Kruse and Banks Shipbuilding Company.

The Kruse and Banks Shipbuilding Company was established in 1905 in Coos Bay, Oregon. Robert Banks was taken as partner by K.V. Kruse to form the company. Located in Coos Bay, the Kruse and Banks Company produced wooden ships. The company became a leader in shipbuilding on the Pacific Coast at the turn of the century, and remained so until it closed in 1945. The Kruse and Banks Company made steam and gas powered schooners primarily for the lumber industry to transport lumber. The introduction of steel ships in the first years of the 1900s began to decrease demand for wooden ships. Many shipyards closed, but Kruse and Banks continued operations. World War I provided a boost in Kruse and Banks' production of cargo ships for the duration of the war. When war production ended, the company continued shipbuilding at a steady, if smaller rate. The last commercial vessel to be built in Coos Bay was the North Bend, which was christened on December 27, 1920. From this time until World War II production, the company stayed in business by building barges and repairing vessels. During the depression, the company survived by including the production of cabinetry, doors, and window sashes for the housing industry.