Site History and Facility Description

The Eddon Boatyard is located at 3805 on Harborview Drive, on Gig Harbor's popular 1.5-mile walking view corridor. Conrad Anderson opened a boatyard, the Anderson Shipyard on the Eddon site in 1920. In 1945, Art Glein constructed the existing boatyard facility and operated it until 1950 when he sold it to Ed Hoppen and Don Harter, who combined their first names to form the Eddon Boat Company. The Hoppen/Harter partnership dissolved shortly thereafter with Hoppen operating the boatyard until 1978. The boatyard, with traditional Gig Harbor fishing family properties to the north and south, is the centerpiece of the last contiguous stretch of maritime heritage landscape in Gig Harbor.

The Eddon Boatyard is comprised of three equally important components: the building; the two marine railways; and the boatyard dock, ramp and float as shown below in Diagram A.

The marine railways are utilized for the hauling and repair of boats. The dock, ramp and float are mostly used as temporary moorage for boatyard client vessels, railway carriage access while hauling boats, vessel mast stepping/unstepping, and as project areas for the repair of small craft, boat masts and rigging. The boatyard building is comprised of multiple rooms and shop spaces each with a traditional use as shown below in Diagrams B & C.

GHB intends to utilize and interpret all three boatyard components through programming, as practicable, in the traditional and contemporary manner typical of the family operated Northwest boatyard.