1,613 Comments for Staten Island Boat Graveyard

The site where all these hulks are located, Witte's Yard, is located on the Arthur Kill, on the west side of Staten Island. This a junk yard. These vessels are old, worn out, blown engines, tanks, built during or before WW II, just plain outlived their usefullness. However, some of the various parts are still useable: generator parts, crankshafts from engines, searchlights, all of these things could be used on another vessel for restoration, to replace another worn out part. The family owning this site has made a small fortune over the years and someday they will be told clean it up and/or get out of town. Just like a auto junk yard, it's "not in my backyard!"

Thanks, ALM! Love the old ones, I just wish some could be saved or used for something better. (natural reefs would be my choice, but I guess they'd probably fall apart trying to get them away from shore).

Twug ole buddy! Go to the next image and Mark M (comments about 2/3 down) can clue ya in on this boat. Some sort of rescue tug from "the Big One".

Thanks Antti. Ships of any kind fascinate me.

I served time in the Navy just a few years ago...and i was a signalman on one of the Mine Clearance Vessels...very old vessel...built around 1950`s....and there was just a rack like that. Now imagine all of the colourful flags to be there....it`s beautiful :)

Twug, it's hard to say, but it remainds me a bit of the old tankers.

Hi you all! I study in the Estonian Maritime Academy to become an officer of the ship....this picture gives me some second thoughts, damn it! :)

Thank you Matt! I'm on it! If ever...

Seems I do this alot.
nau-sea. No doubt this is an ATR. How do you identify it as ATR-4? Your link had pictures for sure but how do you distinguish it fromanyother vessel of the time? Thanks.

That is so sad that all of these beautiful ships have met their doom. Tisk......Tisk....

Your work is haunting and poignant.Makes you think about lots of things.You take people to places they would have never been.Beautiful work keep it up!

If you have a vessel's name or registry number then the place to start iss a publication called "Merchant Vessels of the Untied States". You'll have to go back into past year volumes, but you can look up by ship name and ID. Other places to look are various organiztion websites that might have other historians, such as tubboat enthusiasts, etc. Good luck in your search!

Iborn in brooklyn, put to rest in staten island. ironic. us navy atr-4
see: http://www.navsource.o...rchives/09/40004.htm

Hey tony g,
Can you fill in any holes in this boats past? Must be sad to see it in such condition. I for one would like to know how you came to ride on her?

i love this boat it's my all time best memory of staten island, i remember when i rode on this ship as a young boy. ah my heart beats fast just looking at it and remembering the fun i had on board this lovely vessle... i will always cherish how the summer air had a pungent aroma of meals once shared by the wonderful people of this community and the sorunding areas abd the sun shone brightly as it reflected off of the tiny tug and back into my young eyes, old red is a memory that i have passed on to my children and they will share the great joy with their children some day.