Ingalls Harbor Park / Former Site of Ingalls Iron Works Shipyard (Decatur, Alabama)

 boating, shipyard, boat ramp / launch

Founded on this site in 1937 as the first shipyard owned and operated by the Ingalls Iron Works, the Ingalls Iron Works Shipyard launched its first ship, the towboat Casey D, in 1938 and then began manufacturing barges for the river trades.

With the arrival of World War Two, every operational shipyard in the US was pressed into the war effort, and this yard was no different. The small size of the yard however, limited its production capabilities to barges and small cargo craft, which it produced in significant numbers during the conflict. Following the war, the yard returned to commercial shipbuilding of barges, towboats and passenger craft for the nearly 20 years, and continued to do so after Ingalls Iron Works was taken over by Litton Industries in 1961.

With the collapse of the offshore oil market severely impact Litton Industries in 1981, the yard was again sold to Trinity Industries. After inspections revealed that the yards facilities were outdated and would require significant capital investment, Trinity opted to shut down the yard, ending 44 years of shipbuilding in Decatur.

The yards infrastructure materials were eventually liquidated and the property was sold to the City of Decatur, and is now Ingalls Park which features a boat ramp, fields and parking for public use.

For a complete list of ships built here, please see:
www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/in...