Bethlehem Key Highway Shipyard started as William Skinner & Sons in downtown

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...

, Maryland in 1815. In 1899 the shipyard was renamed Skinner Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company. Also at the site was Malster & Reanie started in 1870 by

William T. Malster William Torbert Malster (April 4, 1843 – March 2, 1907) was Mayor of Baltimore from 1897 to 1899. He was the founder and president of Columbian Iron Works Company, a shipbuilding company in Baltimore. Early life William Torbert Malster was b ...

(1843–1907). In 1879 Malster partnered with William B. Reaney (1808-1883). In 1880 Malster & Reanie was sold and renamed Columbian Iron Works & Dry Dock Company (Lower Yard). Malster & Reanie and Skinner Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company merged in 1906, but remained as Skinner Shipbuilding. In 1914 the company was renamed Baltimore Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company. Baltimore Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company sold to Bethlehem Steel in 1922, becoming part of Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation. Bethlehem Steel operated the shipyard for ship repair, conversion and some ship construction. Bethlehem's main ship construction site was across the harbor at

Bethlehem Sparrows Point Maryland Steel, in Sparrows Point, Maryland, US, was founded in 1887. It was acquired by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in 1916 and renamed as the Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard. The shipyard was sold in 1997 to Baltimore Marine Industries I ...

. Bethlehem Key Highway Shipyard was known as the Bethlehem Upper Yard located north-east side of Federal Hill. Bethlehem Fort McHenry Shipyard located on the west side of Locust Point peninsula was known as the Lower Yard, near Fort McHenry.

Bethlehem Key Highway Shipyard

Bethlehem Key Highway Shipyard, the 42-acre Upper Yard, was sold to AME/Swirnow in 1983. Swirnow shipyard sold the land in 2002 and is now Ritz Carlton and Harborview communities near to the

Baltimore Museum of Industry Baltimore Museum of Industry is a museum in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Located in an old cannery, the museum has exhibits on various types of manufacturing and industry from the early 20th century. There are several hands-on sections with ...

at . *Major projects: *

USS Palawan (ARG-10) USS ''Palawan'' (ARG-10) was a Luzon class internal combustion engine repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1947. She was sunk as an artificial reef in 1977. History ''Palawan'', built as MCE hull 2668 by the Bethl ...

, converted to Luzon Class Internal Combustion Engine Repair Ship. *

USS Diamond Head (AE-19) USS ''Diamond Head'' (AE-19) was a ''Mount Hood''-class ammunition ship in service with the United States Navy in 1945-1946 and from 1951 to 1973. She was sold for scrapping in 1974. History USS ''Diamond Head'' was launched on 3 February 19 ...

, converted to

ammunition ship An ammunition ship is an auxiliary ship specially configured to carry ammunition, usually for naval ships and aircraft. An ammunition ship's cargo handling systems, designed with extreme safety in mind, include ammunition hoists with airlocks bet ...

at the shipyard. * USS Graffias (AF-29), a type (C2-S-E1) hull converted to Hyades stores ship at the shipyard. **

Achelous-class repair ship The ''Achelous''-class repair ship was a class of ship built by the US Navy during World War II. As the United States gained experience in amphibious operations, it was realized that some sort of mobile repair facility would be useful for repair ...

, Bethlehem Key Highway Shipyard converted Landing Ship, Tank (LST) ship to Achelous-class repair ships, for the repair of landing craft, vehicle, personnel (LCVP) or Higgins boat. * USS Menelaus (ARL-13) * USS Numitor (ARL-17) * USS Patroclus (ARL-19) * USS Indra (ARL-37) **Some T-2 tankers were converted or "jumboized" in order to increase their capacity as oiler ship. A 354-foot-long cargo midsection was added. Sample: *SS Gulfmeadows, Gulf Oil Company tanker converted in 1957 to 12,811 GT, from 9,900 GT. Built as SS Great Meadows in 1943 by Sun Shipbuilding Co. * SS Maine, built as a T2-SE-A2 tanker SS Tomahawk by

Marinship Corporation Marinship Corporation was a shipbuilding company of the United States during World War II, created to build the shipping required for the war effort. Founded in 1942, the shipyard built 93 cargo ships and oil tankers, before ending operations 194 ...

. Became US Navy USS Tomahawk (AO-88). In 1967 she was jumboized. *SS Marine Duval, was USS Lynchurg (AO 154) * Six other T-2 tankers were jumboized. **Legacy: A Bethlehem Key Highway Shipyard 100 feet tall crane built in the 1940s during World War II is on display at The Baltimore Museum of Industry along with other artifacts. The crane was used at the

Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard The Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard of Baltimore, Maryland, was a shipyard in the United States from 1941 until 1945. Located on the south shore of the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River which serves as the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore, Ba ...

to help build Liberty ships, Victory ships and amphibious landing ships. Fairfield closed in 1945 and the crane was moved to Bethlehem Key Highway Shipyard in 1945.

Bethlehem Fort McHenry Shipyard

Bethlehem Fort McHenry Shipyard, the Lower Yard, was sold to General Ship Repair in 1983. The site is now some of Port of Baltimore terminals at . (former Columbian Iron Works & Dry Dock Company 1899-1906) *Major projects *

USS Avenge (AM-423) USS ''Avenge'' (MSO-423) was an ''Agile''-class minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of clearing mines that had been placed in the water to prevent the safe passage of ships. The second ship to be named ''Avenge'' by the Navy, ' ...

* USS Webster (ARV-2) ** Built drilling rigs in the 1970s. Sample: *Ocean Scout, was the first semisubmersible oil well drilling rig to be constructed on the East Coast.

Baltimore Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company

Columbian Iron Works and Dry Dock Company (1899—1906) went into receivership in 1899 and was reorganized as Baltimore Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, and was purchased by William B. Skinner and Sons in 1905. In 1915, Skinner and Sons went into receivership and was reorganized as the Baltimore Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Corporation. Baltimore Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company specialized in building and repairing tanker ships. Sample: *SS Bethelridfe, and SS Betterton, tankers built in 1919 at 10,300 tons, 444 feet long, 59 beam, 34 tanks, 2,500 HP. Four others built. *SS Arundel built in 1904 Baltimoredrydock18809

Skinner Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company

Skinner Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, also called William Skinner & Sons. (1906—1915). Shipyard samples: *

Standard Oil Company No. 16 (harbor tug) ''Standard Oil Company No. 16'', later ''Pegasus'', was a historic harbor tugboat located at Morris Canal Basin, Jersey City, New Jersey. She was built in 1907 by the Skinner Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company of Baltimore, Maryland for the Sta ...

built in 1907 for

Standard Oil Company Standard Oil Company, Inc., was an American oil production, transportation, refining, and marketing company that operated from 1870 to 1911. At its height, Standard Oil was the largest petroleum company in the world, and its success made its co-f ...

. *

tugboat built in 1906, now a

Museum ship A museum ship, also called a memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public for educational or memorial purposes. Some are also used for training and recruitment purposes, mostly for the small numb ...

. *Spartan Tug *RFA Steadfast built in 1915, a mooring Vessel.

Baltimore Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company

Baltimore Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company (1915-1922), also called the ''Upper Plant'' on 9.6 acres. Ships built: * General de Castelnau, in 1917 renamed Elinor (ID 2465). *South Pole (ID 3665) 1918 *War Neptune - Polar Bear (ID 3666) 1918 *Warrenton, Polar Sea (ID 3301) 1918 *War Venus , Polar Star (ID 3787) *USS Redwing, Minesweeper No. 48, 1919 *

USS Lark (AM-21) The first USS ''Lark'' (AM-21) was a in the United States Navy. She was named for the lark. ''Lark'' was laid down 11 March 1918 by Baltimore Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Co., Baltimore, Maryland; launched 6 August 1918; sponsored by Mrs. Henry A ...

) 1921 *District of Columbia, USS Serapis (IX-213) 1921 *

USS Bobolink (AM-20) USS ''Bobolink'' (AM-20/AT-131/ATO-131) was a acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing. ''Bobolink'' was launched on 15 June 1918 by Baltimore ...

* USS Pigeon (ASR-6) *Avocet (AVP 4) *Aeolus (ID 3005) *Thrush (AVP 3)

Malster & Reanie

Malster & Reanie (1872-1880) built yachts and other ships. William T. Malster (1843-1907) was the

Mayor of Baltimore The mayor of Baltimore is the head of the executive branch of the government of the City of Baltimore, Maryland. The Mayor has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills, ordinances, or resolutions passed by the ...

from 1897 to 1899. Malster was the son of a Confederate Colonel. William B. Reaney (1808-1883) was raised in Philadelphia with private tutors. In 1849 started working in his father, Thomas Reaney, shipyard in the engineering department, Reaney & Neafie Shipyard. Thomas Reaney and Samuel Archbold also started the Pennsylvania Iron Works. He and his father moved to city of

Chester Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...

and started a new yard,

Delaware River Iron Ship Building and Engine Works Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

, commonly known as Roach's Ship Yard.

Reaney, Son & Archbold Reaney, Son & Archbold was a 19th-century American iron shipbuilding company located on the Delaware River at Chester, Pennsylvania. The company was established in 1859 by Thomas Reaney (formerly of the firm Reaney, Neafie & Levy) but it was under ...

built ships for the American Civil War. building the USS Wateree, USS Suwanee and USS Shamokin,

USS Sagamore USS ''Sagamore'' is a name used more than once by the U.S. Navy: * , a gunboat operating during the American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the Unite ...

, USS Lehigh, and USS Tunxis purposes, including the river steamboat Samuel M. Felton. In 1872 the yards were sold to John Roach. In 1872 he entered in to a partnership with Malster. In 1874 he build a new yard in Philadelphia as owner and naval architect. In 1879 sold and became the manager of the Eureka Cast Steel Company of Chester. Sample built: La Brerague, yacht 240 feet for Eugene TampkinsThe Book of Sport, Volume 1, by William Patten, page 397, 1901

References

{{Authority control Bethlehem Steel Bethlehem shipyards Defunct shipbuilding companies of the United States American companies established in 1815 Manufacturing companies established in 1815 1815 establishments in Maryland Defunct manufacturing companies based in Maryland