The Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company was incorporated on January 7, 1926, by Fred R. Scheiner, W.S. Caswell, and Rowland W. Stebbins, all of Wisconsin. The main purpose of the company was to build new ships, repair old or damaged ships, and to erect, maintain, and operate dry docks and other equipment necessary to a shipbuilding business. This company is still in operation.
The Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company was formed from two earlier Sturgeon Bay companies; namely, the Universal Shipbuilding Company and the Sturgeon Bay Dry Dock Company. The Universal Shipbuilding Company was incorporated on January 8, 1918, by Hubert Riesen, Theodore C. Froemming, Philip Binzel, and Louis Liebscher. The Universal Shipbuilding Company conducted a general shipbuilding business until the company was disbanded in January 1925.
The Sturgeon Bay Dry Dock Company was incorporated on May 14, 1920, by Herbert L. Peterson, Philip Binzel, and Ignaz Wetzel for the general purpose of manufacturing and repairing boats. This company went into the hands of a receiver in August 1925.
Forerunner of all of these companies was the Rieboldt and Wolter Company, which moved from Sheboygan to Sturgeon Bay in 1896. The Rieboldt and Wolter Company not only was the largest shipyard to construct wooden vessels in Sturgeon Bay, but also engaged in the repair of older ships and in the construction of dry docks.
