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

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.

Early property ownership

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

E.A. Morse, President [8]

H.F. Morse, Vice President [9]

B.W. Morse, Secretary [10]

Steel cargo ship contracts

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

Contract # [11]GIW Hull # [12]EFC Hull # [12]Name [12]Keel LaidLaunchedDelivered
571372Tollard28 January 1918 [13]9 November 1918 [13]24 April 1919 [12]
572373Nameaug8 July 1919 [12]22 August 1919 [12]
573374Worcester5 April 1919 [12]30 June 1919 [12]
574375Quinnipiac1 November 1919 [12]12 December 1919 [12]
575376Merry Mount20 September 1919 [12]18 October 1919 [12]
576377Hartford29 November 1919 [12]31 December 1919 [12]
22571542Honnedaga27 March 1920 [14]July, 1920 [1]
22581543Provincetown19 June 1920 [15]September, 1920 [1]
22591544HopatcongDecember, 1920 [1]

Subsequent property uses

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

  1. 1 2 3 4 "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. 1 2 3 "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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "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. 1 2 "Groton Iron Works Shipbuilding Plant". International Marine Engineering. April, 1919. pp. 246-250. Retrieved on 3 January 2011.
  14. ↑ "Launching party, freighter Honnedaga, Groton". Connecticut History Online. Retrieved on 4 January 2011.
  15. ↑ "Launching Party assembling, freighter Provincetown, Groton". 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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