Boeing Renton Factory

Description

The Boeing Company's Renton, Washington Factory is a facility where Boeing 737 Next Generation and MAX airliners are built. Current production includes the 737-700, 737-800, and 737-900ER models. The floor space covered is 1.1 million square feet (102,000 square meters).The factory lies adjacent to Renton Municipal Airport.HistoryThe Boeing Renton Factory is built on land reclaimed by the lowering of the level of Lake Washington in 1916. From 1916 until 1936 it belonged to the family of Pioneer Washington Coal Industrialist Charles H. Burnett for whom Burnett Avenue and Burnett Park in Renton are named. Burnett acquired the land intending to utilise it for coal storage and shipment. Amy Louise Burnett Bond, Charles Burnett's daughter, whose mother died young was raised by Mr. and Mrs. Howard Cranston Potter as the foster sister and godmother of Bertha Potter (Mrs William Boeing). The Burnett family operated the land as a hay farm. In 1936 Amy Burnett Bond transferred the property back to the state government. It was still mostly semi swamp economically marginal and would cost millions to improve.The property was then transferred by the State of Washington to the federal government at the start of World War II. The Navy Department established an aircraft factory there for production of the Boeing PBB Sea Ranger flying boat. This order was cancelled, however, to free the factory for production of the B-29 Superfortress, the factory being transferred to the Army in exchange for