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Berkeley (ferryboat)
Encyclopedia
The Berkeley was one of several ferryboats of the Southern Pacific Railroad
that operated on San Francisco Bay
between the Oakland Pier
and the San Francisco Ferry Building
for sixty years. Built in 1898 by the Union Iron Works of San Francisco, she served after the 1906 earthquake
, ferrying refugees across the bay to Oakland
.
The Berkeley was in regular service from 1898 to the spring of 1958, when she was taken out of service for repairs. She never returned to service, as Southern Pacific decided to end all ferry service on July 29, 1958. The Berkeley was put up for sale, and was purchased by the Golden Gate Fishing Company to be used as a whaling processing facility. Before she was put to this use, however, she was sold to ferryboat enthusiast and businessman Bill Conover. Conover had the Berkeley docked in Sausalito, a small town on the Bay in Marin County, and converted her into a gift shop called "Trade Fair". However, the Berkeley was not well-maintained in her gift shop incarnation and 12 years of serious deterioration took a toll. In 1973, she was sold to the Maritime Museum of San Diego
. She was towed out of San Francisco Bay by tug on May 31, 1973 arriving 3 days later in San Diego
where she was subsequently restored. She currently serves as the main "building" of the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
The Berkeley was notable for having been the first propeller-driven ferry on the west coast. At the time of her launching on October 18, 1898, she became the largest commuter ferryboat in the United States with a 1700 passenger capacity. She was also remarkable for being one of the earliest ferries to be powered by a triple-expansion steam engine.
The Berkeley was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1990 and California State Historical Landmark
No. 1031 in 2000.
During the time she was docked in Sausalito, actor Sterling Hayden
rented one of the pilot houses of the Berkeley as an office while he wrote his autobiographic book Wanderer (published in 1963).
While the Berkeley was under construction in 1898, the battleship Wisconsin
was being constructed adjacent to her.
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
that operated on San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
between the Oakland Pier
Oakland Long Wharf
The Oakland Long Wharf, later known as the Oakland Pier or the SP Mole was a massive railroad wharf and ferry pier in Oakland, California. It was located at the foot of Seventh Street....
and the San Francisco Ferry Building
Ferry Building
The San Francisco Ferry Building is a terminal for ferries that travel across the San Francisco Bay and a shopping center located on The Embarcadero in San Francisco, California. On top of the building is a large clock tower, which can be seen from Market Street, a main thoroughfare of the city...
for sixty years. Built in 1898 by the Union Iron Works of San Francisco, she served after the 1906 earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
, ferrying refugees across the bay to Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
.
The Berkeley was in regular service from 1898 to the spring of 1958, when she was taken out of service for repairs. She never returned to service, as Southern Pacific decided to end all ferry service on July 29, 1958. The Berkeley was put up for sale, and was purchased by the Golden Gate Fishing Company to be used as a whaling processing facility. Before she was put to this use, however, she was sold to ferryboat enthusiast and businessman Bill Conover. Conover had the Berkeley docked in Sausalito, a small town on the Bay in Marin County, and converted her into a gift shop called "Trade Fair". However, the Berkeley was not well-maintained in her gift shop incarnation and 12 years of serious deterioration took a toll. In 1973, she was sold to the Maritime Museum of San Diego
Maritime Museum of San Diego
The Maritime Museum of San Diego, established in 1948, preserves one of the largest collections of historic sea vessels in the United States. Located in the San Diego Bay, the centerpiece of the museum's collection is the Star of India, an 1863 iron bark. The museum maintains the MacMullen Library...
. She was towed out of San Francisco Bay by tug on May 31, 1973 arriving 3 days later in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
where she was subsequently restored. She currently serves as the main "building" of the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
The Berkeley was notable for having been the first propeller-driven ferry on the west coast. At the time of her launching on October 18, 1898, she became the largest commuter ferryboat in the United States with a 1700 passenger capacity. She was also remarkable for being one of the earliest ferries to be powered by a triple-expansion steam engine.
The Berkeley was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1990 and California State Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
No. 1031 in 2000.
During the time she was docked in Sausalito, actor Sterling Hayden
Sterling Hayden
Sterling Hayden was an American actor and author. For most of his career as a leading man, he specialized in westerns and film noir, such as Johnny Guitar, The Asphalt Jungle and The Killing. Later on he became noted as a character actor for such roles as Gen. Jack D. Ripper in Dr...
rented one of the pilot houses of the Berkeley as an office while he wrote his autobiographic book Wanderer (published in 1963).
While the Berkeley was under construction in 1898, the battleship Wisconsin
USS Wisconsin (BB-9)
USS Wisconsin , an Illinois-class battleship, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 30th state.The keel of Battleship No. 9 was laid down on 9 February 1897 at San Francisco, California, by the Union Iron Works...
was being constructed adjacent to her.