United Engineering Co. facts for kids
The United Engineering Co. was a busy place in Alameda, California, where people built and fixed ships. It was especially active during World War II. This company was located right next to the Oakland-Alameda Estuary, a waterway that connects to San Francisco Bay.
During World War II, United Engineering Co. was one of the three main shipyards in the San Francisco Bay Area. The other two big shipyards were the Moore Dry Dock Company and Bethlehem Steel's Alameda Operation. These companies were very important for building ships that helped the war effort.
United Engineering Co. did many important jobs. One of its main tasks was building ships for the U.S. Navy. They built 21 large tugboats that could travel across oceans. These tugboats were used to pull other ships and help with naval operations.
From Train Cars to Ships
The land and buildings that became United Engineering Co. have a long history. They were first built between 1910 and 1915. Back then, they were used for a very different purpose: building "Red Cars." These were electric train cars for the Southern Pacific company's East Bay Electric Lines, which ran all over the East Bay area.
When World War II started, the country needed many more ships. So, between 1941 and 1945, the facility was changed and expanded to become a shipyard. In both its train-building days and its shipbuilding days, this company was one of the biggest employers in Alameda. It played a huge role in the city's economy and community life.
After the War
After World War II ended, the need for new ships decreased a lot. Because of this, the shipyard's activities slowed down. By 2001, many of its original buildings were still standing. Seventeen of these buildings remained at the site, located at 2900 Main Street in Alameda.
Even though it wasn't building ships like before, the site still had a ship repair yard. It also hosted 44 smaller businesses. The history of this important shipyard has been studied and recorded by the Historic American Engineering Record. This record helps us remember and learn about important engineering and industrial sites in America.
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. CA-295, "United Engineering Company Shipyard, 2900 Main Street, Alameda, Alameda County, CA", 15 photos, 57 data pages, 3 photo caption pages
