San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park is located in San Francisco, California
, USA
. The park includes a fleet of historic vessels, a visitor center, a maritime museum, and a library/research facility. The park is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the San Francisco Maritime Museum -- a name that dates from 1951, but changed when the collections were acquired by the National Park Service
, in 1978. Today's San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park was authorized in 1988; the maritime museum is among the park's many cultural resources. The park also incorporates the Aquatic Park Historic District
, bounded by Van Ness Avenue, Polk Street, and Hyde Street.
. The fleet consists of the following major vessels:
The fleet also includes over one hundred small craft.
in 1975. Inside, exhibits (including a first order Fresnel lighthouse lens
and a shipwrecked boat) tell the story of San Francisco’s colorful and diverse maritime heritage. The visitor center also contains a theater, the Sailor's Den (a branch of the park's maritime library), and a ranger-staffed information desk.
The maritime museum was until recently housed in a Streamline Moderne
(late Art Deco
) building that is the centerpiece of the Aquatic Park Historic District
, a National Historic Landmark
at the foot of Polk Street and a minute's walk from the visitor center and Hyde Street Pier. The building was originally built (starting in 1936) by the WPA
as a public bathhouse
, and its interior is decorated with fantastic and colorful murals. The architects were William Mooser Jr. and William Mooser III.
The Steamship Room illustrates the technological evolution of maritime power from wind to steam, while the second-floor displays include three photomurals of the early San Francisco waterfront, lithographic stones, scrimshaw and whaling guns. The third-floor gallery is used for visiting exhibitions and is in 2005 exhibiting "Sparks", an exhibition of shipboard radio, radiotelephone, and radioteletype technology.
The Maritime Museum has re opened after a series of renovations.
and the Pacific Basin
from 1520 to the present, including the archived records of many ship builders and ship owners. It includes 1500 feet (457.2 m) of documents, including 120,000 vessel and shipyard architectural drawings, and about 5,000 charts and maps.
.
and Maritime Museum are all situated adjacent to the foot of Hyde Street and at the western end of the Fisherman's Wharf district. The park headquarters and research library are located in Fort Mason
, some 10 minutes walk to the west of the other sites. The Beach and Hyde Street terminal of the San Francisco cable car system
adjoins the main site, whilst the Jones Street terminal of the F Market historic streetcar line
is some 5 minutes walk to the east.
Opening times and fees for the various sites can be found on the park's website, see 'External links' below.
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...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The park includes a fleet of historic vessels, a visitor center, a maritime museum, and a library/research facility. The park is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the San Francisco Maritime Museum -- a name that dates from 1951, but changed when the collections were acquired by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, in 1978. Today's San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park was authorized in 1988; the maritime museum is among the park's many cultural resources. The park also incorporates the Aquatic Park Historic District
Aquatic Park Historic District
Aquatic Park Historic District is a building complex on the San Francisco Bay waterfront in San Francisco, California, United States. It is located within San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and is itself a National Historic Landmark....
, bounded by Van Ness Avenue, Polk Street, and Hyde Street.
Historic vessel fleet
The historic fleet of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park is moored at the park's Hyde Street PierHyde Street Pier
The Hyde Street Pier is a historic ferry pier located on the northern waterfront of San Francisco, California, amidst the tourist zone of Fisherman's Wharf....
. The fleet consists of the following major vessels:
- BalcluthaBalclutha (1886)Balclutha, also known as Star of Alaska, Pacific Queen, or Sailing Ship BALCLUTHA, is a steel-hulled full rigged ship that was built in 1886. She is the only square rigged ship left in the San Francisco Bay area and is representative of several different commercial ventures, including lumber,...
, an 1886 built square rigged sailing ship. - C.A. ThayerC.A. Thayer (1895)The C.A. Thayer is a schooner built in 1895 near Eureka, California. The schooner is now preserved at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park...
, an 1895 built schooner. - Eureka, an 1890 built steam ferryboat.
- AlmaAlma (1891)The Alma is an 1891 built scow schooner, which is now preserved as a National Historic Landmark at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in San Francisco, California.- History of the Alma :...
, an 1891 built scow schooner. - HerculesHercules (1907)The Hercules is a 1907 built steam tug, which is now preserved at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in San Francisco, California.- History of the Hercules :...
, a 1907 built steam tug. - Eppleton HallEppleton Hall (1914)The Eppleton Hall is a paddlewheel tugboat built in England in 1914. The only remaining intact example of a River Tyne paddle tug, and one of only two surviving British-built paddle tugs , she is preserved at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in San Francisco,...
, a 1914 built paddlewheel tug.
The fleet also includes over one hundred small craft.
Visitor Center
The Visitor Center is housed in the park's 1909 waterfront warehouse, located at the corner of Hyde and Jefferson Streets. The City of San Francisco declared the four-story brick structure an historic landmark in 1974, and the building was listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975. Inside, exhibits (including a first order Fresnel lighthouse lens
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...
and a shipwrecked boat) tell the story of San Francisco’s colorful and diverse maritime heritage. The visitor center also contains a theater, the Sailor's Den (a branch of the park's maritime library), and a ranger-staffed information desk.
Maritime Museum
Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
(late Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
) building that is the centerpiece of the Aquatic Park Historic District
Aquatic Park Historic District
Aquatic Park Historic District is a building complex on the San Francisco Bay waterfront in San Francisco, California, United States. It is located within San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and is itself a National Historic Landmark....
, 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...
at the foot of Polk Street and a minute's walk from the visitor center and Hyde Street Pier. The building was originally built (starting in 1936) by the WPA
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
as a public bathhouse
Public bathing
Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public may confuse some people, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing...
, and its interior is decorated with fantastic and colorful murals. The architects were William Mooser Jr. and William Mooser III.
The Steamship Room illustrates the technological evolution of maritime power from wind to steam, while the second-floor displays include three photomurals of the early San Francisco waterfront, lithographic stones, scrimshaw and whaling guns. The third-floor gallery is used for visiting exhibitions and is in 2005 exhibiting "Sparks", an exhibition of shipboard radio, radiotelephone, and radioteletype technology.
The Maritime Museum has re opened after a series of renovations.
Research library
The research library focuses on sail and steam on the West Coast of the United StatesWest Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and the Pacific Basin
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
from 1520 to the present, including the archived records of many ship builders and ship owners. It includes 1500 feet (457.2 m) of documents, including 120,000 vessel and shipyard architectural drawings, and about 5,000 charts and maps.
Supporting associations
The park is supported by several cooperating associations. One of these is the San Francisco Maritime National Park AssociationSan Francisco Maritime National Park Association
The San Francisco Maritime National Park Association was founded in 1950 as the San Francisco Maritime Museum Association to operate then independent Maritime Museum. In 1978 the Maritime Museum was transferred to the National Park Service, and it now forms the core of the San Francisco Maritime...
.
Location and access
The Visitors Center, Hyde Street PierHyde Street Pier
The Hyde Street Pier is a historic ferry pier located on the northern waterfront of San Francisco, California, amidst the tourist zone of Fisherman's Wharf....
and Maritime Museum are all situated adjacent to the foot of Hyde Street and at the western end of the Fisherman's Wharf district. The park headquarters and research library are located in Fort Mason
Fort Mason
Fort Mason, once known as San Francisco Port of Embarkation, US Army, in San Francisco, California, is a former United States Army post located in the northern Marina District, alongside San Francisco Bay. Fort Mason served as an Army post for more than 100 years, initially as a coastal defense...
, some 10 minutes walk to the west of the other sites. The Beach and Hyde Street terminal of the San Francisco cable car system
San Francisco cable car system
The San Francisco cable car system is the world's last permanently operational manually operated cable car system, in the US sense of a tramway whose cars are pulled along by cables embedded in the street. It is an icon of San Francisco, California...
adjoins the main site, whilst the Jones Street terminal of the F Market historic streetcar line
F Market
The F Market & Wharves line is one of several light rail lines in San Francisco, California. Unlike the other lines, the F line is operated as a heritage streetcar service, using exclusively historic equipment both from San Francisco's retired fleet as well as from cities around the world...
is some 5 minutes walk to the east.
Opening times and fees for the various sites can be found on the park's website, see 'External links' below.
Open Water Swimming
Aquatic Park is a popular place for open water swimming, both for recreation and training.See also
- 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...
- List of maritime museums in the United States
- List of museum ships