Moore Dry Dock Company

The Moore Dry Dock Company was a ship repair and shipbuilding business in Oakland, California. It started in 1905 when Robert S. Moore, his brother Joseph A. Moore, and John Thomas Scott bought the National Iron Works in the Hunter's Point area of San Francisco and named it Moore & Scott Iron Works. Sadly, a fire destroyed their new business after the San Francisco earthquake.

In 1909, Moore and Scott moved to Oakland and bought the W. A. Boole & Son Shipyard. In 1917, Moore bought Scott’s share and renamed the company Moore Shipbuilding. Later, in 1922, it became the Moore Dry Dock Company, mainly repairing ships because there was less need to build new ones.

During World War II, the company grew fast, building over 100 ships for the U.S. Navy and merchant marine. After the war, they stopped building ships but kept repairing them. The company closed in 1961, and the land was later used by Radius Recycling.

W. A. Boole & Son

In May 1901, the first ship built in Oakland, the Lahaina, was launched from the shipyard of W. A. Boole & Son. This shipyard was located at the foot of Adeline street. In June of that same year, a large marine railway made by H. I. Crandall & Son of Massachusetts began operating there.

Later, on March 26, 1909, Moore & Scott bought the Boole shipyard for about $500,000.

World War 1

During World War 1, Moore Shipbuilding Company built many ships for the US Shipping Board. Some of these ships later became known as Empire ships.

World War 2

During World War II, the Moore Dry Dock Company helped build many important ships for the United States. They made cargo ships, ships for moving troops, ships for carrying cold storage goods, and ships that could help submarines. Their work was important for moving supplies and people during the war.

World War 2 Ships

Shipbuilding in Oakland and Alameda

The Port of Oakland was a key place for building ships during busy times, like from 1916 to 1922 and 1940 to 1946. After these busy years, shipbuilding slowed down because there were enough ships and rules to save money.

The main shipyards included:

• Outer Harbor

  • Union Construction Company (1918 — 1922)

• Inner Harbor, north bank

  • Moore Dry Dock Company (1910 — 1956)
  • Hanlon Dry Dock and Shipbuilding (1918 — 1921)
  • Cryer & Sons

• Inner Harbor, south bank

  • United Engineering Co. (1941 — 1945) - later became the Todd Shipyards, San Francisco Division repair yard
  • Alameda Works Shipyard (1916 — 1924, 1942 — 1945) - formerly known as United Engineering Works (1900 — 1916)
  • Pacific Bridge Company
  • General Engineering & Dry Dock Company
  • Pacific Coast Engineering
  • Stone Boat Yard

See also

• California during World War II#Ship building
• USSB reports