You might be surprised to find a seafaring ship in landlocked Arizona. There indeed is not but this building could easily be mistaken for one, complete with its name, portholes, and an anchor on the hull. Former Casa Grande city councilman C.J. “Blinky” Wilson built this ironically shaped Moderne-style store in honor of his son, who served in the U.S. Navy. Even more peculiarly, it was reportedly designed by a prison inmate at the Arizona State Prison in nearby Florence. This arrangement was made by prison warden and local business owner Art Brooks.
From its construction in 1946 until 1981, the building housed Blinky’s auto business, Wilson Motors. This is still evident in the auto bays located at the stern of the ship. Since then, it has been home to various other enterprises.
Although the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, it has unfortunately lost many of its original details. There was once a mock smokestack and exterior staircase on top, as well as tires painted like life preservers on the railing. It has also been repainted from blue and white to a much less nautical beige.
