Wikipedia

Groton Iron Works

Groton Iron Works was a company formed in 1917 to build cargo ships for the United States Shipping Board during World War I. The company owned two shipyards: one in Noank, Connecticut for wooden ships; and the other in Groton, Connecticut for steel ships.[1] The focus of this article is the Groton, Connecticut yard.

Groton Iron Works, DEC 1918
Groton Iron Works, MAR 1919
Acetylene Workers
GIW Acetylene Workers, APR 1919
Quinnipiac Launch, NOV 1919

Early property ownership

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In 1916, Harry C. Rowe sold his 30-acre estate at Eastern Point to Charles W. Morse.[2] Charles W. Morse was president of United States Steamship Company,[3] which was the parent company of Groton Iron Works and Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation.[4] 4,993 shares of the 5,000 total shares of Groton Iron Works stock was owned by United States Steamship Company.[5] Qualifying shares were owned by the following: four shares by C.W. Morse and his three sons; one by Mr. Guggenheim; one by Mr. Loft; one unknown.[6] $3,500,000 was spent to construct Groton Iron Works, which employed 3,600 men.[7]

Groton Iron Works officers

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E.A. Morse, President [8]

H.F. Morse, Vice President [9]

B.W. Morse, Secretary [10]

Steel cargo ship contracts

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Emergency Fleet Corporation contract #57 S.C. for six 8,800 dead-weight ton steamers was signed 11 August 1917.[11]

Emergency Fleet Corporation contract #225 S.C. for six 9,400 dead-weight ton steamers was signed 20 April 1918. Three were eventually canceled due to the end of the war.[11]

Cargo ships built in Groton

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Contract # [11] GIW Hull # [12] EFC Hull # [12] Name [12] Keel Laid Launched Delivered
57 1 372 Tollard 28 January 1918 [13] 9 November 1918 [13] 24 April 1919 [12]
57 2 373 Nameaug 8 July 1919 [12] 22 August 1919 [12]
57 3 374 Worcester 5 April 1919 [12] 30 June 1919 [12]
57 4 375 Quinnipiac 1 November 1919 [12] 12 December 1919 [12]
57 5 376 Merry Mount 20 September 1919 [12] 18 October 1919 [12]
57 6 377 Hartford 29 November 1919 [12] 31 December 1919 [12]
225 7 1542 Honnedaga 27 March 1920 [14] July, 1920 [1]
225 8 1543 Provincetown 19 June 1920 [15] September, 1920 [1]
225 9 1544 Hopatcong December, 1920 [1]

Subsequent property uses

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The yard in 1943

On 23 July 1922, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad leased the property for use as a locomotive repair facility.[16]

On 30 January 1926, Hickman Sea Sled announced the lease of the jointer shop building.[17]

On 25 January 1927, Atlantic Coast Fisheries purchased the northern section of the property from Boston Iron and Metal Company,[18] to fillet, freeze and package haddock. In 1929 they purchased the remaining property, then sold some to Shell Oil Company for the construction of a distributing center with seven tanks.[19]

In January, 1941, a syndicate headed by Alfred Holter purchased most of the property, intending to build freighters for Britain.[20] Purchase price was $550,000 cash.[21]

On 5 February 1942, the US Navy purchased the property from Alfred Holter and Shell Oil Company for $222,000 using condemnation proceedings.[22] $9.5 million was spent to construct the Victory Yard, where the Electric Boat Company began building submarines on 22 July 1942.[23] On 3 November 1943 a Federal Court Committee awarded an additional $203,000 to the former owners.[24]

On 13 January 1945, Electric Boat announced that $3,000,000 will be spent to convert the Victory Yard to manufacture 105mm shells.[25]

On 18 December 1946, Pfizer Inc purchased the property from the War Assets Administration.[26] Purchase price was $911,999.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Robert Palmer & Son, Noank CT (later Groton Iron Works and Noank Shipbuilding)". Shipbuilding History. Retrieved on 27 June 2021.
  2. ^ Kimball, Carol W. "Anecdotes give insight into Atlantic Coast Fisheries". The Day. 17 January 2005. p. B6. Retrieved on 16 January 2011.
  3. ^ "C. W. Morse Contracts". Hearings before Select Committee on U. S. Shipping Board Operations. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 1088. Retrieved on 18 January 2011.
  4. ^ "C. W. Morse Contracts". Hearings before Select Committee on U. S. Shipping Board Operations. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 1237. Retrieved on 18 January 2011.
  5. ^ "C. W. Morse Contracts". Hearings before Select Committee on U. S. Shipping Board Operations. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. CLXXIII. Retrieved on 18 January 2011.
  6. ^ "C. W. Morse Contracts". Hearings before Select Committee on U. S. Shipping Board Operations. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. CLXXIIV. Retrieved on 18 January 2011.
  7. ^ "C. W. Morse Contracts". Hearings before Select Committee on U. S. Shipping Board Operations. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. CXXXVI. Retrieved on 18 January 2011.
  8. ^ "C. W. Morse Contracts". Hearings before Select Committee on U. S. Shipping Board Operations. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 1122. Retrieved on 18 January 2011.
  9. ^ "C. W. Morse Contracts". Hearings before Select Committee on U. S. Shipping Board Operations. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 1131. Retrieved on 18 January 2011.
  10. ^ "C. W. Morse Contracts". Hearings before Select Committee on U. S. Shipping Board Operations. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 1061. Retrieved on 18 January 2011.
  11. ^ a b c "C. W. Morse Contracts". Hearings before Select Committee on U. S. Shipping Board Operations. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 1215. Retrieved on 5 January 2011.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "C. W. Morse Contracts". Hearings before Select Committee on U. S. Shipping Board Operations. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. CCXLIX. Retrieved on 3 January 2011.
  13. ^ a b "Groton Iron Works Shipbuilding Plant". International Marine Engineering. April, 1919. pp. 246-250. Retrieved on 3 January 2011.
  14. ^ "Launching party, freighter Honnedaga, Groton[usurped]". Connecticut History Online. Retrieved on 4 January 2011.
  15. ^ "Launching Party assembling, freighter Provincetown, Groton[usurped]". Connecticut History Online. Retrieved on 4 January 2011.
  16. ^ "Leases Groton Iron Works". The New York Times. 24 July 1922. Retrieved on 3 January 2011.
  17. ^ "New London 25 and 50 Years Ago". The Day. 30 January 1951. p. 6. Retrieved on 11 January 2011.
  18. ^ "Big Fisheries Concern Buys Iron Works Tract To Establish New Plant". The Day. 25 January 1927. p. 1. Retrieved on 13 January 2011.
  19. ^ Kimball, Carol W. "Former Groton plant has cold, fishy history". The Day. 21 February 2005. p. B3. Retrieved on 10 January 2011.
  20. ^ "GOVERNMENT: Money by Mail". Time. 20 January 1941. Retrieved on 6 January 2011.
  21. ^ "Norwegian Fugitive From Nazis Here to Aid Britain". St. Petersburg Times. 11 January 1941. p. 24. Retrieved on 10 January 2011.
  22. ^ "Iron Works Property Turned Over to E.B.". The Day. 5 February 1942. p. 10. Retrieved on 13 January 2011.
  23. ^ "EB". The Day. 2 September 1995. p. A5. Retrieved on 13 January 2011.
  24. ^ $203,000 More for Groton Works". The New York Times. 3 November 1943. Retrieved on 13 January 2011.
  25. ^ "Electric Boat Co., Groton, Gets “Very Large Order” For Manufacture of 105 MM Shells". Lewiston Evening Journal. 13 January 1945. p. 7. Retrieved on 8 January 2011.
  26. ^ "New London, Groton Salute Pfizer for Community Role; Plaque Given at Breakfast". The Day. 12 November 1954. p. 3. Retrieved on 10 January 2011.
  27. ^ PFIZER BUYS WAR PLANT; Chemical Concern Gets WAA Shipyard at Groton for $911,999". The New York Times. 19 December 1946. Retrieved on 13 January 2011.
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