Why Hundreds of New York Ships were Abandoned on Staten Island

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The Staten Island Boat Graveyard, located at 2453 Arthur Kill Road in Rossville, was built in the 1930s and went by several different names, such as the Witte Marine Scrap Yard, Arthur Kill Boat Yard, and Tugboat graveyard. Now it’s officially known as the Donjon Iron and Metal Scrap Processing Facility. The Boat Graveyard was once home to as many as 400 vessels. Today, the number has been estimated to be between 25 to 40 decaying ships. The scrapyard is known for its large assortment of obsolete steam tugs, ferries, car floats, and other crafts that have a comprehensive history.
01:47 The history of shipbreaking yards
02:10 Who founded the Staten Island Boat Graveyard?
04:22 The First African American ship crew during World War II
06:22 New York City Fire Department’s Abram S. Hewitt
09:02 The New England Passenger Steamer and the Eldia
10:12 Creepy Cemeteries near the Staten Island Boat Graveyard
12:43 Why Artists, moviemakers and marine historians Love the Graveyard
14:57 Donjon Marine Company Incorporated
IT’S HISTORY - Weekly tales of American Urban Decay as presented by your host Ryan Socash.
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» CREDIT
Scriptwriter - Camrin Dekis,
Editor - Piotr Kubiak
Host - Ryan Socash
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Thumbnail image - ierdnall flic.kr/p/pYZFwr (illustrative example)
» NOTICE
Some images may be used for illustrative purposes only - always reflecting the accurate time frame and content. Events of factual error / mispronounced word/spelling mistakes - retractions will be published in this section.
Image at 11:50 is for Illustrative purposes only and does not reflect actual cemetery.
Clarification: We refer to D-Day as a "disastrous" event for America regarding how many young men were lost.

[@richdiscoveries]

I went and experienced this for myself just a few months ago. I was down in Staten Island with some friends to visit another location and then we found this on Google maps. It looked like there was old remains of docks at one time?? Lot of pile ons sticking out of the mud in between them. Definitely a lot cooler and I thought it was going to be, had a good day walking around. Speaking of which I probably should make that video soon LOL. Thank you for doing this, I did not know the history of it

[@robertmoffett3486]

There were some piers, but a lot of what's sticking out is remains of hulls

[@richdiscoveries]

@@robertmoffett3486 I did see a ton of hulls, just lined up towards the left as you looked out to the water. I only did one portion of it, the other part seemed kind of restricted so I didn't wander down there. Off the wood that the boats were built out of was just collapsed down into hulls. I did get a picture of one hull sticking up out of the water that said navy. Not sure if it's the one they're talking about but that was cool to see. Lot of tugboats and cargo ships it looked like My friend found it on Google Maps as we were just checking out the area and it looked really interesting. Really did not expect to see all of that, kind of cool

[@ITSHISTORY]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I'd love to see this place with my own eyes!

[@richardstrachmesserschmiti4979]

Is the historical narrative true ? Or Do mud flooders have a point ? I wish I died in 1980 F on Toyota and the NWO WEF whatever your all doing here. Thanks for comment I drive pass Stanton island a lot Used too I’d like to have a ship and leave America to the Jews and their new friends. If there’s any old ships there Listen to video maybe you can figure it out. How we are all used and how the story morphed into shit

[@JAYWASSERMAN]

How did the yard start in the 30’s with ww2 left over? When us entered in 1941

[@davidfleming793]

I live on STATEN ISLAND, there is soo much history and unknown facts about New York City's forgotten borough .

[@deadpansanchez2947]

facts

[@JoeBilello1969]

Yeah, not so forgotten when it comes to taxes!!!

[@davidfleming793]

@Loosecannon1969 so true, that's why I just left NYC, got way to expensive.

[@at_3831]

I’ve done a lot of work here including cutting up old ferry’s, oil barges and many other things like bridges. I’ve worked for both Don Jon and other local tug companies in NY harbor.

[@SillyPutty3700]

2:16 "Founded in the 1930s during the wake of WWII" I would think that a channel called 'It's History" would understand that the term "WAKE" refers to disturbance and repercussions left AFTER an historical event. WWII started for the US at the end of 1941. So the establishment of the Staten Island boat graveyard was not established in the "WAKE" of WWII. If it was established in the 30s it was more than likely the result of the depression and so many ships being sold for scrap because the owners couldn't afford to operate them. I would also bet that the yard was damn near empty with the exception of wooden boats as soon as manpower was available near the start of the war when scrap iron and steel were in very high demand.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Sort of reminds me of Woodham Brothers in the UK that happened on another island Barry Island in Wales. It became prominent as they had 100s of steam Locomotives that they hadn't got round to scrapping yet and enthusiasts, preservationist and heritage railways went there to save them 213 in total and now most of the steam trains that run today in the UK were saved from that scrapyard.

[@buckodonnghaile4309]

Passionate about their storied rail past, good on them.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

@@buckodonnghaile4309 they weren't at all, it was that they were getting more money from wagons so were breaking them up before the engines, but that was taking quite a while, up to a point that resteration movements had enough money, then they would offer more than scrap and the scrapyard obviously let them have it.

[@mrbiglarge8820]

take a look at hoo boat graveyard in london.

[@1oldskoolluvr]

@@Alex-cw3rz i believe i've seen a video elsewhere on here, about that wrecking yard. Pretty interesting history.

[@ColonelSandersLite]

You guys where running locomotives on burnt steaks? ... I'm not sure if that's extravagance or heresy.

[@motomuso]

The General Slocum Disaster: My Grandma's German immigrant family were members of St Mark's but they had decided not to attend the outing. She was about 6 yrs old that day, a day which almost might have prevented my existence, my Mom's, and the existence of my kids. WOWZA!

[@ErectkyleDysfunction]

You would've still existed remember we start out as sperm cells

[@doubleq1223]

I'm from Staten Island. A few things. So we have had issues with the guys that work for Don Jon scrapping. They once nearly ripped out an existing Air Con unit and claimed they thought it was scrap, meanwhile it was running and clearly being used. Also, we call then DON-JOHN. I was surprised learning they had so many functional vessels actually so I did learn something from this.

[@mikeroki3806]

A couple of notes..... 1. This area of Staten Island was not highly industrialized at the time Witte dragged these boats there. It was in fact something of a resort area up until the creation of the landfill. 2. Witte illegally moved a great deal of these boats onto adjacent landowner lands without their permission. No one spoke up largely because at that point the waterfront had been ruined with the advent of the landfill being put in place. Also, as you can see in the video, any semblance of a shoreline was done in by the mud flats that were created by dredging a channel in the waters of the Arthur Kill. So the waterfront potential was rendered fairly useless at this point. Other than that, This video is well researched and documented. Good Job.

[@mikeroki3806]

Minus the "1939 in the wake of WWII" .

[@johnscherer1922]

hi everyone, i'm the grumpy old fart from n.h. i was on nauset beach, in orleans, ma., about the same time, and place that the photo of a wave breaking up over the ship. i was very impressed by the power of the sea, when giant sparks came flying off the bow from the anchor chain. it was quite a call to be sure, i joined fellow chatham fire fighters, and personel from chatham coast guard station, and got help with unloading the crew from the chopper depicted in the painting. that pilot was quite talented to say the least. john

[@TylerNieves-ty7ns]

This was in my grandmothers back yard along with Valero oil silo & cemetery. My cousins and i used to play in the barge and its nice to know its still intact

[@Alex-cw3rz]

9:16 D-day wasn't disastrous it went exceptionally well it was pyrrhic for the Americans on Omaha but that was it

[@catfishkempster]

Yeah - was coming here to say something along the lines of this

[@vintagethrifter2114]

It was disastrous for the Germans. I wouldn't put to much into the narration of a lot of these KZbin channels.

[@ITSHISTORY]

Clarification: We refer to D-Day as a "disastrous" event for America regarding how many young men were lost.

[@vintagethrifter2114]

That's war in general.

[@johngalt2506]

@@ITSHISTORY So using that definition your position is that practically every battle ever fought was a disaster?

[@19irving]

I kayaked through there a few years ago. Pretty neat. But be careful. The water isn't clear and there's lots of junk just below the surface. I hit some and fell in during November. Not the warmest, but worth the trip.

[@yankeeclipper4326]

When I was a little kid my Dad drove me out to Cape Cod to see the Eldia when she was on the beach after being driven ashore during the storm. I always wondered what became of her.

[@richardstrachmesserschmiti4979]

Oh spray paint is so ethnic and beautiful- Matches the litter , dirty needles and plastic very well

[@rustyclam238]

I always had a love for the old steam tugs. It’s a shame they don’t allow people of means that are able to restore some of these vessels for museum pieces, to save our history. Imagine if the USS Ironsides was left there to rot.

[@the4tierbridge]

USS Ironsides burned down? That’s no better?

[@jamesranker6275]

USS Constitution. It was known as "Old Ironsides" because of the way cannon balls would bounce off the thick hull which was constructed of wood. History......

[@joeyt6089]

I grew up not too far from there but didn’t know anything about the boat graveyard until I went there just to scrap an old engine block after clearing my garage. Couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It’s really quite a sight especially if you’re not expecting it.

[@MatthewCaban]

Excellent video! Old Bermuda Inn, just across Arthur Kill is also claimed to be haunted.

[@joem2916]

My hometown. At low tide, you can see most of these interesting and historical ships and tugboats

[@fire58372001]

15:44 was my first ship with M.S.C. I checked aboard on my birthday. It was upstream from the S.S. Savanna.

[@carol-lynnrossel8700]

The house my great grandfather built overlooks the Arthur Kill and is about a 15 minute boat ride from the boat cemetery. Thirty years ago after Mom died in this house a friend motored us down past it. Somehow it seemed appropriate.

[@kirkkirkland7244]

It's sad how they sunk them so they could just rust to death!!! Isn't that a hazard to the water having all those ships rusting away??? They probably got all kinds of nasty crap that shouldn't be going in the water!!!

[@the4tierbridge]

Kind of annoying that people try to buy certain boats there, and the scrapyard doesn’t let them. Like what’s the point? They’re not doing their job, why not let someone else have them.

[@sportaholic321]

Me and my friends been there so many times and there’s a part of the graveyard where you have to jump around 6 ft from boat to boat to get to the rest of the graveyard

[@pilotboy217]

We solved this by finding a thin piece of wood and we had to walk across this flimsy thin board. It was like walking a tight rope. Even found myself placing pieces of stone into the mud to get to a ship. Tried to keep exploring but got stuck and we couldn't go any further. My most dangerous explore was this one.

[@user-cb9gy7ev9j]

When I was a teen decades ago my friends and I somehow ended up here. It was the coolest thing to see in the 90s. I’ve never forget the hidden gem behind the metal fence we came across. Knowing it’s history makes it so much better now

[@zadox3858]

I've always went to Don Jon for scraping and saw the ships but never knew why they were their, thanks for the video

[@johnroddy8756]

That Dump should be cleaned up yesterday not today.Is their any laws guarding the long term health of locals and others in the area?As for historic yes indeed,but preserve pars off them or recycle the metal.

[@b.i.s9915]

Kayaked here a few times cool place thanks for the vid nice to learn more about it

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

Thank you for the video!

[@dylanlee1001]

That old wharf is cool also. I can only imagine how important that was when there was 400 boats there

[@RobertGlazier]

Very nice footage. New subscriber. Thanks.

[@robertmoffett3486]

It was a lot more scenic 50 years ago, but yeah, the cleanup is needed

[@mrbiglarge8820]

I don't think cleanup is possible at this point. all of the tugs and barges have been tangled into each other and it would be way too expensive especially considering the fact that most of the boats are made of wood meaning no significant profit can be made from scrap. However I get what you mean by the place losing its charm. It's far too decayed now to be considered scenic. Just piles of rust and wood.

[@robertmoffett3486]

@mr big large That's part of why it took so long for them to start the cleanup, but they've already removed 300 vessels. What's left is a small fraction of what was there. They have capabilities now that they didn't have decades ago. DonJon does major salvage jobs worldwide. Check out their website, and you'll see that to clean up their own yard is pretty much a piece of cake for them. It looks like something they do when things are slow. Like in their spare time.

[@the4tierbridge]

@@mrbiglarge8820 well, some people have attempted to buy certain ships, so clearly removal is possible. The company just doesn’t wanna sell them.

[@mikeroki3806]

I've lived here 50 years. It was never scenic.

[@exposingproxystalkingorgan4164]

This video topic is fascinating. 👏

[@colvinator1611]

A great nugget of American history. Thanks a lot, Colin UK 🇬🇧

[@nutandboltguy3720]

Was the Rossville cemetery in Staten Island too? The picture showed a Texas historical marker.

[@notthatdonald1385]

Excellent piece.

[@tocooh6838]

I scrap #1 bright copper there all the time. The office receptionist answers Don Jon when calling for copper prices.

[@anonymousjohn386]

Don Jon recycling has a scrap yard in dover nj too. They gave shit prices for sheet aluminum compared to places further east like hackensack, garfield or newark.

[@tocooh6838]

@@anonymousjohn386 That’s true. My research showed that on average the prices are higher near the coasts. Easier to ship overseas.

[@tonyloechte9994]

Such a beautiful place

[@scottc1589]

At 2:14 a correction: The 1930s were BEFORE World War II. The video states the "landfill was founded in the 1930s during the wake of World War II." Something that happens during the wake of an event happens after the event, which in the case of World War II would be after September 2, 1945.

[@GreenAppelPie]

Correction: WWII action started on 1 September 1939. American wasn’t officially involved until 1945.

[@boondocker7964]

@@GreenAppelPie USA was in the war in 1941.

[@Manvaril]

@@GreenAppelPie Pretty sure Japan attacked the US on Dec 7th 1941 which pulled us into WW II

[@indianaslim4971]

I don't think I have seen a video on this channel that didn't have a glaring mistake .

[@sledzep01]

@@indianaslim4971 Remember... Comments mean money... It means you watched it and cared enough to comment... I dont know about this channel, but I know some make mistakes just to drive up the comments... Instead of just thumbs up and down there should be a remove my view button...

[@stacyrussell460]

Great video. Love how you acknowledge the different pronunciations & how you mentioned to let you know in the comments (as most often do). Wink, wink indeed. Have a great night.

[@ITSHISTORY]

I gotta stay ahead of the haters

[@ufoengines]

Great drone video!

[@actionbros22]

It’s Arthur kill road… most of the areas you have mentioned are sadly highly developed and their history was taken with them…. I pass the cemetery and boats everyday going to work and coming back home with little thought to me or any of my friends until I went to college and did similar research

[@danielleloiacono6458]

Yes!!! I live off Arthur kill by killmeyer's always wanted to walk through the old cementary's over here

[@robertbarlotta7868]

Love your videos!! Ive lived in this area most of my life and recently took my son here he loved it! It's funny vast majority of people who live here have no idea about the boat or blazing star graveyard.

[@hankshepherd2.086]

I like the thumbnail that ship looks like the ss venture a little bit from the Peter Jackson King Kong movie

[@djxcel23]

Staten island the forgotten borough.

[@mikeries8549]

These vessels are the equivalent of my mom's mousy old abandoned homes. They're like time capsuls BUT...health and safety violations. They all need a match.

[@Hollywood_shamel]

Wow my mom has a house literally across the street from this

[@janblake9468]

At 2:14: "was founded in the 1930's during the wake of WWII" No. WWII was mostly in the 1940's. At 9:19, why do you describe D-Day as disastrous? It was a hard won success.

[@robertgallagher7734]

Very hard won. The bangalors that finally breached the Atlantic wall were the last ditch option for Omaha & Juno, the tides prevented the "swimming" sherman tanks from providing close support.

[@durant29]

All of these "content creators" mis-pronounce words and mis-state facts so that viewers will leave comments. All hail the KZbin algorythms.

[@Pizzawarriorcooker]

This was a really amazing and informative video. Keep up the great work! Also im laughing at the end with the explaining the ship equipment the company has the image for the heavy lift ship barge with the destroyer on it was my ship i was stationed on at that time when i was still active duty navy wasnt expecting to see it floating around on youtube.

[@bwoutchannel6356]

Very great video. I cam into possession of an 19th century larger size ink well from that zone of water but I suspect it to be actually from the 18th century and it is awesomely handsome to hold and view. The finder worked the area apparently and often took possession of relic or other during low tide as was told to me. I've been to the grave sight as well with my daughter and it is amazing.

[@MatthewCaban]

The image of the second cemetery you discuss, Rossville Zion, is on Bloomingdale Rd, not Arthur Kill. Are you referring to the St Luke's cemetery?

[@joeypockets2089]

I use to climb out on those boats when I lived in Staten Island. I have an old video of me and my brother climbing around lmao

[@imchris5000]

do a video of dead horse bay near by it has a beach made of horse bones and glass

[@MrJeep75]

Need to open this for tourist

[@firstielasty1162]

After seeing an article or picture on this- I think in National Geographic- my father & I went (from eastern PA) to explore this. Awesome, very cool. Unfortunately, the weather was awful, and everything was ice coated. I did climb around on some, but most surfaces were not level, ships partially sunk, etc. Everything was icy, tilted, half sunk in slushy Arthur Kill, lots of rusty sharp metal to fall on, etc. Getting caught trespassing was probably a low risk that day...who would be dumb enough to go there then? Yes, us. It was fun. That was in '97 or '98.

[@bobertmcboberty1385]

i grew up in this area. a few miles south by the Outerbridge had a few more barges and ships rumored to be used and abandoned after the construction of the bridge was left there. we used to build forts on the barge and ride ATVs through the woods. it was the place we escaped our parents and would light fires break windows in abandoned cars and smoke. i remember going down to the water front when the barge exploded over at port mobile. they eventually cleared out the wreckages in that area including all the blown up cars and beached speed boats. lost many shoes attempting to get so the ships and barges further out from the shore great times down there i miss being a kid 😂

[@robertgallagher7734]

Out here in Kaliunicornia they used to burn wooden ships in SF & collect scrap metal at low tide.

[@emilioacosta585]

Colombian sugar, is that code for something?

[@karlanderson1900]

Back in the '80's a WWII PT boat could be seen from the industrial property next door. Also a couple of rusting WWII LVTs (landing vehicle tracked) --also called 'amtracs' (amphibious tracked) fighting vehicles were sitting just off Arthur Kill Rd. When I saw them in the 1980's, forty years had passed since WWII, and now 40 more years have passed, so I suspect they're long gone.

[@chrisvroom8242]

I father told me about stretches of Arthur kill road thst had sherman tanks piled high fir scrapping too. I think the Alco or something of thst name designed pt boats were built right on bayone

[@OllieRamone]

It’s right across from the Old Bermuda Inn where I got married 10 years ago.

[@SuperAgentman007]

14:48 It’s pretty obvious it’s due to liability that if anybody gets hurt a company that owns the property doesn’t want to be sued but they can fix that with a document that the person that wants to view the area to sign so that if they get hurt or killed. They can’t sue the company that owns the land.

[@philhawley1219]

At 9.24 you mentioned that D Day was disastrous. Please try to understand a little bit of the history of the last century. It did involve a considerable number of US service personnel ; it is inconceivable that the New England Ferry was landing soldiers on the beach. She was obviously used to transport troops and supplies across the Atlantic. I hope someone can help us with more information.

[@mordsythe]

How can he say it was disastrous when it lead to the end of the war. It signified a major turn in the war and the beginning of the end for the Nazi regime.

[@Currahee_1944]

Yes I’m not sure what that comment was about. At most that ship was used as a troop transport across the Atlantic. But she was most definitely not a landing craft. It was also not “disastrous” as others said. That was a very weird choice of words from a history channel I must say

[@survivingworldsteam]

The vessel was named the New Bedford. I am sure there is information about it online.

[@robertmoffett3486]

The entire yard is visible from the burial ground. One vessel you showed looks to be the ferry Lake Ponchartrain, which surely wasn't a NY vessel. They came from afar as well. There was once half a destroyer there, but long gone. You mispronounced several family names, but I'll leave that for others. DonJon is sounds just like the names they came from, not dungeon. Good video overall 👌

[@ThePursuitofHappiness1988]

The Roseville AME church and cemetery also wasn’t founded until 1850, nor was it built until 1852. There is no “Rossville Cemetery” in the area, and if there was, there likely wouldn’t be any 17th century graves as Europeans weren’t in the area until 1684.

[@chairrockfarms1337]

Thanks Robert. Lots of mispronunciations.

[@sonnyboysoprano]

I'm from SINY and I Always wondered why they were Abandoned!

[@survivingworldsteam]

This is a good video which tells alot about the yard that I did not know, despite my past research. In particular, I did not know the family history. The yard was founded in 1933. It picked some vessels not needed after the war, but it's biggest growth came during the 1950s and 1960s. Witte Marine Equipment Yard - 1960s until the fire in 1977 It was during this time that the yard reached it’s greatest extent, as entire fleets of ferries, tugboats, carfloats and barges were retired with the completion of bridges to State Island in the 1960s. Witte was ordered by the Coast Guard to get rid of some of the vessels, as they were encroaching on the main channel. Some were scrapped; while others were towed and beached at a spot further south on the other side of the tank farm; where they remain today, though without permission, as mentioned by others. Witte Marine Equipment Yard - post-fire 1977 to the mid 1980s The hulks remaining in the yard began their slow decline after a fire in 1977, which gutted the ferry AMERICAN LEGION and scorched several of the surrounding vessels. The fire was supposedly started on July 4th, when people in pleasure boats, celebrating the 4th of July shot fireworks into some of the wooden boats. The fire burned pretty well across the yard and took three days to put out. There were wooden barges filled with steam gauges, steam pumps ("hundreds of them"), fire extinguishers, and other machinery. When they were burned in the fire, their contents fell into the brackish water of the Hudson River and sank into the mud, most of it never to be recovered. The paths between the hulks were gone as well; making their salvage all the more difficult. Witte Equipment Marine Yard - mid 1980s to the mid 1990s The hulks in the yard continued their slow decline during this time. Mr. Witte passes away as mentioned in the video; his son scrapped the vessels that were still afloat, including the ferries JAMESTOWN and LACKAWANNA, while others such as the carfloat 618 sank during this time. Much of the equipment in yard has been here for 20 years, as long as it’s operational life! Much of the Shaun O’Boyle and Barry Masterson photo collections (no longer available on the web) were taken during this time frame. They show that steam machinery can still be found aboard several of the vessels, and Scotch-type boilers and other machinery was strewn about the yard. Witte Marine Equipment Yard - mid 1990s The slow decline of the hulks in yard continues. More vessels disappear, while others continue to collapse and sink into the muck. The huge steam derrick next to the LEIF VIKING, which dominated the west end of yard, would be razed to it’s wooden raft, while the large derrick between the stern of the NEW BEDFORD and an unknown tug in the east end of the yard was razed as well. (It had the large glass cab in the O’Boyle and Marterson photo tours.) After 20+ years of being here, the ruins became a wildlife refuge, and the yard kept the wrecks as they were, and will continue to for some time, in part as a wildlife sanctuary. The New England steamship mentioned was the 1928 built New Bedford. Some parts were salvaged from it to restore the sister ship Nobska. But the drydock the Nobska was in was needed by the NPS to work on the U.S.S. Constitution. Unable to move the Nobska, it was scrapped in place in 2006; only a few bits of steam machinery was saved. In addition to what is there now, , several other tugboats (including several New York Central RR tugs and the tug Jumbo from up the Hudson), lighters, car floats, barges, and wrecking derricks made up the remainder of the yard. Another destroyer escort (USS NEUNZER DE 150) was also in Witte’s yard at one time, along with several smaller coast guard jet drive fireboats and three Navy rescue tugs. A sister submarine chaser, the PC-1264, and three landing craft, are also still in the yard. The NY FD fireboat ABRAM S. HEWITT appears to no longer be visible, the red boat is the LT Class steam tug Bloxom. This fireboat served from 1903 until 1958; it was also one of the fireboats that attempted to put out the fire aboard the NORMANDIE, and resulted in the ocean liner's capsizing at her moorings and later being scrapped. It was the last coal fired steam fireboat still in service. The large white boat is the steam rescue tug HILA (ATR 89), which also served in World War II. Witte also had the nameplate from the third U.S. Navy submarine (SS-3 Adder) just sitting out in the open on a workbench, though he wouldn't part with it.

[@survivingworldsteam]

@12:48 the large square with trees growing on it may be what was left of the steam ferry American Legion. It was burned I am sure to the waterline in 1977 when some fireworks landed on it's deck, the fire spread through the yard and burned for three days. This is the first drone video I have seen approach from this angle, and this is the approximate spot where the American Legion was. @2:14 the America Legion is the white ferry boat with two stacks behind the orange ferry boat, which may be the 1921 ferry Beacon, whose remains are still in the yard. This picture only shows a portion of the yard, but is close to the yards greatest extent in the 1960s before the Coast Guard made them move some of the vessels, and before the 1977 fire.

[@jsplicer9]

I was hoping you'd mention the subchaser on the premises. The photo you included of it shows the vessel in the Bronx river with the Bronx Community College in the background.

[@richardstrachmesserschmiti4979]

It’s actually pathetic and condescending to be used that way in a situation they had no idea about nor motive - other than academic accolades from insincere oligarchs.

[@marthakrumboltz2710]

The picture shown of the cemetery has a historical marker of the great state of Texas next to the tree?

[@cbonez2909]

yeah its there!! I live here and it an eye sore!!

[@audioworkshop1]

12:10 "others see it as a graveyard of toxic substances"... as the fish swim by enjoying their new homes among the wreckage

[@survivingworldsteam]

Starting about the 1990s, the area was declared a wildlife sanctuary, so the wrecks could not be disturbed.

[@kwf1]

This boat graveyard is in my comic book.

[@richarddickson747]

Basically the article has lots of very interesting photos but the facts are at best a long way from reality in a lot of cases. A teacher would assess it as 6/10-- A good effort but could do better.

[@this_exist]

it looks so cool irl tho

[@kcm732]

very good video! I almost thought you were going to touch on the sailors snug harbor which is right down the road from here! maybe itll be the subject of another video :)

[@blender2005x]

It's Don Jon there is also a smaller scrap yard in dover nj

[@josephgouthro3932]

Looks like a Superfund Site.

[@mrbiglarge8820]

I have been working on a virtual replica of the boat graveyard for quite some time now. I have always loved the boat graveyard but now it's sort of blank. There are very few wrecks there that even resemble boats anymore and the last remaining few are slowly fading into the mud. If you want to see some other boat graveyards that won’t shoot you for trespassing here is my list. 1.Hoo boat graveyard in london. 2. luanda angola beach africa 3.Curtis Creek Ship Graveyard (maryland)

[@garyruark9506]

I'm surprised NY hasn't made that place clean it up.

[@slingblade814]

dont forget the don jon ship repair facility in erie pa

[@OriginaLee747]

What kind of boat is on the thumbnail picture ? Is it a tug boat or fishing boat ?

[@indigohammer5732]

It must be fantastically polluted

[@the4tierbridge]

It’s actually pretty ok. Just old wood and metal,

[@mikeroki3806]

Considering the world's largest garbage dump is about 1000 feet away, yeah, it probably is.

[@the4tierbridge]

@@mikeroki3806 lol

[@mattskustomkreations]

This place is SUPER creepy to me, especially the tugs.

[@buick72racer]

what did you use the same four pics over and over and over way to go i especially enjoy the shot of he boat with mountain range in the back , such a great story and yet so dissapointing

[@mikaelpalm2130]

Is this where the last level of Condemned 2 takes place?

[@MrJeep75]

Wow, some of these need saved

[@privateer177666]

I remember seeing as a kid the once British owned prison ships on the shores of Bayonne, NJ

[@spavliskojr]

There were a few sunken wrecks of historic significance in and around the bayonne area as well, near constable hook.

[@phoenixjim0527]

Meet any guidos or guidettes? Visit the landfills?

[@the23rdbryan]

3:09 was the word "eminent" used on purpose or was it meant to be "adamant" ?

[@mikeroki3806]

In context, I think it was adamant.

[@deltavee2]

How did this graveyard escape being called The Kill Zone?

[@Cameraman148]

Its absurd in the Eco Friendly World That Tree Huggers would not be up in arms over the Pollution, and eye sore of such a place no matter how historic the Contents, I Love Marine History and this seems like such an affront to allow all these vessels to lay and rot, and not let people document this before it is gone.......what a waste......

[@NYCity11435]

never knew this...........

[@petervallario4034]

i live up the block and its a wreck can't event access it from land cool to see a video tho

[@arlandgaylor]

at 11:53 in the Rossvile graveyard, why is there a Texas historical marker,? looks like Texas not New York. just wondering

[@pilotboy217]

I went here to explore and found I had to improvise to make why in. I had to improvise as well to cross the ships and barges using dangerous methods. Almost had to get rescued by the coast guard. Believe it or not you can tell the ships you see are just part of it, there's more ships and older ones underneath the current ones buried in the mud. If you go on Google earth these ships will provide excellent foundation to extend the coastline which is what they've been doing for years. The evidence of this is all on Google earth. I'm currently amazed by finding old frames of ships half buried in the mud along shore. Google Earth will reveal them all

[@mikepierce1724]

I love all you do . Some of these government boats could be homeless shelters . Put people to work on the boat.no one lives for nothing even if it's just phone stuff. But could make nice place help people in alot of ways.

[@bobainsworth5057]

1932 the wake of WWII ?

[@joejuska5390]

Clean it up. This is the source of floating debris along the nj coast. Which when hit with a boat, causes severe and expensive damage to boats.

[@robertmoffett3486]

The cleanup is ongoing, with more than 300 vessels gone. Huge difference. I know what you mean about the debris though.

[@kaymish6178]

Sue them then. A few expensive damage awards to fix boats will get management thinking about cleaning it up, or putting a debris net around the place.

[@robertmoffett3486]

There are abandoned vessels all along the Arthur Kill, and all over the country. There was no law against abandoning vessels in interstate waterways at least the 1970's. Debris can come from almost anywhere

[@the4tierbridge]

This is not the source of any of that. These ships are lodged too far in the mud.

[@donrusnak7230]

I always knew it as Arthur Kill boat yard.

[@jonathanoriley8260]

I was born and raised on Staten island and I didn't even know this "ship graveyard" existed lmao

[@FridayNiiight]

7:37 The passengers of the PS General Slocum drowned in the turbulent waters of the Hell Gate area of the so-called East River, NOT "at sea."

[@GTFF]

It's Don Jon 2 words