Shipbuilding--Lorain's First Industry (20-47) - Ohio Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Located in the HarborWalk housing development south of US-6, west of Colorado Avenue, and east of the Black River. The marker is at the end of the northwestbound one-way portion of West Marina Drive, near a small park.

Text : Side A
Lorain's shipbuilding industry began when Augustus Jones and William Murdock began constructing wooden sailing vessels on the west side near the mouth of the Black River. The sloop General Huntington was the first boat launched from Lorain in 1819. In 1897, the shipbuilding industry moved to the east side of the river with the establishment of the Lorain yard of the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company, the precursor of the American Shipbuilding Company. In 1898, they were the largest dry dock on the Great Lakes. On April 13, 1898, the first steel ship, the Superior City, was launched. At the time, it was the largest vessel on fresh water. During the early years well-known passenger ships, railroad car ferries, tankers, self-unloaders, tugs, and barges were built here.

Text : Side B
[Photo of Lorain] Although the shipyard experienced extensive damage during the June 28, 1924 tornado, the American Shipbuilding Company remained in Lorain and rebuilt the yard. Many vessels were built during World War II for the U.S. Navy, including the U.S.S. Lorain and the U.S.S. Lorain County. The Walter Sterling was lengthened to an ore carrier from a tanker in 1961, and 22 years later it was the last ship to be repaired in Lorain. The lengthening of ships to "super ships" then became a trend in the industry. The last ship built here was the William De Lancy, 1013 footer, in 1981. On December 1, 1983, the American Shipbuilding Company closed its Lorain yard, bringing an end to the industry that was Lorain's first.

Marker Number: 20-47 County: Lorain Significance of Location: Other Bicentenial Mark: yes Website address: [Web Link] Additional Coordinate: Not Listed Additional Coordinate description: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
If possible, unique photographs taken at the site, are requested. These can be of the site, your companions on your visit, or whatever. Tell of what you learned or thought of the site.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   10/22/2011 electrical_chris visited it 10/03/2009 theents visited it 03/01/2009 SlvrFx visited it

View all visits/logs