A Place Called YORKSHIP - Delaware River Shipyards

American International Shipbuilding Corp., Hog Island, PA 1917-1921 (Owned by New York Shipbuilding's WWI corporate parent American International Corporation. Built in just 10 months under shadow of scandal. Laid its first keel Feb. 12, 1918. Luncheon sandwiches eaten by workers became known as hoagies. Built 122 ships. Site now occupied by Philadelphia International Airport.)

Bethlehem Steel Shipbuilding Corp., Wilmington, DE 1940-1945 (Formerly Harlan & Hollingsworth. Built landing craft and other small vessels during W.W. II.)

Betts, Harlan & Hollingsworth Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, DE 1836-1918 (Founded as a maker of passenger railway cars. Launched first propellor-driven iron steamer Bangor in 1844. Built 70 ships during W.W. I. Acquired by Bethlehem Steel in 1902. Shipyard was closed after W.W. I but continued making railcars.)

Delaware River Shipbuilding Co., Chester, PA 1885-1907 (aka Delaware River International Shipbuilding & Engine Works, Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding Co. & Engine Works. Took over John Roach shipyard after financial failure.)

Hillman & Sons, Philadelphia, PA 1867-1900 (Successor to Birely, Hillman & Streaker and Bart Hillman of Camden. Laucnhed its first iron steamer in 1893. Facility was acquired by Cramp in 1900) .

John Roach & Sons, Chester, PA 1859-1885 (aka Roach's Shipyard. Roach's extensive industrial empire went into receivership in 1885. Chester yard became Delaware River Iron Shipbuilding Works.)

Kensington Shipyard & Drydock Co., Philadelphia, PA 1900-?? (Took over Cramp's Palmer Street yard and the adjacent Birely, Hillman & Streaker's yard along the Fishtown waterfront.)

Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyards, Philadelphia, PA 1998-present (Unit of European industrial giant, located in former Philadelphia Navy Yard. First keel laid 2000, with delivery expected in 2002. Kvaerner decided to exit the shipbuilding business in Apr 1999, and is seeking a buyer for its five shipyards.)

Merchant Shipbuilding Company, Chester, PA, 1917-1921 (The former Roach/Delaware River Shipbuilding plant was reopened by Charles Jack in 1914. Jack pioneered the decentralized ship assembly system adopted by EFC. In 1917, W. Averell Harriman purchased the Jack yard and renamed it Merchant Shipbuilding. Additional facility at Bristol PA with 12 ways was built as an "agency yard" by the Emergency Fleet Corporation for $12 million. Created town of Harriman. Delivered 40 of 60 ships originally ordered. First keel laid Feb 16, 1918, last ship delivered Feb 28, 1921.)

Neafie & Levy Ship & Engine Building Co., Beach and Palmer St., Philadelphia, PA c1830-1908 (Located adjacent to Cramp's Palmer Street Yard. Specialized in tugboats and yachts. Built J.P. Morgan's extravagent 240-foot yacht Corsair II. Problems delivering three Bainbridge-class destroyers and the armored cruiser St. Louis, as well as the fallout from a fatal boiler explosion on the river steamer City of Trenton and the impact of bookkeeping fraud drove the yard into receivership, Neafie & Levy delivered its last ship, the tug Adriatic, in 1908. Built more than 300 ships and 1100 marine engines.)

New Jersey Shipbuilding Co., Gloucester, NJ ??-?? (Sister yard to Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Co., also owned by Pusey & Jones.)

Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Co., Chester, PA 1977-1989 (Took over Sun Shipbuilding.facilities.)

Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Co., Gloucester, NJ ??-?? (Subsidiary of Pusey & Jones, managed during W.W. I by Henry Lysholm, who had developed ship fabrication techniques with Henry Morse of New York Ship. Its berths launched ships sideways, unusual on the East Coast..)

Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, junction of the Schulkyll and Delaware Rivers, Philadelphia, PA 1801-1996 (Founded on site of Humphreys shipyard in Southwark, moved to League Island site at foot of Broad Street in 1876. Used for outfitting only until 1917, when PNS received orders for battle cruisers Constitiution and United States and built two new shipways 99 feet by 130 feet. At the same time, Dry Dock No. 3, 1011 feet long, was built at the cost of $6.3 million. Employed 15.000 at its peak. Had world's most powerful hammerhead crane, with 392 ton lift capacity. Built last ship from keel up in 1970. Closed Sept. 27, 1996. Final overhaul project was carrier John F. Kennedy.)

Pusey & Jones Corp., Wilmington, DE 1853-1946 (Built first American iron-hulled sailing ship, Mahlon Betts. Converted shipyard on the Christina River to metal fabrication division in 1946.)

Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, PA 1917-1977 (Financed by the Pew brothers, owners of Sun Oil Company. Had five 500-foot shipways and a 500-foot wet slip. First vessel was Chester Sun, a 10,300dwt tanker which became an EFC standard design. Not equipped for heavy naval construction, but built minesweepers for the Navy. Built 281 oil tankers during W.W. II. Built Glomar Explorer spy salvage ship. Total production 543 ships. Launched last ship, Westward Venture, Feb 15, 1977. Facilities now operated by Metro Machine Corporation.)

William Cramp & Sons Ship & Engine Building Co., Philadelphia, PA 1828-1927, 1940-46 (Operated Palmer Street yard from 1828-1900, then relocated to Norris Street Yard. Built America's first modern battleship, BB-1 Indiana 1891-93. "The pre-eminent builder of passenger liners and capital ships in late nineteeth-century America"- Thomas Heinrichs)

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your Yorkship memories to Michael Kube-McDowell, Class of '68