Ferry Building
Encyclopedia
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. Architecturally, the clock tower was modeled after the 12th century Giralda
bell tower in Seville
, Spain
. During daylight, on every full and half-hour, the clock bell chime portions of the Westminster Quarters. The chimes are a recording and play through several sets of very large speakers in the tower and are not connected to the tower clock mechanism.
, opened in 1898, replacing its wooden predecessor, and survived both the 1906 earthquake
and the 1989 earthquake
with little damage. Until the completion of the Bay Bridge
and Golden Gate Bridge
in the 1930s it was the second busiest transit terminal in the world, second only to London's Charing Cross Station
. It served as the embarcation point for commuters to San Francisco from the East Bay who rode the ferry fleets of the Southern Pacific and the Key System
. A loop track
existed in front of the building for streetcars. A large pedestrian bridge also spanned the Embarcadero in front of the Ferry building until the late 1940s.
in 1939, passenger ferry use fell sharply. In the second half of the twentieth century, although the Ferry Building and its clock tower remained a part of the San Francisco skyline, the building interior declined. Over the years, the ticketing counters and waiting room areas were partitioned into office space. The formerly grand public space was reduced to a narrow and dark corridor, through which travelers passed en route to the piers. Passengers had to wait on outdoor benches, and the ticketing booths were moved to the pier.
With the construction in the late 1950s of the Embarcadero Freeway
which passed right in front of the Ferry Building, views of the once-prominent landmark from Market Street were greatly obscured and pedestrian access to it became somewhat of an afterthought. When this double-decker elevated structure was demolished in the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and replaced with a ground-level boulevard, the barrier between a significant portion of San Francisco's historic waterfront and the rest of the city, was now gone, and access to Justin Herman Plaza and the foot of Market Street, which the Ferry Building had been such an integral part of for so many decades, was restored.
Local radio station KBWF-FM (95.7 The Wolf) currently makes hourly references to the famous Ferry Building clocktower in their station identification, saying "The Ferry Building Clocktower strikes (time) O'Clock".
is held there on Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am - 2pm, year-round.
The original clock mechanism was refurbished in 2000 and is complete and intact, despite two previous modifications. Today the Ferry Building still boasts its original Special #4 clock made by the Boston clock maker E. Howard in 1898. It is the largest dialed, wind-up, mechanical clock in the world. The dials are twenty-two feet in diameter, and a portion of the dial is back-lit at night. Close examination reveals two concentric dials, with the inner dial being visible at night.
Although the hands and a small portion of the works are now powered by a very accurate electric motor, the entire clock mechanism is still there. The huge weight is still there in its forty eight foot shaft which once wound up originally could keep the clock running for eight days. The sixteen foot pendulum is still there, but remains motionless, replaced by more modern, reliable and accurate electric power.
Planned
There is planned ferry service from Hercules, Redwood City
, South San Francisco
, Martinez
, Antioch
, Treasure Island, Berkeley
, and Richmond
system runs right under the building. The dock area on the eastern side is used as the transition point from the Transbay Tube
to the Market Street Subway. The Embarcadero Station
is a BART and Muni Metro
station within walking distance (about one block) from the terminal and connects it with the city, East Bay
and Peninsula
.
There is service on Vallejo Transit, San Francisco Municipal Railway
, PresidiGo Shuttle
, and Amtrak Thruway Bus.
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
for ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
that travel across the 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...
and a shopping center located on The Embarcadero
The Embarcadero (San Francisco)
The Embarcadero is the eastern waterfront and roadway of the Port of San Francisco, San Francisco, California, along San Francisco Bay, constructed atop an engineered seawall on reclaimed land, and derives its name from the Spanish verb embarcar, meaning "to embark"...
in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. On top of the building is a large clock tower
Clock tower
A clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of a church or municipal building such as a town hall. Some clock towers are not true clock towers having had their clock faces added to an already existing building...
, which can be seen from Market Street
Market Street (San Francisco)
Market Street is an important thoroughfare in San Francisco, California. It begins at The Embarcadero in front of the Ferry Building at the northeastern edge of the city and runs southwest through downtown, passing the Civic Center and the Castro District, to the intersection with Corbett Avenue in...
, a main thoroughfare of the city. Architecturally, the clock tower was modeled after the 12th century Giralda
Giralda
thumb|right|The Giralda at its various stages of construction: Almohad , Medieval Christian , and Renaissance .The Giralda is a former minaret that was converted to a bell tower for the Cathedral of Seville in Seville...
bell tower in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. During daylight, on every full and half-hour, the clock bell chime portions of the Westminster Quarters. The chimes are a recording and play through several sets of very large speakers in the tower and are not connected to the tower clock mechanism.
Architecture
The present structure, designed by local San Francisco architect A. Page BrownA. Page Brown
Arthur Page Brown was an American architect. He is best known for his 1892 design of the San Francisco Ferry Building. At the time, the Ferry Building was the largest single project ever undertaken in the city. Brown was born in Elisburg, New York. He studied at Cornell University School of...
, opened in 1898, replacing its wooden predecessor, and survived both 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...
and the 1989 earthquake
Loma Prieta earthquake
The Loma Prieta earthquake, also known as the Quake of '89 and the World Series Earthquake, was a major earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area of California on October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. local time...
with little damage. Until the completion of the Bay Bridge
San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
The San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge is a pair of bridges spanning San Francisco Bay of California, in the United States. Forming part of Interstate 80 and of the direct road route between San Francisco and Oakland, it carries approximately 270,000 vehicles per day on its two decks...
and Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
in the 1930s it was the second busiest transit terminal in the world, second only to London's Charing Cross Station
Charing Cross station
Charing Cross station may refer to:In London, England:*Charing Cross railway station*Charing Cross tube station **Embankment tube station was previously named Charing CrossIn Glasgow, Scotland:...
. It served as the embarcation point for commuters to San Francisco from the East Bay who rode the ferry fleets of the Southern Pacific and the Key System
Key System
The Key System was a privately owned company which provided mass transit in the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Emeryville, Piedmont, San Leandro, Richmond, Albany and El Cerrito in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area from 1903 until 1960, when the system was sold to a newly formed public...
. A loop track
Balloon loop
A balloon loop or turning loop allows a rail vehicle or train to reverse direction without having to shunt or even stop. Balloon loops can be useful for passenger trains and unit freight trains, such as coal trains....
existed in front of the building for streetcars. A large pedestrian bridge also spanned the Embarcadero in front of the Ferry building until the late 1940s.
History
After the bridges opened, and the new Key System trains began running to the East Bay from the Transbay TerminalSan Francisco Transbay Terminal
San Francisco Transbay Transit Terminal, or simply Transbay Terminal, was a transportation complex in San Francisco, California, USA, located roughly in the center of the rectangle bounded north–south by Mission Street and Howard Street, and east–west by Beale Street and 2nd Street...
in 1939, passenger ferry use fell sharply. In the second half of the twentieth century, although the Ferry Building and its clock tower remained a part of the San Francisco skyline, the building interior declined. Over the years, the ticketing counters and waiting room areas were partitioned into office space. The formerly grand public space was reduced to a narrow and dark corridor, through which travelers passed en route to the piers. Passengers had to wait on outdoor benches, and the ticketing booths were moved to the pier.
With the construction in the late 1950s of the Embarcadero Freeway
California State Route 480
State Route 480 was a state highway in San Francisco, California, United States, consisting of the elevated double-decker Embarcadero Freeway , the partly elevated Doyle Drive approach to the Golden Gate Bridge and the proposed and unbuilt section in between. The unbuilt section from Doyle Drive to...
which passed right in front of the Ferry Building, views of the once-prominent landmark from Market Street were greatly obscured and pedestrian access to it became somewhat of an afterthought. When this double-decker elevated structure was demolished in the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and replaced with a ground-level boulevard, the barrier between a significant portion of San Francisco's historic waterfront and the rest of the city, was now gone, and access to Justin Herman Plaza and the foot of Market Street, which the Ferry Building had been such an integral part of for so many decades, was restored.
Local radio station KBWF-FM (95.7 The Wolf) currently makes hourly references to the famous Ferry Building clocktower in their station identification, saying "The Ferry Building Clocktower strikes (time) O'Clock".
Renovations
In 2003, the building reopened as an upscale gourmet marketplace, office building, and re-dedicated ferry terminal. The restoration project spanned several years, with an emphasis on recreating the building's 1898 ambiance. San Francisco's most well known farmers' marketFarmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
is held there on Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am - 2pm, year-round.
The original clock mechanism was refurbished in 2000 and is complete and intact, despite two previous modifications. Today the Ferry Building still boasts its original Special #4 clock made by the Boston clock maker E. Howard in 1898. It is the largest dialed, wind-up, mechanical clock in the world. The dials are twenty-two feet in diameter, and a portion of the dial is back-lit at night. Close examination reveals two concentric dials, with the inner dial being visible at night.
Although the hands and a small portion of the works are now powered by a very accurate electric motor, the entire clock mechanism is still there. The huge weight is still there in its forty eight foot shaft which once wound up originally could keep the clock running for eight days. The sixteen foot pendulum is still there, but remains motionless, replaced by more modern, reliable and accurate electric power.
Ferry service
Operational- Oakland and Alameda: The Alameda/Oakland Ferry provides service from the Oakland Ferry Terminal in Oakland, California and the Alameda Ferry Terminal in Alameda, California.
- Larkspur & Sausalito: The Golden Gate FerryGolden Gate FerryGolden Gate Ferry is one of three transportation systems owned and operated by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. The other two are the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Transit bus service, which connects San Francisco to Marin County...
provides service from the Larkspur LandingLarkspur LandingLarkspur Landing is the main Golden Gate Ferry terminal in Larkspur, Marin County, California. The terminal is a regional hub receiving heavy service from throughout the North Bay for commuter ferries to downtown San Francisco....
in Larkspur, California and the Sausalito Ferry Terminal in Sausalito, California.
- Vallejo: The Vallejo Transit provides service from the Vallejo Ferry TerminalVallejo Ferry TerminalThe Vallejo Ferry Terminal is a ferry terminal in Vallejo, California. It is the northernmost terminal in the San Francisco Bay Area, which serves as the northern destination point for Baylink Ferry. It connects with Vallejo Transit's local and Baylink bus services, as well as Napa VINE.-External...
in Vallejo, California.
- Bay Farm Island: The Alameda Harbor Bay FerryAlameda Harbor Bay FerryAlameda Harbor Bay Ferry is a public transportation service that uses a ferry and operates in Alameda, California and San Francisco, California. Providing weekday rush-hour service, the ferry runs from Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal in Alameda's Bay Farm Island area to the Ferry Building in San...
provides service from the Harbor Bay Island Terminal on Bay Farm Island in Alameda, California.
- Tiburon & Angel Island: The Angel Island - Tiburon FerryAngel Island - Tiburon FerryAngel Island - Tiburon Ferry is a public transportation service that uses a ferry and operates in Tiburon, California and Angel Island, California. The ferry runs everyday except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The company does provide San Francisco Bay cruises.-External links:* *...
provides service from the Tiburon Ferry Terminal in Tiburon, California with an overlay on Angel Island State Park.
Planned
There is planned ferry service from Hercules, Redwood City
Redwood City, California
Redwood City is a California charter city located on the San Francisco Peninsula in Northern California, approximately 27 miles south of San Francisco, and 24 miles north of San Jose. Redwood City's history spans from its earliest inhabitation by the Ohlone people, to its tradition as a port for...
, South San Francisco
Oyster Point Marina/Park
Oyster Point Marina/Park is a 600 berth marina and 33-acre city park in South San Francisco, California in the San Francisco Bay Area on the western shoreline of the southern San Francisco Bay...
, Martinez
Martinez (Amtrak station)
Martinez Station is a union station in Martinez, California, the county seat of Contra Costa County. It is served by 44 Amtrak trains per day, including Capitol Corridor trains, San Joaquins, the California Zephyr and the Coast Starlight...
, Antioch
Antioch, California
Antioch is a city in Contra Costa County, California. Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area along the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta, it is a suburb of San Francisco and Oakland. The city's population was 102,372 at the U.S...
, Treasure Island, Berkeley
Berkeley Marina
The Berkeley Marina is the westernmost portion of the city of Berkeley, California, located west of the Eastshore Freeway at the foot of University Avenue on San Francisco Bay...
, and Richmond
Richmond Ferry Terminal
Richmond Ferry Terminal is a former ferry terminal located in the Marina Bay neighborhood of Richmond, California.-History:...
Transit connections
The main line of the Bay Area Rapid TransitBay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
system runs right under the building. The dock area on the eastern side is used as the transition point from the Transbay Tube
Transbay Tube
The Transbay Tube is the part of BART which runs under San Francisco Bay in California. The tube is 3.6 miles long; including approaches from the nearest stations , it totals 6 miles...
to the Market Street Subway. The Embarcadero Station
Embarcadero Station
Embarcadero is a BART and Muni Metro station in the Financial District of San Francisco. The easternmost stop on the Market Street Subway, Embarcadero acts as a major hub for passenger movement throughout the San Francisco Bay Area...
is a BART and Muni Metro
Muni Metro
Muni Metro is a light rail system serving San Francisco, California, operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway , a division of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency...
station within walking distance (about one block) from the terminal and connects it with the city, East Bay
East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
The East Bay is a commonly used, informal term for the lands on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay, in the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, United States...
and Peninsula
San Francisco Peninsula
The San Francisco Peninsula is a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area that separates the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. On its northern tip is the City and County of San Francisco. Its southern base is in Santa Clara County, including the cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Mountain...
.
There is service on Vallejo Transit, San Francisco Municipal Railway
San Francisco Municipal Railway
The San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
, PresidiGo Shuttle
PresidiGo Shuttle
PresidiGo Shuttle is a public transit system in San Francisco, California serving the San Francisco Presidio.-Services:The bus service runs two lines from Presidio Transit Center...
, and Amtrak Thruway Bus.
See also
- Ferries of San Francisco BayFerries of San Francisco BaySan Francisco Bay in California has been served by ferries of all types for over 150 years. Although the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge led to the decline in the importance of most ferries, some are still in use today for both commuters and...
- Oakland Long WharfOakland Long WharfThe 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....
- Jack London SquareJack London SquareJack London Square is a popular tourist attraction on the waterfront of Oakland, California. Named after the author Jack London and owned by the Port of Oakland, it is the home of stores, restaurants, hotels, an Amtrak station, a ferry dock, the historic Saloon, the cabin Jack London lived in the...
- 49-Mile Scenic Drive49-Mile Scenic DriveThe 49-Mile Scenic Drive in San Francisco highlights many of the city's major attractions and historic structures.Opened on September 14, 1938 as a promotion for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, it...
- San Francisco Bay Water Transit Authority (WTA)
- Central Embarcadero Piers Historic District
- List of San Francisco Designated Landmarks