Training Ship California State/Golden State
(1931-1946)

LOA      261’ 00” (79.55m)            LBP     251’ 00” (76.51m)                 Beam     53’ 006” (13.26m)
Depth   28’ 02” (8.59m)                 Draft    24’ 04” (7.41m) [max]           Displacement 4,050 tons


Engine:              Steam Propulsion - Single Triple Expansion @ 90 RPM
                           Cylinder & Stroke: 21” – 35” – 59” x 42”
                           Two Scotch Boilers
Indicated Horsepower:    1,500
Propeller:                          Single Screw
Design Speed:                 9.5 knots


Launched:         Oct 18, 1919 by American Shipbuilding, Lorain Ohio (hull #771)
Completed:       Nov 1920 as S.S. HENRY COUNTY
                                             U.S. Shipping Board hull design #1099-A  

Originally planned with the name S.S. LAKE FELLOWSHIP, prior to launching the name was changed to S.S. HENRY COUNTY.

After World War I, in the mid 1920’s, the ship was placed out of service and stored in the James River Reserve Fleet under the custody of the U. S. Shipping Board.

She was acquired by the Navy and commissioned as U.S.S. HENRY COUNTY (IX-34) on May 27, 1930 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She then sailed to San Francisco Bay and was transferred to California Nautical School on August 22, 1930. She underwent conversion to a schoolship and was renamed T.S. CALIFORNIA STATE on January 23, 1931. With the conversion complete, she was delivered to the school on December 9, 1931 just in time for her first cruise.

On June 30, 1940, ownership of the T.S. CALIFORNIA STATE was transferred from the Navy Department to the new U. S. Maritime Commission. In December 1941, the ship was renamed T.S. GOLDEN STATE. The ship was nicknamed the “Iron Mother” by the cadets who lived on her.

After a long career, she was decommissioned on August 12, 1946 and placed in the Suisun reserve fleet. Sold into private foreign trade in 1948, the ship served under two flags and was eventually scrapped in Brazil in August 1962..