Legacy Vault
Established in 2020 and in celebration of Maine’s bicentennial, The BIW Legacy Vault is an archive of photographs, plans and ephemera that chronicles our contribution to American shipbuilding and celebrates the unique place that BIW holds for the people of our state and our country.
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1898
Light Vessel #71
On February 7, 1898, BIW delivered Light Vessel #71, a copper sheathed, steel framed light ship that was eventually stationed off Diamond Shoal in North Carolina. In World War I,…
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Industrialization – October 15, 1897
ARMERIA
Ship was delivered in 1890 by John A. Dialogue (Camden, New Jersey); the contract issued to BIW in 1897 was for repair work only (due to accidental grounding in Penobscot…
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Industrialization – December 21, 1899
DAHLGREN
On December 21, 1899, BIW delivered Dahlgren (TB-9), a 148-ton torpedo boat, to the US Navy. Dahlgren’s aft conning tower and galley were aluminum – the first time it was…
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KATAHDIN COFFERDAM
The wooden cofferdam (customized floating dry dock) that BIW designed was built and used solely to change propellers on BIW Hull 5 KATAHDIN (US Navy ram). This cofferdam never left…
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Industrialization – July 20, 1895
SALACIA
Hulls 1, 4, 6 and 11: The wooden hulls for these vessels were built and launched by the New England Company in Bath, Maine, then towed to BIW to have…
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Industrialization – October 6, 1894
ELEANOR
Some ships have many lives, like Eleanor, BIW Hull #9, which was launched on May 7, 1894. The three-masted, steam-powered bark was the largest American yacht, with a crew of…
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Industrialization – July 2, 1894
CITY OF LOWELL
BIW’s first steel-hulled commercial vessel was Hull 008, City of Lowell. At its launch in 1893, it was the largest ship built in Maine. City of Lowell was meant to…
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Industrialization
ALLEGHANY
On April 14, 1892, BIW launched the Alleghany, a steam dredge for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The 95-foot long vessel – drafting just four and a half feet – was the…
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Industrialization – August 9, 1892
FRANK JONES
On August 8, 1892, the side-wheel steamer Frank Jones was delivered. The wooden hull was built by New England Co. and the engines were built by BIW. It ran between…
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Industrialization – June 15, 1891
MANHATTAN
Hulls 1, 4, 6 and 11: The wooden hulls for these vessels were built and launched by the New England Company in Bath, Maine, then towed to BIW to have…
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Industrialization – October 16, 1893
CASTINE
BIW’s third hull, Castine, was delivered to the US Navy in October of 1893. It was a gunboat that spent much of its time in international waters, from Mozambique to…
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