Funding for encoding this finding
aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Historical Note
Founded in 1889, the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company was
destined to become one of Seattle's most important companies. Whether under the
title Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company or Lockheed Shipbuilding and
Construction Company, their hand can be seen in most major construction sites
in the Pacific Northwest including Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Idaho,
Oregon and California. In addition, they are responsible for many ships,
including some of the Washington State ferries and many naval vessels during
and after World War II.
Some of the highlights in the history of this company include:
1909-1910
Hydraulic Dredges construct Harbor Island, the largest
man-made island for thirty-five years--second now only to Treasure Island in
San Francisco. Harbor Island was the site of the company since the
thirties.
1924
The Dexter Horton Building was constructed in Seattle. At
fourteen stories, it was the largest reinforced concrete building in the United
States west of Chicago.
1927
A steel cantilever bridge was constructed over the Snake
River at Twin Falls, Idaho.
1939
Construction began on the Lake Washington Floating
Bridge.
WWII
WWII provided a boom in contracts for the company with the
Navy. In conjunction with their Canadian affiliate, the British Columbia Bridge
and Dredging Company, they constructed Naval bases in Alaska at Sitka, Dutch
Harbor and Kodiak. In addition the BCB & D built a Point of Embarkation at
Prince Rupert for the Army. Eighty-two ships were constructed for the Navy
as well, with a record fifteen (five of three different types) ships being
delivered in one day.
1959
Company purchased by Lockheed.
More recent projects include the Grand Coulee Dam, much of the
Interstate 5 bridges and roadways through Seattle, and the San Fernando Tunnel
in California. They have continued to build ships ranging from dredges, tugs
and ferries to mine sweepers, ice breakers and guided missile frigates, mostly
for the Navy, Coast Guard and the states of Washington and Alaska.
Content Description
This collection consists almost entirely of photographs taken to
document various construction and shipbuilding projects undertaken by the Puget
Sound Bridge and Dredging Company in the Pacific Northwest, including bridges,
dams, dredging, and building construction. Some notable projects represented in
the collection include the Lake Washington floating bridge, the University of
Washington stadium, and the Dexter Horton Building, all in Seattle. There are
also two albums of photos documenting warships built during World War II. Box 6
contains two scrapbooks of relevant newspaper clippings.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
Restrictions on Use :
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in
the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research,
publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI
before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to
all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may
require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation :
H.W. McCurdy Collection on the Puget Sound Bridge & Dredging Co.,
Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
Photographs are arranged by project, and many contract numbers are
noted. Project files are roughly chronological.
Custodial History :
The collection was assembled and maintained by H.W. McCurdy before it
was donated to MOHAI.
Acquisition Information :
The collection was donated by H.W. McCurdy in 1955.
Separated Materials :
These materials are part of a large donation by H.W. McCurdy that also
includes a large number of maritime artifacts, family photographs (1986.27),
and Native American photographs, mainly of Makah Indians (1955.970.470). The
artifacts are cataloged and stored separately by MOHAI's Collections
Department.
