H. C. Hanson Naval
Architecture Collection

The H. C. Hanson Naval Architecture Collection is a unique collection of plans, photographs, periodicals and other assorted materials detailing the life and work of Harold Cornelius Hanson, the Pacific Northwest’s premier designer of commercial watercraft. The collection includes more than 11,000 blueprints, 4,200 original line drawings of boats and boat details, 4,800 photographs and negatives documenting the shipbuilding industry from 1918 to 1970, nearly 10,000 periodicals and books, 17 half-hull models, numerous ship fixtures, drawing tools and Hanson memorabilia. Currently being cataloged for the Whatcom Museum Archives, the collection is available for limited access by scholars, owners of Hanson boats and the general public.

Born Oct. 9, 1892 in Tacoma, Washington, H. C. Hanson learned shipbuilding during his teenage years from his father, who was superintendent of shipyards for Pacific American Fisheries on Eliza Island, Washington. While working with his father, he learned design, operation and repair of tenders, barges, fishing vessels and other working boats. Hanson obtained a high school diploma by correspondence courses and later attended Western Washington College in Bellingham and the University of Washington in Seattle. Despite this educational background, his career was built almost entirely upon practical experience. During his career, Hanson produced from 2,500 to 3,000 designs, from which more than 18,000 boats and ships have been built.

At age 16, Hanson was already designing and building wooden dories in a single day. In 1915, Hanson, 23, was hired as chief draftsman and assistant superintendent at Heath Shipyards in Portland, Oregon, where he designed a fleet of schooners for the Australian government. A year later he became superintendent and chief designer for Sloan Shipyards in Olympia, Washington.

By 1918, Hanson assumed the position of chief inspector at the Puget Sound shipyards for the U.S. government’s Emergency Fleet Corporation. In addition to his inspection duties, Hanson taught shipbuilding classes at a Tacoma high school to train shipworkers for World War I. After the war, Hanson went to work for the government as a representative to the budding Pacific Northwest shipbuilding industry.

In 1922, Hanson left the Emergency Fleet Corporation and went into business for himself as a naval architect and marine engineer, establishing a reputation for innovative, trendsetting designs. Among his credits are the Vulcan, the first all-steel cannery tender, and the Ruby II, the first Puget Sound-built all-steel tug. Hanson’s revolutionary welded-steel designs also largely contributed to the opening of the Columbia River in Washington State.

During World War II, Hanson acted as a representative to the U.S. government for shipyard interests in Washington, Oregon and northern California, earning numerous contracts and commissions for Pacific Northwest shipyards. Among the vessels built under Hanson’s supervision and consultation were minesweepers, Navy patrol boats and Army tugs.

After the war, Hanson continued his design career until he retired in 1972. As a recognized authority in the field of maritime engineering, Hanson spoke for the United States at many international maritime meetings, including the International Fishing Boat Congress.

H. C. Hanson died on Mercer Island, Washington at the age of 82 on Sept. 22, 1975, leaving a remarkable legacy to the shipbuilding industry.

The H. C. Hanson Naval Architecture Collection was donated unconditionally to the Whatcom Museum by the Hanson family and was accepted by the Museum into its permanent collection in 1982. The collection is currently being catalogued and preserved by Museum staff, interns and volunteers. Although public access to the collection is limited at this time, it will become more available for use upon completion of the project.

The H. C. Hanson Oral History Project

 

Click on pictures below to view larger image

	45' x 18' Shrimp Trawler, original dated 10-17-1944, updated 1-2-1945. #925-6
	65' x 18' Shrimp Trawler, original 1-22-1954, updated 5-8-1963. #1192-1
	56' x 15' Seiner, Dec. 14, 1935. #743-3
	56' x 16' Seiner, Nov. 8, 1937. #793-3
	50' x 14' 4 in Seine Boat, April 1945. #936-2
	54' x 16' Seine Boat Steel Construction, April 17, 1965. #1300-1
	30' x 90' x 4' Combination Fishing Boat, Namsung Shipping Co., dated Jan. 4, 1955. #1207-1
	115' x 27' Freighter & Passenger Vessel for War Dept., Feb. 7, 1942. #869-1
	H. C. Hanson, Naval Architect advertisement, 1944 Pacific Fisherman Yearbook
	H. C. Hanson, Naval Architect advertisement, 1949 Pacific Fisherman Yearbook
	H. C. Hanson, Naval Architect advertisement, 1963 Pacific Fisherman Yearbook

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