photograph
Catalog Number
2023.5.55Description
Black and white photograph showing an aerial view of Chris-Craft Roamer division plant at 222 Lakewood Blvd, ca. 1957. The Parke-Davis factory and water tower are visible in the lower right corner.Photograph taken by Chris Smith, grandson of Chris-Craft founder Christopher Columbus Smith..
History
The first Roamer Boat was completed in 1947 in Holland, MI by Robert Linn (1910-1994) and the Campbell Boat Co. crew. In 1948 Linn moved production from the Campbell Boat plant to a new building at 961 Washington Ave, Holland, MI.In 1951 the Roamer Boat Co. contracted with the US Navy to produce forty-five foot long steel tugs for use by the Army Transportation Corp.
In March of 1955 the Chris-Craft Corporation purchased the Roamer Boat Corp. for $117,000. Roamer was now known as Roamer Steel Boats. By 1956 Roamer had been moved to 222 Lakewood Blvd just north of Holland, in Holland Charter Township.