising agency. TPL-8982

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Advertising agencies--Tacoma; Advertising--Tacoma; Industrial Development Service (Tacoma);

The purse seiner, "Sea Rose" was launched from the ship builders' yards, located at 202 Highline Road, but the vessel would not be completed for another month; two and a half months had already been spent on building the fishing boat. View of unidentified woman who was chosen to sponsor the launching of "Sea Rose", she is holding the champagne bottle which will be used to christen the boat and a beautiful bouquet of roses (T. Times, 1/10/49, p. 5).

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Champagne (Wine)--Tacoma; Roses; Kazulin-Cole Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Mike Kazulin was the President of Kazulin-Cole Shipbuilding Corporation, the company's yards were located at 202 Highline Road near Tacoma's Hylebos Waterway. The purse seiner, "Sea Rose", was designed by Mike Kazulin and would be complete within the next month. View of a tugboat guiding "Sea Rose" for its trial run through Puget Sound (T. Times, 1/10/49, p. 5).

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Tugboats--Tacoma; Towing--Tacoma; Kazulin-Cole Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Sea Rose measured 70 feet long, with a 19 foot 6 inch beam and displaces 90 tons. It had a 500 horsepowered General Motors diesel engine, and would house a crew of nine people in a deck house. This purse seiner was built for Peter Skarponi and John Zorovich of Gig Harbor. View of "Sea Rose" sliding into the water from the Kazulin-Cole Shipbuilding yards (T. Times, 1/10/49, p. 5). TPL-9213

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950;Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Kazulin-Cole Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

Setting a 42 ton engine in a tuna boat using a 60 ton crane, Studio, Spec., Bob. The 600 h.p. Washington diesel engine is being set into a 121 foot funa clipper at the Port Piers. The boat was built by Puget Sound Boat Building Corporation, designed by James Petrich. Owners of the shipyard were John Breskovich and John Petrich. (T.Times, 10/23/1948, p.1) TPL-8981

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat engines; Hoisting machinery; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. (Tacoma);

Setting a 42 ton engine in a tuna boat using a 60 ton crane, Studio, Spec., Bob. A huge diesel engine weighing 43 tons was swung into a 121 foot tuna clipper by a Port Piers crane. It was the only crane in the harbor capable of handling such a heavy load. The boat was built by Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. for the French Sardine Company of San Diego that cost $350,000 when outfitted. The engine is being guided by Adrian Luchino, a Puget Sound Boat employee. (T.Times, 10/23/1948) TPL-8980

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boat engines; Hoisting machinery; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. (Tacoma); Luchino, Adrian;

Western Boat Building Company has just completed and launched the "Mary E. Petrich", the largest tuna clipper ever built. The new vessel is 149-1/2 feet long, has a 34 foot beam, 1,600 horsepower submarine type diesel engine, and cost about $500,000 to build. The tuna clipper was named after Martin Petrich's late wife; view of the "Mary E. Petrich" being led out by tugboats, shortly after being christened (T. Times, 3/16/49, p. 1). TPL-8988

Launchings--Tacoma--1940-1950; Industrial facilities--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma; Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma);

Western Boat. An elevated view of the Mary E. Petrich on the City Waterway headed out for her sea trials. This fishing boat was named after Martin Petrich's wife. She was powered by a 1,600 hp Fairbanks-Moorse submarine-type diesel engine, had a 450 ton capacity, and was capable of 13 1/2 knots. She cost an estimated $500,000. (T.Times, 3/16/1949, p.1; T.Times, 3/6/1949, p.17; Pacific Fisherman Yearbook 1950, p.13 and p.215; Pacific Motor Boat Nov. 1949, p.39) TPL-9014

Western Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ship trials--Tacoma--1940-1950;

ca. 1955. Tacoma Boat Building Co. on the Sitcum Waterway. The photograph is labelled 9-1-1955, but has a series number that belongs in 1956. The two buildings with the curved roofs are the dry docks for Tacoma Boat Building. Several large vessels being worked on rest in the water beside the boat company. Large log booms float there also. To the left lies the Henry D. Gee Co. grain storage building, with the C. M. ST. P. & P. terminals below. Below Tacoma Boats is the Milwaukee Boom Co. What appear to be railroad tracks run between Tacoma Boat and Henry Gee.

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Henry D. Gee Co. (Tacoma);

The sea trials of the "Sea Babe" for Kazulin-Cole Shipbuilding Corp. Kazulin-Cole was located at 2002 Marine View Drive. The craft was designed and built by Mike Kazulin. A man in a captain's hat waves from the deck of the "Sea Babe." Built for Leroy Powell of South Bend, the boat was registered out of Raymond, WA. The "Sea Babe" was a sports fishing boat and could hold up to ten fishermen. It was outfitted with an auto pilot, depth indicator and ship to shore radio. (TNT 6/17/1956, pg. B-2)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Kazulin-Cole Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Ship trials--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960;

A large group of spectators await the launching of the A.M.S. #96 on May 1, 1953. Television cameras capture the moment for posterity; it was the first launching televised in this area. Dignitaries on the platform, which would have included Mrs. Marvin H. Glunz, sponsor, and the attentive crowd listen to a naval speaker. This may have been Capt. Christian H. Duborg, who was listed as principal speaker of the event. The A.M.S. #96 was a 144-foot mindsweeper built by Tacoma Boat Building for the Navy. It was the fourth of five being constructed by the firm who had been awarded a Navy contract. (TNT 5-3-53, B-10)

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Government vessels--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

ca. 1953. Launching of naval ship #445, named the U.S.S. Force, the fourth of a series of nine 171 ft. minesweepers to be built by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding. Mrs. Thomas D. Wilson, wife of the Commander of the Bremerton Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet, was sponsor, assisted by Judith K. Ross as flower girl. M.S. Erdahl served as the master of ceremonies and Rear Admiral Charles D. Wheelock, inspector general for the Navy's bureau of ships, was the principal speaker. Other Naval dignitaries included Rear Admiral H.E. Haven, Commandant of the Puget Sound Naval shipyard, Capt. Linton Herndon, supervisor of shipbuilding Seattle, and Comdr. Lawrence MacKinlay, resident supervisor of shipbuilding Tacoma. The launching was followed by a reception and dinner at the Winthrop Hotel. (TNT 6/21/1953, pg. B-2, 6/27/1953, pg. 1)

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma); Ross, Judith K.;

Launching of the A.M.S. (motor minesweeper) #97 by Tacoma Boatbuilding. AMS #97 was the fifth and last minesweeper to be launched by the company. The four previous vessels were in various states of completion with the first to be delivered to the Navy in the fall. (TNT 9/27/1953, pg. C-12)

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Government vessels--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Q-630 was one of three Q-boats launched on April 20, 1954. The 63 foot Q-boats were built for the Army under Navy supervision. The ships were expected to be delivered at Rio Vista, California, in May or June, 1954. The sponsor of Q-630 was Mrs. Vincent J. Genn, wife of the machinery superintendent at Tacoma Boat Building. LTC John Fredin was the principal speaker at the launching. View of participants posed in front of vessel; several women are holding large bouquets of roses. (TNT 4-18-54, B-10)

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Government vessels--Tacoma; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

The platform is set up for the ceremonies attending the launch of the M.S.A. #491 (U.S.S. Persistent) at the J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. The ship poised on the ways rises above the bunting draped speakers' platform. Capt. Vernon B. Cole will be the principal speaker at the launch. Mrs. Dorothy Erdahl will be the sponsor and Sharon McCoy will be the flower girl. The Persistent is the eighth of nine 171 foot minesweepers to be launched by Martinac. Four of the ships have already been delivered. The keel of the Persistent was laid in June of 1954. (TNT 4/17/1955, pg. B-7)

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corp. (Tacoma);

A full broadside view of a 160 foot vessel was taken on behalf of Birchfield Boiler, Inc., on September 22, 1955. Birchfield Boiler had expanded their shipbuilding and ship conversation departments over the past few years. They were builders of all steel welded vessels of many types and designs. They also fabricated the steel used in their shipbuilding. The company was owned by Alvin Davies who also owned and operated Tacoma Boiler Works and Ace Furnace.

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boats; Birchfield Boiler, Inc. (Tacoma);

The launching of the A.M.S. (motor minesweeper) 116, hull 29 by the Pacific Boat Building Co. The ship is being assisted after launching by Foss Tug #11 and another unidentified tug. More large ships can be seen in the background. Naval rearmament fueled the Tacoma ship building economy with local firms holding a total of over 20 million dollars in Naval contracts. (T. Reporter, 7/23/1952, pg. 1 & 7/8/1952, pg. 8)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The launching of the A.M.S. (motor minesweeper) 116, hull 29 by the Pacific Boat Building Co. The rear of the hull draped in red, white and blue bunting can be seen as it slides down the ways. Spectators view from platforms inside the dry dock where the ship was constructed. This vessel was the first of five 144 foot vessels to be built by Pacific Boat. (T. Reporter 7/23/1952, pg. 1)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The launching of the A.M.S. (motor minesweeper) 116, hull 29 by the Pacific Boat Building Co. The hull of the boat is attached to the ways prior to the launching ceremony. The minesweepers which ranged in size from 57 feet to 171 feet were being constructed at Pacific, Tacoma Boat Building and J. M. Martinac, as well as smaller boats for the Navy at other Tacoma yards. (T. Reporter 7/8/1952, pg. 8)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Pacific Boat Building Co. (Tacoma); Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Launching of A.M.S.(motor minesweeper) #113 at Tacoma Boat Building Company for the Navy. View of the rear of the ship draped with an American flag. "Brynn Foss" tugboat on left side. Several men on deck. Mount Rainier and tideflats in background. The keel of the vessel was laid Oct. 19, 1951 and the completed minesweeper was scheduled to be delivered in early 1953. It was the first of five to be built by the firm. (T. Reporter 7/22/1952, pg. 2 & 7/8/1952, pg. 8)

Launchings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Exposure showing small plywood fishing boats at the Puget Sound Boat Building Co. building. For DFPA. The small boats are backed by a larger fishing boat and two large ships. The boat building shed can be seen on the right hand side and industrial Tacoma in the background. In June of 1952, the Navy awarded a contract to Puget Sound to build 20 40 foot personnel boats at a cost of $300,000. This was in addition to an earlier Naval contract for 5 40 ft personnel boats of a different type at a cost of $85,000. The boat builder had lost an earlier Naval contract to an Eastern firm due to the claim that the Eastern yard was in a labor surplus area.

Puget Sound Boat Building Corp. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1940-1950; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1950-1960;

ca. 1930. View of Pier No. 1 and the waterfront of Seattle - looking toward the city from the water. Buildings in photograph include: Luckenbach Steamship Co. Inc. on Pier No. 1, and the L. C. Smith Tower in the background. To the right is the Pacific Steamship Co. (building labeled Pier A.)

Luckenbach Steamship Co. Inc. (Seattle); Pacific Steamship Co. (Seattle); Smith Tower (Seattle); Port of Seattle (Seattle);

Shortly after midnight on June 11, 1926, the one and a half million dollar bonfire of World War I era warships was at its height. During WWI Seaborn Shipbuilding Co., Wright Shipbuilding Co. and Tacoma Ship Building Co. on the Tacoma tideflats had a contract to build 20 3,000-ton five-mast auxiliary schooners for France. When the war ended in 1918 thirteen partially completed ships still rested in the ways of the shipyard. Unfinished, they were towed to Seattle and moored in Lake Union until years later when they were sold for salvage. They were towed to the mouth of Minter Creek which feeds into Henderson Bay and set on fire. From midnight to dawn, a red glow from the fires lit up Tacoma's northwestern sky. When the fire had burned itself out, iron and other metals were collected from the ruins. (TNT 6/11/1926, pg. 1) TPL-126 Information provided by patron: The first few wrecks were burnt at Richmond Beach starting sometime after 1923, some wreckers including Nieman & Marcus continued working there up until the 1930s, while the one in Minter River was used at least twice, 13 ships were burnt in Jun 1926 and 5 ships were burnt in Aug. 1927. As late as 1930, residents complainined about the burning at Henderson Bay, preferring them to revert to Richmond Beach. I believe that the author of the Victoria Daily Times clipping (Victoria Colonist, Victoria B.C. 5/31/1926 p.8) with the ships names has gotten the location wrong, but they all are named as being laid up at Lake Union in 1921. Articles mentioned can be found in the clipping file TACOMA - INDUSTRIES - SHIPBUILDING

Employees of the Skansie Shipbuilding Company, in Gig Harbor, posed around a Fairbanks Morse engine intended for the "Defiance," the Pt. Defiance to Gig Harbor ferry which had been launched on January 16, 1927. By the mid 1920's, ferries were being designed to carry automobiles. The Skansie Brothers yard in Gig Harbor was one of the first to build the auto ferries. The "Defiance" had an 70-car capacity. Mitchell Skansie pioneered the use of diesel engines in ferries and the "Defiance" had a 360 hp engine which could travel with a speed of 10 knots. (Neal & Janus "Puget Sound Ferries") G66.1-091 (TNT 1-15-27, p. 14-article; TNT 1-17-27, p. 15-article)

Ferries--1920-1930; Skansies Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor); Boat engines;

In November of 1926, the workmen at Skansie Shipbuilding Company posed with the two ferries that they were building in their ways in Gig Harbor. The smaller ferry boat at the left, the "City of Steilacoom", was nearing completion. The larger boat was being built for the Tacoma-Gig Harbor run and would carry up to 75 cars. A larger ways had been built to accommodate the increased size of the ferry. It was scheduled to be launched between February 15 and March 15 and to be completed by April 15. The "City of Steilacoom" was the 12th boat finished by Skansie's since the first of the year. In 1926, the Skansie yard employed 36 workmen. (TNT 11/19/1926, pg. 10) BU 13893, Boland # B15944;

Ferries--1920-1930; Skansies Shipbuilding Co. (Gig Harbor); Boat & ship industry--Gig Harbor;

Ferry under construction in late January of 1923. Two men appear to be taking a breather from painting the ferry's exterior. Photograph ordered by Western Boat Co. (print has deteriorated)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Ferries--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Ship propeller. Three unidentified men stand between the blades of a ship propeller at Todd Dry Dock & Construction's plant along the Hylebos Waterway in July of 1924. Todd Dry Dock's employees consisted of shipbuilders, engineers and boilermakers. TPL-1424; G37.1-118

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Todd Dry Dock & Construction Corp. (Tacoma);

Stern of the SS Bienville. The Bienville would be launched the following day, July 16, 1924, from Todd Dry Dock & Construction facilities. The combination freighter/passenger vessel, 445 feet in length with a 57-foot beam, could hold 346 passengers. She was built at a cost of over one million dollars and would be used to travel between New York and New Orleans. The Bienville would catch on fire in mid-March of 1925 while being overhauled in New Orleans. The ship was ablaze from stem to stern but all aboard escaped. G37.1-113 (TNT 6-21-24, p. 1,9-articles; TNT 3-19-25, p. 1-article on fire; TDL 3-28-25, p. 1-article on fire)

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Small boat under construction at Babare Mfg. Co. site in August of 1924. The Babare brothers, George & Nick, were pioneer shipbuilders with original plant in Old Town. They had moved their facility to 3517 E. 11th St. along the Hylebos Waterway. G37.1-106

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Boats--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Jacona at dock. The 7,600-ton freighter "Jacona" had been launched on November 20, 1918 by Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co. and delivered to her owners on May 9, 1919. Later in 1930 she was converted into a floating power generation station. TPL-1677

Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1910-1920; Cargo ships--Tacoma--1910-1920;