One of the displays in the Puget Sound Navy Museum in Bremerton, Washington features the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
In 1889 a naval commission recommended building a navy yard and dry dock in the Puget Sound. In 1891, Congress provided funding to acquire a site no larger than 200 acres on the Sinclair Inlet for a dry dock for naval and commercial purposes.
In preparation for America’s possible involvement in World War I, the Navy revised the Shipyard’s primary mission in 1916 from overhaul and repair work to battleship construction. By 1919, the Shipyard had completed work on 1,700 small boats, 25 submarine chasers, 7 seagoing tugs, and 2 minesweepers. In addition, the Shipyard built the USS Pyro, the USS Nitro, and six submarines.
According to the museum:
“When fires were reported from pull box alarms located throughout the Shipyard, this telegraph would record the alarm and sound the Shipyard whistle, which signaled a code and alerted the Shipyard fire station to the location of the fire.”
Patternmaking
According to the Museum:
“Shipyard patternmakers, engineers, and foundry workers manufactured parts such as bells, pipes, and anchors needed by the Shipyard to construct, repair, or maintain ships. Patternmakers made the patterns needed to create the molds used in casting the parts at the foundry. To ensure critical accuracy, Shipyard engineers often worked with the patternmakers to create wooden scale working models before making full-size patterns.”
More museum exhibits
Museums 101: Underwater diving equipment (photo diary)
Naval Undersea Museum: Working Underwater (photo diary)
Naval Undersea Museum: Ocean Environment (photo diary)
Naval Destroyer Museum: On the deck of the Turner Joy (photo diary)
Naval Destroyer Museum: Engine room of the Turner Joy (photo diary)
Museums 101: Some skiffs (photo diary)
Museums 101: International glass fishing floats (photo diary)
Museums 101: Groundfish (Photo Diary)