Richmond Shipyards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Richmond Shipyard Number Three
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 Location in San Francisco Bay Area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | Richmond, California |
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| Built | 1940 |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000364 |
| Added to NRHP | April 28, 2000 |
The four Richmond Shipyards were a very important group of shipyards located in Richmond, California, United States. They were managed by Permanente Metals and were part of the larger Kaiser Shipyards. During World War II, these shipyards built more ships than any other shipyard in the world. They were so fast that they sometimes finished three ships in just one day!
Today, the shipyards are part of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. This park includes the Rosie the Riveter memorial, which honors all the people who worked hard in the shipyards during the war. Shipyard #3 is a special historical site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and recognized as a California Historical Landmark #1032.
Contents
Building Ships for War: A Quick History
Before World War II, a man named Henry J. Kaiser was already building cargo ships for the U.S. government. When the British government, who were already fighting Nazi Germany, ordered ships from him, Kaiser decided to open his first shipyard in Richmond in December 1940. This was the start of something big!
The Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond built an amazing 747 ships during World War II. This was a record that has never been broken! Ships built here were finished much faster and cost less money than ships built elsewhere. For example, the Liberty ship called the SS Robert E. Peary was put together in less than five days! By 1944, the shipyards could build a Liberty ship in just over two weeks. By the end of the war, the Richmond Shipyards had built ships worth about $1.8 billion.
Kaiser and his workers used a special method called the assembly line to build ships. This is like how cars are made in a factory. Pre-made parts were brought together, moved into place with huge cranes, and then welded (joined with heat) by workers. Many of these welders were women, often called "Rosies" or "Wendy the Welders" at the shipyards. This method meant that workers didn't need a lot of training for each job, which made building ships much faster. It also allowed more people to work, including women and minority groups.
During the war, thousands of people, both men and women, came to Richmond to work in these busy and sometimes dangerous jobs. Kaiser actively encouraged people from all over the United States to come. This caused Richmond's population to grow from 20,000 to over 100,000 in just three years! For many, it was their first time working and earning money. They also faced new challenges, like finding day care for their children and places to live.
Women and minority groups were able to get jobs they couldn't get before. However, they sometimes faced challenges like lower pay or being placed in separate unions. Over time, workers fought for better conditions through protests.
Many workers traveled to the Kaiser Shipyards from other parts of the Bay Area using the Shipyard Railway. This was a special temporary train line built just for the war.
Today, the SS Red Oak Victory is a museum ship docked near Kaiser Richmond No. 3 Yard.
The Four Kaiser Richmond Shipyards
For World War II, Kaiser opened four shipyards around San Pablo Bay, which is the northern part of San Francisco Bay. Each shipyard used parts that were made in advance (prefabricated) by other companies.
Kaiser Richmond No. 1 Yard
Kaiser Richmond No. 1 Yard was a brand new shipyard built to help meet the huge demand for ships during World War II. Kaiser bought the plans and the yard from another company in 1940 to build "Ocean ships." Construction started in December 1940. The first "Ocean ship" for Britain was started in April 1941. After that, they built Liberty ships, starting in May 1942. Later, they built faster Victory ships, starting in January 1944. This shipyard closed in 1946 after the war ended.
Kaiser Richmond No. 1 Yard was located at 700 Wright Ave, Richmond. Today, the site has docks for construction supplies. You can find it at GPS 37°55′15″N 122°21′47″W / 37.920887°N 122.362920°W.
Ships built at Kaiser Richmond No. 1 Yard included:
- 30 Ocean cargo ships
- 138 Liberty ships
- 82 Victory ships
Some famous ships built here were: SS Ocean Victory, SS Ocean Vigour, SS Chief Ouray, SS Logan Victory and SS Northeastern Victory.
Kaiser Richmond No. 2 Yard
Kaiser Richmond No. 2 Yard began as a team effort between Kaiser and another company. They started building their first Liberty Ship here in September 1941. Kaiser later bought out the other company in 1942 and renamed it Kaiser Richmond No. 2 Yard. This yard was very busy, sometimes working on 12 ships at once! Most ships were built in less than 30 days. The yard was built in 1941 and closed in 1945. There are no traces of it left today.
The yard was located at 1923 Esplanade Drive, Richmond. The site is now part of the Inner Harbour Basin and Richmond Marina Bay, where you can find the Rosie the Riveter Memorial. The GPS location is 37°54′55″N 122°20′58″W / 37.915315°N 122.349372°W.
Ships built at Kaiser Richmond No. 2 Yard included:
- 353 Liberty Cargo ships
- 21 Haskell-class attack transports (a type of Victory ship)
- 66 Victory Cargo ships
Some famous ships built here were: SS Timothy Pickering, SS Stephen Hopkins, SS Samuel Huntington, SS Robert T. Lincoln, SS Hobart Baker, SS Melville E. Stone, SS E. A. Bryan, SS Antoine Saugrain, and SS Hobbs Victory.
Kaiser Richmond No. 3 Yard
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Kaiser Richmond No. 3 Yard opened in 1943. This yard built Kaiser's largest ships, including the Type C4-class ship and General G. O. Squier-class transport ships. These ships were very long, about 523 feet (159 meters)! While the yard closed in 1946, it was not taken apart. The shipyard is still mostly intact today, though attempts to reopen it have not been successful.
Kaiser Richmond No. 3 Yard is located at 1040 Canal Boulevard, Richmond. The SS Red Oak Victory museum ship is docked nearby at 1337 Canal Boulevard Berth 5. Because of its history, Kaiser Richmond No. 3 Yard is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and is a California Historical Landmark. The GPS location is 37°54′19″N 122°21′55″W / 37.9054°N 122.3653°W.
Ships built at Kaiser Richmond No. 3 Yard included:
- 35 Type C4-class ship cargo ships
Some famous ships built here were: USS General M. L. Hersey (AP-148) and USS General Omar Bundy (AP-152).
Kaiser Richmond No. 4 Yard
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Kaiser Richmond No. 4 Yard was originally planned as an expansion of Richmond #3, but it became its own shipyard with separate management. It opened in 1943 and closed in 1945.
The yard was located at 800 Wharf Street Richmond. Today, the site is known as Sugar Dock, a port for deepwater ships in Point Richmond. The GPS location is 37°55′13″N 122°22′19″W / 37.9203°N 122.37186°W.
Ships built at Kaiser Richmond No. 4 Yard included:
- 15 Landing Ship, Tank (LST) ships
- 12 Tacoma-class frigates
- 24 Type C1 ship cargo ships
Some famous ships built here were: USS LST-480, USS Tacoma (PF-3), USS Pasco (PF-6), USS Fentress (AK-180), USS Beltrami and USS Blount.
