MIT Museum

The destroyer USS Macdonough on a trial trip in the Weymouth Fore River. The Fore River Bridge can be seen with the hand winch operated draw in the open position. The ship was built at the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard's (Previously Fore River Engine Company) East Braintree, MA location in 1899.

"Admiral Dewey" being warped out of dock after repairs [BS_VP_2_72]

"Admiral Dewey" leaving plant after repairs, also showing draw in the old bridge [BS_VP_2_73]

"Des Moines" [BS_VP_2_46]

"Lawrence" going through the draw at the Fore River Bridge, proceeding on trials [BS_VP_2_7]

"Thomas W. Lawson" from roof of brass foundry [BS_VP_2_37]

A view of Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (Previously Fore River Engine Company) showing gantry crane shortly after its completion with "Des Moines" at dock and the steam yacht "Duchass" laid up for the winter, work still underway on long wharf.

After launching schooner Thomas W. Lawson, Fore River [BS_VP_2_60]

Annealing plant and furnace [BS_VP_2_25]

Annealing tower and forge, taken from main office building [BS_VP_2_28]

Battleship "Rhode Island" [BS_VP_2_47]

Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore Engine Company). Pictured are the masts for the vessel named Thomas W. Lawson (center) and the bow of the USS Des Moines (right).

Captain's quarters, 7 masted schooner, "Thomas W. Lawson" [BS_VP_2_59]

Cribbing for long dock. [BS_VP_2_68]

Cruiser "Des Moines" before launching. [BS_VP_2_64]

Cylinder for battleship coming through Quincy Square, corner of Hancock and Granite Streets [BS_VP_2_71]

Delivery of "Thomas W. Lawson" off Boston Light [BS_VP_2_58]

Digging and settling masonary for ship house towers [BS_VP_2_1]

Engine for Cruiser "Des Moines" [BS_VP_2_18]

Erection of annealing plant tanks [BS_VP_2_23]

First locomotive at Fore River [BS_VP_2_12]

Fore River Engine Company [BS_VP_2_6]

General view of plant as seen from the main office building [BS_VP_2_31]

General view of plant looking southeasterly [BS_VP_2_3]

Image of Bents Creek in Quincy, MA. This image was used to show the flow of the stream and later for boundary determination in court.

Image of construction for the Quincy, MA location of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (Previously Fore River Engine Company). Bents Creek is dredged to build the long dock and foundation for the machine shop addition.

Image of the Bethelehem Steel Fore River Shipyard's Quincy, MA location. Pictured are the USS Lawrence and USS Macdonough at dock and the USS Des Moines on stocks (left background).

Image of the plan for the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard's (previously Fore River Engine Company) Quincy, MA location. The plan included piers, wharfs, dredging, bulkhead lines, proposed office building, Fore River Bridge, and gantry crane wharf.

Interior of machine shop. Engines or "Des Moines" being assembled at left. [BS_VP_2_43]

Interior view of a forge at the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (Previously Fore River Engine Company) with blacksmith's fires and upright boilers visible.

Interior view of machine shop showing first addition [BS_VP_2_29]

Interior view of machine shop [BS_VP_2_19]

Interior view of machine shop, showing new boring mills, also steel framing of new addition

Interior view of original machine shop [BS_VP_2_2]

Interior view of the forge at the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard's (previously Fore Engine Company).

Interior view of the ship tool shop at the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore Engine Company).

Keel of "Rhode Island" [BS_VP_2_40]

Launch of "Des Moines" [BS_VP_2_67]

Launch of "Thomas W. Lawson" [BS_VP_2_57]

Launch of the protected cruiser "Des Moines" [BS_VP_2_65]

Launch of the protected cruiser "Des Moines" [BS_VP_2_66]

Launch of Thomas W. Lawson [BS_VP_2_56]

Long dock under construction with "Des Moines" under crane. New bridge across Fore River also under way. [BS_VP_2_74]

Long wharf showing piling and sub structure, at right foreground piles in way of slip.

Looking easterly from office over lumber yard [BS_VP_2_76]

Looking Northwest [BS_VP_2_75]

Looking southwest across "Bent's Creek" with forge shop in center [BS_VP_2_13]

Lower eastern end of shipyard [BS_VP_2_4]

Main air pump for battleship [BS_VP_2_42]

Mold loft and old joiner and pattern shop [BS_VP_2_21]

Noon hour in the field back of Main Office. [BS_VP_2_44]

On way to launch of the "Des Moines" [BS_VP_2_63]

Original capacity diagram of gantry crane [BS_VP_2_69]

Pile driver with Old Fore River Bridge in the background [BS_VP_2_39]

Plate yard looking northeast [BS_VP_2_35]

Powerhouse and coal pocket with machine shop at west end [BS_VP_2_11]

Rigging-Schooner Thomas W. Lawson, Capt. Arthur L. Crowley at right, Fore River [BS_VP_2_62]

Rudder frame for "Thomas W. Lawson" [BS_VP_2_49]

Saloon-Schooner Thomas W. Lawson [BS_VP_2_61]

Seven masted schooner "Thomas W. Lawson" shortly before her launch [BS_VP_2_55]

Ship crane structure looking north. Stump of tree seen in right center was later used in court of determine boundary of property.

Ship crane structure under construction [BS_VP_2_33]

The destroyer USS Macdonough on a trial trip in the Weymouth Fore River. The Fore River Bridge can be seen with the hand winch operated draw in the open position. The ship was built at the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard's (Previously Fore River Engine Company) East Braintree, MA location in 1899.

Veiw of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard's (previously Fore Engine Company) Quincy, MA location. Visible in the image are the endo of the slip, tool shop, brass foundry, crane structure, and a merchant ship named the Thomas W. Lawson.

Vew of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore River Engine Company). Text on the image reads, "Looking across southern end of plate and shape storage yard towards ship house with end of ship tool shop at right center "Thomas W. Lawson" on ways in center, shiphouse under construction."

View of a draw bridge over the Weymouth Fore River built at the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore Engine Company). This new, larger bridge had to be built in order to accomadate the USS Des Moines, also built at the shipyard. The previous bridge was too small to allow the large cruiser ship to pass.

View of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore Engine Company) from Main Street in Quincy, MA. The annealing plant is seen under construction.

View of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore Engine Company) from the deck of the carrier ship the William L. Douglas. A carfloat and steel masts can be seen under construction as well as the docked USS Des Moines in the background.

View of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore Engine Company). Keel and frames for the USS Rhode Island and USS New Jersey can be seen.

View of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore Engine Company). Pictured are the old carpenter shop (left) and machine shop with its first addition (right).

View of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore Engine Company). Text on the image reads, "View of yard taken from office building, left to right. Paint, sheet metal and electrical shop, main store and roof of machine shop, roof of pattern and joiner shop, annex, pattern storage and Vermount House."

View of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore Engine Company). Text written in the image reads, "Looking easterly along Bent's Creek." "Rhode Island" in cow pen, New Jersey and "Providence" at dock. Joiner shop has been made three stories."

View of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (Previously Fore River Engine Company) from the old main office towards the east. The annealing tower and tanks are seen under construction.

View of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore River Engine Company) Written on the image is "Shortly after the fire when the wooden portion of annealing plant weas destroyed, this shows the change in grade in what was later the lumber yard, note second stack in power house, old power station at Quincy Point in use. Note old barge used for going to Weymouth Landing."

View of the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore River Engine Company). Pictured are the Vermont House and annex (foreground), a shipcrane structure under construction (background), and a ship named the Thomas W. Lawson on stocks (background, left).

View of the railroad tressel and north side of the power house at the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (Previously Fore River Engine Company).

View of the Weymouth Fore River Bridge that was later replaced with a steel draw bridge by the Bethlehem Steel Fore River Shipyard (previously Fore Engine Company) in order to accomodate the USS Des Moines vessel they company built.

Water front view of plant showing "Rhode Island" and "New Jersey" under crane structure, "Thomas W. Lawson." Lumber for long wharf and bow of "Des Moines."

Waterfront view of the Bethlehem Steel Front River Shipyard (Previously Fore River Engine Company) showing the USS Lawrence, MacDonough, and Duchess.

West end of steel gallery [BS_VP_2_20]