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A guide to the William H. Grunwald photographs, circa 1960-1997
P99-007 (SAFR 19671)
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Title: William H. Grunwald photographs
Date: circa 1960-1997
Identifier/Call Number: P99-007 (SAFR 19671)
Creator:
Grunwald, William H. (1921-1998)
Physical Description:
130 items.
Some items available online.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The William H. Grunwald photographs, circa 1960-1997, (SAFR 19671, P99-007) are comprised of photographs (3 boxes containing
3 photograph albums, 124 loose photographic prints, 3 textual items) of boats that Grunwald built from the 1960s-1990s. The
boats are shown being constructed at the boat shop Aeolus Boats, in Davenport, California, and under way in various bodies
of water in the San Francisco Bay Area. The collection has been processed to the file unit level.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
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The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include
the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter
experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide
please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], P99-007 (SAFR 19671), William H. Grunwald photographs, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
SAFR-01383
On June 29, 1999, Ursula Grunwald donated the following materials to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park:
one linear foot of documents, correspondence, etc.; approximately 50 photographs and 3 photograph albums; and 1 decal for
the Elkhorn Yacht Club. The manuscripts have been cataloged as SAFR 21610, HDC 1347; the decal has been cataloged as SAFR
18960; the photographs are all cataloged in this collection (SAFR 19671, P99-007).
Historical or Biographical Note
William H. Grunwald was one of the most established and prominent boat builders in Northern California during the second half
of the 20th century. He usually went by the name of Bill Grunwald and he owned the boat shop Aeolus Boats in Davenport, California
for over 40 years.
William H. Grunwald was born in Seattle, Washington on June 7, 1921 and was raised in Alameda, California. He had two brothers,
Gerry and Tom. Grunwald's parents belonged to the Encinal Yacht Club in Alameda, where he and the other children would watch
the adults build boats. Bill started building boats with the other children at the age of 10, since they weren't allowed to
help the adults at the Yacht Club. Grunwald graduated from Alameda High School and later served as a First Lieutenant in the
8th Army Air Force during World War II. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he received a degree in
journalism. Bill held a variety of jobs after he graduated, including teaching elementary school in Oakland, selling insurance
and Bibles, commercial fishing, and building houses.
In the early 1950s, he decided that he wanted to build boats full time and he purchased an old barn in Davenport, California.
He named his custom boatbuilding business Aeolus Boats; Aeolus is the god of the winds in Greek mythology. The business was
also known as Aeolus Boatworks. Grunwald started building El Toros (eight foot sailboats) but after building about a hundred
of them, decided that he couldn't compete with mass production of these popular boats. He switched to building boats to order
and concentrated on about 26 models, consisting of rowing boats, punts, dories, and yacht tenders. The dories included sailing
and rowing models and ranged in size from 12 to 18 feet in length. The yacht tenders came in eight models: Herreshoff pram,
Jiffy Skiffs (fore 'n' aft models and sailing models), and lapstrake dinghys. Grunwald also built gunning skiffs for duck
hunters, which included a 12 foot junior size sneak boat and the following 14 foot models: a South Bay sneak box, an Alviso
mud boat, a New
Hampshire ducking skiff, and a San Leandro scull boat. Bill also built several types of powered skipjacks (though the owner
would add the engine, not Grunwald) and some Whitehall boats. In an interview with Hal Painter in November 1967, Grunwald
indicated that the Whitehall was his favorite boat and also the type that he most enjoyed building.
Grunwald's obituary in the Santa Cruz Sentinel notes that his "small boat shop carved its place in boat history with its many
preserved vessels having designs dating back to the Victorian age and before." Indeed, "Grunwald's love of traditional boat
designs extended the life of the Grand Banks Dory" into the 20th Century. His wife of 49 years, Ursula, described him as a
craftsman: "In a way he was a renegade by insisting on building wooden boats when the trend now is plastic." She continued,
"It's a matter of naval architecture, in a way, while there is much of that lacking out there. He also inspired many novice
boat builders to become some of the best around. He was very quiet in a way, but has had much influence."
Grunwald died on August 23, 1998. The Traditional Small Craft Association holds the Bill Grunwald Memorial Row every year
at Elkhorn Slough, halfway between Santa Cruz and Monterey, to honor his memory.
- "William Grunwald, boat builder, dies at 77." Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 25, 1998.
- Fletcher, Leon. "Davenport's Classic Boat Builder: A Yankee Craft Thrives on Monterey Bay." Monterey Life (January 1980): 71-72. Print.
- Fletcher, Leon. "Bill Grunwald: 26 Different Boats to Order." WoodenBoat 37 (Nov.-Dec. 1980): 36-39. Print.
- Painter, Hal. "A Call to Feather Your Oars: Rebirth of the nostalgic, able, stout, gentlemanly, virtuous, rather lovable Whitehall dory." Rudder (November 1967): p. 35-37, 57. Print.
- Stoye, Bill. "Remembering William H. 'Bill' Grunwald: June 7, 1921-August 23, 1998." The Ash Breeze, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Spring 2008), http://www.tsca.net/pdf/tab/TABv29-1.pdf, accessed February 2, 2012.
The William H. Grunwald photographs, circa 1960-1997, (SAFR 19671, P99-007) are comprised of photographs (3 boxes containing
3 photograph albums, 124 loose photographic prints, 3 textual items) of boats that Grunwald built from the 1960s-1990s. The
boats are shown being constructed at the boat shop Aeolus Boats, in Davenport, California, and under way in various bodies
of water in the San Francisco Bay Area. The collection has been processed to the file unit level.
Collection contains photographs of the interior and exterior of Aeolus Boats, boats under construction, finished boats, boats
on the water and portraits of Bill Grunwald. There are many photographs of Bill Grunwald at work and rowing boats in the water.
Also includes a few photographs of Ursula Grunwald, John Heavey, Victor Larson, Rafael Meng, and Barry Sandell. A few of the
photographs were sent to Grunwald by customers and acquaintances.
Arranged into two series: Series 1: Grunwald boat photograph albums and corresponding loose photographs, circa 1960-1987 and
Series 2: Aeolus Boats, boats built by Grunwald, and other photographs, circa 1960-1997.
There are photographs in Series 2, file unit 4 that appear to have been separated from the correspondence in HDC 1347 (William
Grunwald papers). They were left in place in this collection.
William Grunwald clippings, 1967-1998 (SAFR 21611, HDC 1348). Consists of 1 folder of photocopies of nearly 30 years of newspaper
and magazine articles about Grunwald from Alta Vista Magazine, Clear Lake Observer, Lake County Record-Bee, Marin-Scope, Monterey
Life, Peninsula Living, Rudder, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Sports Afield and Wooden
Boat.
William Grunwald papers, 1944-2000 (SAFR 21610, HDC 1347). Includes applications, articles, boating publications, brochures,
catalogs, clippings, correspondence, financial records, flyers, invoices, manuals, marine architectural drawings, newsletters,
photographs and receipts.
Elkhorn Yacht Club decal (SAFR 18960).
Sailing Pram (SAFR 20419). Gremlin Class sailing pram built by Bill Grunwald in the 1960s.
- This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Boatbuilders--California
Boatbuilding--California
Wooden boats--Design and construction
Dinghies--Design and construction
Dories (Boats)
Design and construction
Punts (boats)
Design and construction
Skiffs--Design and construction
Yachts--Design and construction
olus Boats (Firm)
venport (Calif.)
Black-and-white prints
Photograph albums
Color prints (photographs)
Boatbuilding