Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company
Encyclopedia
Winslow Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company was a shipyard
that operated from 1903 until 1959 on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
The shipyard was built as an expansion of Hall Bros. Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company of Port Blakely, Washington, on 77 acres (311,608.2 m²) near the village of Madrone, later renamed Winslow after the dead brother of shipyard owner Henry Hall. It built five-masted schooners whose design allowed cargo to be loaded both fore and aft.
In 1916, Hall sold the Winslow yard to Captain James Griffiths, who renamed it Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Co. The following year, Griffiths leased the yard to D. W. Hartzel, Inc., which used the facility to install machinery in hulls built at other yards.
After World War I, Griffiths retook control of the yard, using it to do repair work for Puget Sound
's ferry operators. During World War II, the yard built steel minesweepers
, employing as many as 2,300 workers.
Griffiths sold the yard in 1948, and its new owners renamed it Commercial Ship Repair of Winslow. Business dwindled, and the yard closed in 1959. The property was divided into a marina, an apartment complex and a Washington State Ferries
maintenance facility.
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
that operated from 1903 until 1959 on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
The shipyard was built as an expansion of Hall Bros. Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Company of Port Blakely, Washington, on 77 acres (311,608.2 m²) near the village of Madrone, later renamed Winslow after the dead brother of shipyard owner Henry Hall. It built five-masted schooners whose design allowed cargo to be loaded both fore and aft.
In 1916, Hall sold the Winslow yard to Captain James Griffiths, who renamed it Winslow Marine Railway & Shipbuilding Co. The following year, Griffiths leased the yard to D. W. Hartzel, Inc., which used the facility to install machinery in hulls built at other yards.
After World War I, Griffiths retook control of the yard, using it to do repair work for Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
's ferry operators. During World War II, the yard built steel minesweepers
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
, employing as many as 2,300 workers.
Griffiths sold the yard in 1948, and its new owners renamed it Commercial Ship Repair of Winslow. Business dwindled, and the yard closed in 1959. The property was divided into a marina, an apartment complex and a Washington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries is a passenger and automobile ferry service owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation that serves communities on Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands. It is the most used ferry system in the world and the largest passenger and automobile...
maintenance facility.