Born in 1844 in Nova Scotia, Colin McLean went to sea at a young age and spent a decade sailing worldwide. After landing in New York Harbor, he left maritime work and briefly labored as a “sandhog” on the Brooklyn Bridge in the early 1870s. As the construction industry shifted toward specialized marine, bridge, and infrastructure work, McLean transitioned from heavy labor to independent contracting. He worked on the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal (1884–85), assisted in the Johnstown Flood recovery (1889), and built bridges and piers in New York and Philadelphia before settling in Baltimore. There, he founded McLean Contracting Company in 1903, expanded rapidly after the Great Baltimore Fire (1904), and continued railroad and marine work across the Mid‑Atlantic and Carolinas until his death in 1916.

McLean develops a property at his own expense near Fort McHenry in Baltimore in anticipation of the growth of the Port of Baltimore due to the opening of the Panama Canal. Later, with the military build-up for the war, McLean built docks and railroad yards for the Navy. It also built the first Navy fuel oil wharf on the East Coast at Yorktown, Virginia.

McLean benefited from some major public projects during this difficult time. In 1931, it completed the Great Bridge Lock for the Army Engineers and a 9,000-foot sea wall at Fort Monroe, Virginia. McLean did its best to give its employees many work hours as possible, including two hours “show up” pay during these lean years, when other companies provided only one.

With a record 2,000+ employees, McLean completed a number of projects at the Naval Operations Base in Norfolk. In Maryland, McLean constructed the auxiliary ship repair facilities for the Coast Guard at Curtis Bay, and a small training facility for midshipmen in Annapolis. The Naval work resulted in the Company being awarded the prestigious “E” for excellent work and exceptional efficiency in March 1943.

As America’s interstate highway system expands, McLean is contracted for more land bridges. McLean develops the technology to make prestressed concrete on its own, and uses its own prestressed concrete piles on the Lynnhaven Inlet Bridge. McLean also begins to use college engineers whose expertise was a complement to the field veterans’ instincts in practical applications.

McLean’s reputation grows significantly due to notable performance on projects. McLean developed “lazy Susans” for turning concrete trucks without delays on the Oregon Inlet bridge. When the tanker Marine Floridian hit the Benjamin Harrison Bridge, McLean responded with men and equipment within hours. McLean acquires shipyards in Chesapeake, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland during this period.

The Coal Terminal Facility for the AT Massey Co in Newport News, Virginia presents McLean with its most complex and challenging project yet. McLean’s reputation creates two project opportunities in Florida to erect container cranes. McLean grows its fleet of cranes, barges, boats and pile hammers for increased efficiency and response time.

A downturn in the construction industry created a challenging economic environment for McLean and some very lean years. Projects like the Rappahannock River Bridge and The ELCAS Demonstration, along with a concerted effort by the entire workforce, turned the company around, and in 1995, McLean enjoyed one of its best years ever. McLean entered the new millennium stronger than ever.

Concerned with environmental stewardship, McLean assists several organizations and municipalities in creating artificial reef sites in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The Company continues its mainstay work of building bridges, piers and bulkheads in the Mid-Atlantic region. Salvage work, marine repairs, and dredging are also performed on a regular basis. Because McLean is concerned with environmental stewardship, McLean assists organizations and municipalities in creating artificial reef sites in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

In 2018 McLean expanded its service offerings by adding a Signage and Lighting Division. In 2019, McLean acquired the assets of Smith Brothers, Inc, a 100+ year old company that rents marine equipment and provides marine towing services. In 2021, McLean acquired the assets of Shugart Manufacturing, Inc., a Division of the James T. Triplett Co, which manufactures, sells, and leases barges and other specialty marine equipment.