He was Commodore of the Chicago Yacht Club, building in 1909 the 244 ton Lydonia and in 1911 contracting again with Pusey and Jones, Wilmington, Delaware, for the second, 497-ton yacht Lydonia II, described as the finest yacht on the Great Lakes, acquired by the Navy 21 August 1917 and commissioned as the USS Lydonia (SP-700).[4][5]
^"William A. Lydon" (in French). Retrieved 2008-12-13. William Lydon fût diplômé ingenieur civil, par la Lehigh University. Il servit dans sa spécialité la ville de Chicago, de 1887 à 1890. En 1891, il devient un membre de l'entreprise Lydon & Drews Co, pour travaux fluviaux et maritimes. En 1904, il organisa la Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co, toujours à Chicago, et avec de nombreuses agences, dans les villes de la région des Grands Lacs. Cette importante firme d'entreprise existe toujours . William A. Lydon, était possesseur d'un grand yacht à vapeur, "The Lydonia" .
^"Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company". Retrieved 2008-12-13. The Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company was established when the use of larger ships on the Great Lakes created a need for deeper channels and sturdier docks. Founded in 1890 by William A. Lydon, the company has grown since then and expanded its operations to Central and South America, as well as the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean Islands. In addition to dredging and dock construction, Great Lakes has also fabricated and laid pipelines, installed piers for bridges, built up breakwaters, and added sand to eroding beaches. In 1914-1915 the firm participated in the construction of piers and abutments for the Detroit-Superior and Clark Avenue bridges.
^Hagley Library. "Building the Lydonia II". Pusey and Jones Collection. Hagley Library. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
