Barrett and Hilp

Last updated
Barrett and Hilp
Company type General contractor
IndustryConstruction
PredecessorLarry Barret Tire Company
Founded1912 (1912)
FoundersJ. Frank Barrett
Harold Hilp Sr.
Larry Barret
DefunctSeptember 1953;70 years ago (1953-09)
FateSplit
SuccessorsBarrett Construction Company
Hilp and Rhodes Company
Headquarters
San Francisco
,
United States
Area served
 Bay Area
Products Golden Gate Bridge
Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
Seals Stadium
The Golden Gate Bridge, which Barrett and Hilp were instrumental in building Architect and engineer (1933) (14782318524).jpg
The Golden Gate Bridge, which Barrett and Hilp were instrumental in building

Barrett and Hilp was a construction company and general contractor founded in San Francisco by Harold Hilp Sr. and brothers J. Frank and Larry Barrett in 1912. The company played a large part in the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

History

Barrett and Hilp constructed the anchorage, piers, and lower span of the Golden Gate Bridge. [4] [2] [5] As part of the lower span, Barrett and Hilp designed a trolley system that traversed the bridge, and was the earliest form of public transit across the bridge. [5]

The firm also played a pivotal role in the reconstruction of San Francisco after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, constructing the Southern Pacific Transportation Company Hospital #2, for $450,000 plus an undisclosed fee. [6] [7] In 1931, the firm constructed the San Francisco Baseball Club's Seals Stadium. [8]

The firm was also awarded a $200,000 contract for its role in the construction of the Metropolitan Aqueduct, also, as the construction of many of Los Angeles' suburban homes. Additionally, during World War II, the company constructed 20 concrete barges for the U.S. Navy. [6] One such barge, B7-D1, saw life after the war shipping limestone from Alaska to L.A. as part of the city's booming concrete industry. [9]

The right's to the barge's scrap was contentious as two employees of the shipping company claimed compensation due to personal injuries, meanwhile the Alaska Aggregate Corporation, who had purchased the barge from Foss Launch & Tug Co., sought to scrap the ship, resulting in a decade long court case, John A. Scudero v. Todd Shipyards Corporation which eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court which found that the company which was sued, Todd Shipyards , was not liable to be sued since the employees where subcontractors for Barrett and Hilp. [9]

In September 1953 the principles of the firm, the Barrets and Hilp, had a falling out, resulting in the firm splitting into the Barrett Construction Company and the Hilp and Rhodes Company. [10] [11] At the time of the firm's split, it had over 13 locations and was making over $20,000,000 a year. [lower-alpha 1] [1]

Notes

  1. ↑ Adjusted for inflation c. 2023 is equal to $227,669,892.03

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USS Trefoil (IX-149), the lead ship of her class of concrete-hulled cargo barge, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be given that name. Her keel was laid down in 1944 under a Maritime Commission contract by the Barrett, Hilp & Belair Shipyard in San Francisco, California. She was acquired by the Navy on 5 March 1944 as Midnight, designated unclassified miscellaneous vessel IX-149, and placed in service on 9 March 1944 with Lieutenant Neal King, USNR, in charge.

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USS Silica (IX-151), a Trefoil-class concrete barge designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for silica. Her keel was laid down as SS Bauxite on 5 December 1943 by Barrett & Hilp, Belair Shipyard, San Francisco, California. She was launched on 31 December 1943 sponsored by Mrs. William O'Neill, and acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 8 June 1944.

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USS Marl (IX-160), a Trefoil-class concrete barge designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for marl. Her keel was laid down under Maritime Commission contract by Barrett & Hilp, Belair Shipyard, South San Francisco, California, on 16 November 1943. She was launched on 2 February 1944 sponsored by Mrs. J. M. Ryan, converted for Navy use as a cargo barge, acquired by the Navy under loan charter from the Maritime Commission on 29 August 1944; and placed in service at San Francisco the same day.

USS Lignite (IX-162), a Trefoil-class concrete barge designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for lignite. Her keel was laid down on 8 December 1943 by Barrett & Hilp, Belair Shipyard, San Francisco, California, under a Maritime Commission contract. She was launched on 26 February 1944 sponsored by Miss Catherine Barrett, converted for use as a United States Army and United States Marine Corps stores barge by Barrett & Hilp, acquired by the Navy on 26 September 1944, and placed in service at San Francisco the same day.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Memorial Hospital builder dies". The Press Democrat . Newspapers.com . Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  2. 1 2 "State of California, Golden Gate Bridge District, Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco-Marin County, CA (1933–1937)". pcad.lib.washington.edu. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  3. ↑ "Barrett and Hilp, Contractors (Partnership)". Pcad.lib.washington.edu . Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "Ground Breaking". goldengate.org. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  5. 1 2 "State of California, Department of Public Works, Division of Highways, San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge #1 (1933–1936)". pcad.lib.washington.edu. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Desert Sun, 20 April 1953". California Digital Newspaper Collection . Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  7. ↑ "Southern Pacific Railroad Company, Hospital #2, Panhandle, San Francisco, CA (1906–1908)". pcad.lib.washington.edu. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  8. ↑ "San Francisco Baseball Club, Incorporated, Seals Stadium, Potrero Hill, San Francisco, CA (1930–1931) demolished". pcad.lib.washington.edu . Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  9. 1 2 "Limestone (IX-158) – Barrett & Hilp B7-D1 Barge of WWII". thecretefleet.com. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  10. ↑ "J. Frank Barrett (Building Contractor)". pcad.lib.washington.edu . Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  11. ↑ "Larry Barret, Garage and Bus tycoon, dies". San Francisco Examiner . Retrieved 8 February 2024.
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