James G. McCurdy II was born in Seattle in 1923. He was a star football player at the University of Washington and went on to become chairman of the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company. His father, Horace Winslow ("H.W.") McCurdy (1899-1989), had earlier served as president and general manager of the company. Both McCurdys had a lifelong interest in maritime history.
Founded in 1889, the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company was destined to become one of Seattle's most important companies. Whether under the title Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company or Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company, their hand can be seen in most major construction sites in the Pacific Northwest including Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Oregon and California. In addition, they are responsible for many ships, including some of the Washington State ferries and many naval vessels during and after World War II.
Some of the highlights in the history of this company include:
Eighty-two ships were constructed for the Navy as well, with a record fifteen (five of three different types)
ships being delivered in one day.
More recent projects include the Grand Coulee Dam, much of the Interstate 5 bridges and roadways through Seattle, and the San Fernando Tunnel in California. They have continued to build ships ranging from dredges, tugs and ferries to mine sweepers, ice breakers and guided missile frigates, mostly for the Navy, Coast Guard and the states of Washington and Alaska.
The collection consists primarily of materials related to the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company. It includes industry publications as well as photographs of projects and employees. There are several articles and pamphlets about the Lake Washington floating bridge, which was constructed by the company. The collection also includes several sets of photos of employee activities and parties.
Oversized materials are stored apart from the rest of the collection and are described separately below.
View selections from the collection in digital format by clicking on the camera icons in the inventory below.
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
James G. McCurdy II Photographs and Other Material, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
The collection was donated by James G. McCurdy II in 1995 and 2010.
Additional materials received from McCurdy in 2010 were accessioned as no. 2010.67 and added to the collection.
Includes article "Marine Disasters on Pacific Shores" written by James G. McCurdy