Boatbuilding Industry

St. Joseph and Benton Harbor were once among the nation's leading boatbuilding centers. From 1892 to 1955, the waterfront facilities of the Truscott Boat Manufacturing Company, Dachel-Carter Shipbuilding Corporation, and Robinson Marine Construction Company collectively employed hundreds of craftsmen building thousands of recreational watercraft. All three businesses prospered during the 1920s, survived the national depression of the 1930s, and later worked double shifts building military vessels for the World War II effort. After the war, each company faced an increasingly competitive consumer market, and Robinson's closing in 1955 marked the end of a remarkable boatbuilding era in the history of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor.

St. Joseph, Michigan · United States