Once of the largest marine scrap yards on the East Coast, the Witte Marine Scrap yard is located on Arthur Kill Road in Rossville. Now officially known as the Donjon Iron and Metal Scrap Processing Facility, the scrap yard was opened in 1964 by J. Arnold Witte, Sr.

The scrap yard is known for its large assortment of obsolete steam tugs, ferries, car floats, and other craft. Witte acquired them faster than he could break them up; the end result is dozens of vessels slowly rotting in the muck of the Arthur Kill.
A number of noteworthy vessels, including the New York City Fire Department fireboat Abram S. Hewitt, which was involved in the rescue of survivors of the 1904 General Slocum tragedy and was the last coal-burning fireboat in operation in the FDNY’s fleet, can be found here.
A boat propeller is only turning to rust theses days. (Gordon Donovan) The name YOG 64 is visible on the bow of this Navy gas carrier built in 1945 and beached since 1976 in Witte's ship graveyard. (Gordon Donovan) The crumbling deck of a rusting barge is covered in rising waters as high tide flows in the Rossville ship graveyard. (Gordon Donovan)
The rusting and peeling paint of a retired service vessel in shallow waters of the Arthur Kill. (Gordon Donovan) Several retired vessels wait to be scrapped in a junkyard in the Rossville section of Staten Island. (Gordon Donovan) Making your way out to photograph these old two old wooden tug boats is very dangerous. The wooden piers are been the victim of fire and age. The spikes used to built the piers are visible. (Gordon Donovan)
Chains of an old anchor on the rusting deck of a ship. (Gordon Donovan) The resting place for these ships was the location of the slip for the ferry that transported passengers and cargo across the Arthur Kill. The Blazing Star Ferry, which crossed the Arthur Kill to Woodbridge Township, N.J., was established in the years before the American Revolution. (Gordon Donovan) Beautiful earth tones get look more saturated reflected in the murky waters on a sunny day. (Gordon Donovan)
One of the dozens of vessels slowly rotting in the muck of the Arthur Kill. (Gordon Donovan) A line is tied to the remains of a partially scrapped service vessel in a scrap-metal yard. (Gordon Donovan) The colorful pipes and control panel of an oil barge. In the background is a jail cell onboard a New York Central barge. (Gordon Donovan)
The cleat on the deck of a barge laid to rest in a ship graveyard. (Gordon Donovan) The deck of retired vessel has acquired earth toned colors after years of neglect. (Gordon Donovan) The graveyard alley is seen from an opening in a train boxcar sitting on the deck of a barge. (Gordon Donovan)
Several rows of retired ships sit together in a scrap yard in the Arthur Kill. (Gordon Donovan) Many of the retired boats have become a nesting ground for birds. (Gordon Donovan) The remains of an old New York City ferry slowly sinks in its muddy grave in the Arthur Kill. (Gordon Donovan)
At low tide you can walk out and discover old pilings and relics not visible when tide is high. Bring your boots and wear pants. (Gordon Donovan) The collapsing bridge of a retired vessel off the shore of Staten Island. Many of the names of vessels have been removed. (Gordon Donovan) The bridge of the Seawells Point ferry. (Gordon Donovan)
Two old ferries sit rusting in the cold, polluted waters in between New Jersey and Staten Island. (Gordon Donovan) The silhouette of retired ships as the sun sets in the Rossville section of Staten Island. (Gordon Donovan) Three retired vessels that were slated to be disassembled sit in the polluted waters of the Arthur Kill off Staten Island. (Gordon Donovan)
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Published by Gordon Donovan in New York City