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Lake Union Drydock Company

Hidden behind quaint old buildings and a peaceful grove of trees on Fairview Avenue East is one of the giants in Seattle’s legacy of maritime craftsmanship.  Home of the famous Lake Union Dreamboat, this versatile company has built, repaired and refurbished everything from classic wooden yachts to Navy warships since 1919.

Story of Lake Union Drydock Company with Jim Francis

IMAGE SOURCES for this page & video


Lake Union Drydock & Machine Works, LUDC Collection


LUDC Worker Hammers Propellor, 2012, video still by Vaun Raymond


Hiram Chittenden Locks, Washington State Archives


Lake Union Becomes Big Market for Boats & Ships, Seattle Sunday Times, March 21, 1920, courtesy of Seattle Public Library


Along the Waterfront, Seattle Daily Times, Thursday Evening, May 15, 1919, courtesy of Seattle Public Library


John McLean & Otis Cutting portraits from Seattle Daily Times, Friday, July 26, 1929, courtesy of Seattle Public Library


Harry Jones portrait, LUDC collection


Shriners Parade, Seattle, 1915


Smile with Nile flag from Nile Shrine Temple, Mountlake Terrace


Plan of Otis Cutting’s Klootchman, Pacific Motor Boat Magazine, December, 1910


Lawana in the Ballard Locks, 1926, courtesy of Classic Yacht Association


Senator Wesley Jones


Records of the U.S. Congress, courtesy of Seattle Public Library


Harry Jones & his sons, courtesy of the Jones Family


Aerial View of Lake Union Drydock, LUDC Collection


Group photo of Lake Union Drydock workers, 1930, LUDC Collection


Ford Motor Company Assembly Line, 1928, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons


McKay Company Messengers outside of the Ford Automobile Plant, Seattle, 1929, University of Washington Special Collections SEA2851


“Dreamboat,” An Economical 40-Footer, Pacific Motor Boat Magazine, Oct. 1926


Nation Voted Bone Dry, Seattle Daily Times, Thursday Evening, Jan. 16, 1919, courtesy of Seattle Public Library


Rum Boat Crew Brought Here, Seattle Daily Times, Sunday Morning, Feb. 17, 1926, courtesy of Seattle Public Library


Captured Booze Boat, Seattle Daily Times, Saturday, Nov. 21, 1925, courtesy of Seattle Public Library


First Fleet of Rum Chasers Ready for Launching, Seattle Daily Times, Sunday Morning, August 17, 1924, courtesy of Seattle Public Library


Canim, courtesy of Martin Sutter


Electra, courtesy of Classic Yacht Association


Blue Peter, old postcard


Principia, courtesy of Classic Yacht Association


Deck of Canim, photo by Neil Rabinowitz, courtesy of Martin Sutter


Blue Peter, courtesy of Chuck Barbo


W.T. Preston, 1940, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons


W.T. Preston in Operation, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons


Sternwheeler W.T. Preston Docked at Foster Island Disposal Site, 1975, photographer, Don Wallen, University of Washington Special Collections, MPH918


W.T. Preston in her Dry Berth in Anacortes, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons


Employees of Lake Union Drydock & Machine Works, June 20, 1934, courtesy of LUDC


Circe to Sail Pacific, photo by A. M. Nickels, courtesy of Stan Ketch


Fighting Ships for Fighting Men, produced by Todd Shipyards & Northwest Motion Pictures


Keel Laid Here for Seaplane Tender, Seattle Times, Monday, June 30, 1941


Aerial View of Harbor Island, courtesy of Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Regional Archives, Port of Seattle Collection


YMSs & USS Mindanao after Mt. Hood Explosion, 1944, courtesy of U.S. Naval Historical Center


George & Jennie Stebbins, courtesy of John Stebbins


Jim Francis, George Stebbins, John Stebbins, courtesy of LUDC


Lake Union Firm Launches Second Minesweeper, Seattle Times, August 15, 1952, courtesy of Seattle Public Library


Aerial View Showing Air Docks, courtesy of LUDC


Snow at Lake Union Drydock Company, courtesy of LUDC


A 14 Acre Seattle “Ship Hospital,” Seattle Times, Monday Morning, March 17, 1929, courtesy of Seattle Public Library


Floating Drydock Under Tow, courtesy of U.S. Navy


Navy Boat in Floating Drydock, courtesy of U.S. Navy


Drydock tipped in Chittenden Locks, courtesy of LUDC


USS Turner Joy, courtesy of Wikimedia


Virginia V at Lake Union Drydock Company, courtesy of Virginia V Foundation


Workers Repairing Hull of Virginia V, courtesy of Virginia V Foundation

This exhibit is partly funded by 4Culture Arts Heritage & Preservation through the King County Lodging Tax

©2012 Vaun S. Raymond vaun@u.washington.edu