Company
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The Origin of “Bath Built is Best Built”
Question: What is the source and attribution of the phrase “Bath-built is best-built”? Response: “You can’t get there from here” is a phrase familiar to all who have confronted the…
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Post War America
The Postwar Years
As WWII ended, BIW faced a familiar situation, as a sudden surplus of military and commercial ships led to an inevitable plunge in shipbuilding orders. Although construction of many wartime…
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General Thomas Hyde Medal of Honor
This Medal of Honor was awarded to Gen. Thomas Hyde, the Founder of Bath Iron Works. He took over the Bath Iron Foundry in the fall of 1865 after his…
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Moose at BIW Newspaper Clipping
Special thanks to BIW Retiree Dick Walker for sharing the news clipping and pictures with us. The article reads: Inquisitive Bear, Moose Pay Visits to Bangor, Bath BATH, Me,. Oct.…
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Outfitting Dept. Paint List
A paint list from the Outfitting Department at BIW in 1944 for the Sumner Class Destroyer USS Purdy (DD-734). The ship would go on to serve in WWII, the Korean…
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Toolbox Label
This toolbox label, which was found in the ground while constructing the Kitting Terminal, was made in late 1980 or early 1990. On it was the employee’s name, location and…
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Modern Era, Post War America
Modernization and Commercial Shipbuilding
In the late 1960s, the Navy adopted a new approach for the DX Program, a large class of destroyers meant to replace aging WWII-era ships in the fleet. Rather than…
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Great Depression and WW II, Industrialization, Modern Era, Post War America, Progressive Era, WW1 and Roaring 20s
BIW and the Hyde Windlass Company
In the 1880s the Bath Iron Foundry, owned by General Thomas Hyde and located on Water Street in downtown Bath, was a well-established builder of deck machinery, such as windlasses,…
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Progressive Era
Baker’s Flavoring Extract Bottle
One of the many artifacts found while excavating for the Kitting Terminal was a Baker’s Flavoring Extract bottle, which was probably discarded sometime around 1900. Its manufacturer, the Baker Extract…
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1975
First Computer arrive at BIW in 1975
The first computers arrived at BIW in late 1975. They were dumb computer terminals (remote terminals attached to a server), which were used by the Lofting group for design work…
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Post War America
BIW wins $10.5 million contract to build thirty-two French Fishing Trawlers
Shortly after WWII, BIW won a $10.5 million contract to build thirty-two trawlers for the French Purchasing Commission to replace many of the French fishing vessels lost during the war.…
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Great Depression and WW II – 1942-1945
BIW delivered 67 destroyers over 3+ years (1156 days), an average of 1 ship every 17 days
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Great Depression and WW II – 1939-1946
BIW delivered 89 destroyers to the US Navy (19% of DDs built during WWII)
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WW1 and Roaring 20s – 1917
BIW is sold to a syndicate of Maine investors upon the death of John Hyde
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Progressive Era – 1905
John S. Hyde, eldest son of General Hyde, purchases BIW from bankruptcy court
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Industrialization – 1884
On October 20, the company is incorporated and becomes Bath Iron Works Ltd.
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