Around the Horn Blog

Aerial View of Maritime Park
An aerial view of all of San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park showing Hyde Street Pier and historic ships, scow schooner Alma, the Small Boat Dock, tugboat Hercules, ferryboat Eureka, tall ship Balclutha, paddle wheel tugboat Eppleton Hall, and schooner C. A. Thayer. The aerial photo also shows other areas of the park including the Visitor Center and Argonaut Hotel in the old Delmonte Cannery, Victorian Park, and the Aquatic Park Bathhouse and Cove.

NPS

 

About This Blog

Through Around the Horn, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park hopes to keep visitors informed on projects that might impact their voyage and enlightened by stories from our past. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey!

Chinese Women, Immigration, and the First U.S. Exclusion Law: The Page Act of 1875

August 02, 2022 Posted by: Katherine Hijar, Park Historian

Most U.S. legislation affects men and women equally, but some laws target women specifically. The Page Act of 1875, the first restrictive federal immigration law in the U.S., was a significant barrier to Asian women who sought economic and social opportunities on American shores

 

The Human Stories of Dock Labor – Part 3, Pete Panto: Longshoreman Martyr for Human Rights

July 29, 2022 Posted by: Peter Kasin

Pietro “Pete” Panto was a longshoreman who stood up against mobsters on the Brooklyn waterfront in 1939. In dock labor and Italian-American History, his name is synonymous with honesty and bravery in the face of tremendous odds.

 

The Eyes Have It - Figureheads Through History

January 28, 2022 Posted by: Diane Cooper

Eyes. That’s what figureheads are all about. Eyes to see the distant shore. Eyes to spot potential dangers. Eyes to guide through stormy seas. Eyes to find the way there and home again.

 

Did The Age Of Sail End Part 5: Birth Of A New Tradition

June 10, 2021 Posted by: Erin Conner

Without cargo, a sailing ship becomes a white elephant, beautiful, inspiring, but ultimately a hole in the water into which one throws money. The idea that a ship could carry, in essence, a cargo of memory and become a reservoir of skill, was a new one. It was not expressed in those terms, but these remaining vessels, representatives of the past were the means by which the knowledge and culture of the sea that remained were preserved

 

Did The Age of Sail End?: The Last Grain Race: The Intertwined Stories of Pamir and Passat

May 26, 2021 Posted by: Erin Conner

Have you ever known you would miss an experience that would change your life if you didn’t find a way to get to that place in that moment in time? William Stark felt that way in 1948.  His summers for the last five years had been spent working in steamships and he thought the grain races and tall ships that he had read about in his teens had all sailed into the pages of history.

 

The Age of Sail Training: The Thirties and the End of Commercial Sail

May 26, 2021 Posted by: Erin Conner

     By the 1930s, sail training was considered one of the last great adventures. Thanks to the articles and memoirs of Alan Villiers and others, the Erickson Line could continue to carry not only aspiring officers but also those who wanted to test themselves against the Horn for the sake of the adventure. Most were men, but a few women managed to get past the gangway and into the fo'cs'le.

 

Did The Age Of Sail End? Part 2: Forerunners of Sail Training: Grain Races and Brassbounders

April 21, 2021 Posted by: Erin Conner

The age of sail training was built on the age of sail that preceded it. In this post we’ll explore two of the traditions that allowed commercial sail to survive and evolve into the vibrant world of ships and sailors that are still carrying cargoes of skill, memory and adventure today.

 

Did The Age Of Sail End? Part 1: Sail Gives Way To Steam

March 18, 2021 Posted by: Erin Conner

This is the first post in a series called “Did the Age of Sail End? We’ll begin with a bit of background about the beginning of steam power and how it changed the way people and cargo moved around the world. By the end of it, you will have seen sailing ships go from workaday waterfront carriers to the bringers of dreams

 

Masks of 1918 and Today

December 02, 2020 Posted by: Erin Conner

Did you know that the humble face mask, that uncomfortable bit of cloth that we love to hate, was invented in its current form and tested back in 1918?

 

The Human Stories of Dock Labor - Part 2

June 02, 2020 Posted by: Peter Kasin

This is the second blog post on The Human Stories of Dock Labor. The previous post focused on the “shape-up” system of hiring longshoremen, from the book Shape-Up and Hiring Hall: A Comparison of Hiring Methods and Labor Relations on the New York and Seattle Water Fronts, by Charles P. Larrowe. In part 2, we look at the "hiring hall."

 

The Human Stories of Dock Labor - Part 1

May 08, 2020 Posted by: Peter Kasin

This is the first blog in a series called "The Human Stories of Dock Labor." We will look at United States dock labor history through books that are in the park's Maritime Research Center collection. The first book we'll look at is Shape-up and Hiring Hall; a Comparison of Hiring Methods and Labor relations on the New York and Seattle Water Fronts by Charles P. Larrowe.

 

San Francisco Italian Language Coverage of the 1918 Influenza Outbreak

April 28, 2020 Posted by: David Pelfrey

Is collective memory only as durable as the generation that weathered the crisis? American newspaper accounts from the 1918-19 influenza pandemic suggest that when generational events like pandemics fall out of American living memory, the lessons gained are largely forgotten. In the San Francisco Italian language news article from 1918 translated below, the parallels with the current COVID19 pandemic are jolting.

 

The Steam Chimney: A Maritime Research Blog

April 27, 2020 Posted by: Christopher Edwards

Though the name and use of Steam Chimneys appear to have fallen out of use, they are not the only things to have had their names fall out of favor and disappear. Donkey pumps, for example, are almost unheard of unless you use the modern term “general service pump.” Now, though, we know what this piece of equipment was for and what it was called when it was utilized onboard the walking beam engine Ferryboat Eureka.

 

Setting Sail: Traditional Sail in the 21st Century

April 10, 2020 Posted by: Exhibits Intern Sara Schall

Although the Golden Age of Sail has long past, there are still some sailors who seek out traditionally rigged vessels in order to learn the ropes. During my time onboard the Lady Washington, a replica of a brig from the 1780’s, I learned how to sail. I hope to take you step by step through the process of setting sail on a boat re-made for education in the 21st century.

 

Introducing Exhibits Intern, Sara Schall

March 30, 2020 Posted by: Sara Schall

Introducing Exhibit Maintenance Intern Sara Schall, her work on the ships and collections, and how she became interested in maritime studies and history.

 

Maritime Museum Building: A Gift to the People

October 15, 2019 Posted by: Park Ranger Lou Salas Sian

Paints, brushes, canvas, mosaics, tile, stone, printing machines, clay, easels, pencils, steel, tools. No, this is not a list of things you can buy on Amazon, but how would you choose if you had a few dollars to buy food, pay rent or buy clothing? The Federal Arts Project (FAP) in the 1930s purchased the tools and subsidized rents for artists and craftsmen, The FAP kept the artists supplied with things they needed, but to others the federal program was a life saver.

 

Two of Hyde Street's Best-Kept Secrets

September 12, 2019 Posted by: Erin Conner

A century ago, Harry Dring was born. If you’ve never heard of him, you can be forgiven, but without him and his close friend Karl Kortum, there would be no historic vessels at Hyde Street Pier.

 

Sea Stories on the Skin: A Brief Consideration of Maritime Tattoos

July 16, 2019 Posted by: Lucien Sonder

How did we get to this point, when we now see tattoos where we never saw them before, on the arms and legs of upstanding citizens and public servants--soldiers, teachers, doctors, police…and park rangers?  We have sailors to thank.

 

Celebrating the 85th Anniversary of the 1934 Longshore and General Strikes

May 08, 2019 Posted by: Peter Kasin

May 9 marks the 85th anniversary of the beginning of the largest labor strike in West Coast History, when in 1934, longshoremen up and down the West Coast went on strike.

 

Everyone Knows We Need The Rain…Except The Mussels

April 01, 2019 Posted by: Rejane Butler

Extreme weather events may become the norm as climate change effects are becoming more and more visible.  Rain is precious in California, yet greater-than-average rainfall can have an adverse effect on the hardiness of invertebrates and mollusks that live in tidal pools or attach to ships and pier pilings.

 

Women Sailors of the 1930s: Annette Brock Davis

March 12, 2019 Posted by: Erin Rose Conner

Have you ever heard the old saying, “A woman aboard ship is bad luck?” Back in the 1930s, that was one of the things Annette Brock Davis was told when she decided to set sail aboard a training ship. Luckily for us, she didn’t listen—and she wrote down her adventures where we can all read about them.

 

Monthly Chantey Sing Brings Maritime History to Life

February 05, 2019 Posted by: Peter Kasin

The park’s monthly Chantey Sing has become a San Francisco tradition, where enthusiasts have gathered aboard floating vessels at Hyde Street Pier to share in the joys of group singing and in keeping maritime history alive through its historical songs. Founded by Park Ranger Dave Nettell in 1981, the Chantey Sing is entering its 38th year, the longest-running singalong of its kind in the country.

 

Festive Ferryboats

December 18, 2018 Posted by: Rejane Butler

We have written previously about the creative materials and ingenuity that deep-water sailors employed to celebrate and decorate their ships for the holidays, while they were away from home for months at a time.  I want to talk about how holidays were celebrated aboard ferryboats in the San Francisco Bay, where the crews and passengers had the luxury of going home every evening after work.

 

Reflection: Festival Of The Sea Brings International Maritime History To Life

September 07, 2018 Posted by: Peter Kasin

Since 1979, National Park Service sponsored Hyde Street Pier festivals have brought to life our shared maritime heritage. Whether it is the “Sea Music Festival” or “Festival of the Sea,” each event features music, dance, maritime arts, shipboard demonstrations, and many more family-friendly events.

 

A Hidden Victorian Wonderland: The Engine Room of the Ferryboat Eureka (Part 2 of 2)

September 07, 2018 Posted by: Christopher Edwards

Having discovered how steam power was generated on the ferryboat Eureka in our previous post, we now continue our trek through the engine room to explore how this power was used transport people back and forth across the bay.

 

A Hidden Victorian Wonderland: The Engine Room of the Ferryboat Eureka (Part 1 of 2)

August 20, 2018 Posted by: Christopher Edwards

A Hidden Victorian Wonderland: The Engine Room of the Ferryboat Eureka (Part 1 of 2)

 

It's August, Grab a Jacket!

August 01, 2018 Posted by: John Earnest

The National Park Service is preserving something for all our families, whether it’s the family we see every day, or the collective family of us all who love parks.

 

Chief of Cultural Resources Gretchen Stromberg

July 11, 2018 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

To mark the Park’s 30th anniversary, we asked two staff members – one of our more senior crew, and one who just recently came aboard - to talk about how they came to work at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. Today’s post tells Chief of Cultural Resources Gretchen Stromberg’s story.

 

Curator of Maritime History Stephen Canright

July 11, 2018 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

To mark the Park’s 30th anniversary, we asked two staff members – one of our more senior crew, and one who just recently came aboard - to talk about how they came to work at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. Today’s post tells Curator of Maritime History Stephen Canright’s story.

 

What is happening under the Hyde Street Pier and in the Bay?

May 31, 2018 Posted by: By Rejane Butler, Education Technician for San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park is very proud of an ongoing partnership with our neighbor, Galileo High School. Together, we monitor the health of San Francisco Bay by documenting the presence or absence of certain species.

 

Flat Stanley Visits San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

May 01, 2018 Posted by: Lucien Sonder

Flat Stanley Visits San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park!

 

A Vessel Among The Fleet: An Intern's Perspective

April 16, 2018 Posted by: Sam Chavarria

For the past 13 weeks, I served as a part-time intern through the American Conservation Experience at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.  I am a journalism student in my third year at San Francisco State University, and my internship focused on supporting the park’s interpretation and digital media efforts.

 

Good People Doing Good Work

April 01, 2018 Posted by: Lourdes Sian

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park (SFMNHP) has more than 250 active volunteers, including interpretation docents who help the national park accomplish its goals. Volunteer projects at a maritime historical park can be truly unique! These range from building and maintaining small boats, rigging tall ships, to interpreting the extensive maritime collections.

 

Sideshow: Rose Kissinger and the Career of the Pacific Queen

March 20, 2018 Posted by: Erin Conner

Sideshow: Rose Kissinger and the Career of the Pacific Queen

 

From Slaves to Seamen: Working on the Water (Part 2 of 2)

February 09, 2018 Posted by: Dorothea Crosbie-Taylor

The sea and ships offered black sailors working opportunities that were somewhat more reliable than the jobs offered on land.

 

From Slaves to Seamen: Seeking Freedom (Part 1 of 2)

February 07, 2018 Posted by: By: Dorothea Crosbie-Taylor, Park Guide

During the fight for freedom, many slaves leveraged the Underground Railroad to escape the South. But did you know there was another way that slaves made their way to freedom? They escaped slavery via sea.

 

Echoes of Paris Along the San Francisco Waterfront

January 05, 2018 Posted by: Alvin Rivera, Park Guide

As I walk into the lobby of the Maritime Museum, I am greeted by a vast mural that fills the entire physical and unconscious space. The sound of jazz music permeates across time, and echoes through my mind.

 

Food, Trees, and More: Holiday Traditions From the Sea

December 14, 2017 Posted by: SFMNHP Park Ranger

As the holiday season gets underway, many maritime enthusiasts can’t help but wonder how 19th century sailors might have celebrated familiar traditions.

 

History and Culture: Remembering Heroism at Sea Nearly 165 Years Ago

November 27, 2017 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

As the National Park Service’s November “Preserving History and Culture” initiative draws to a close, we would like to offer this account as a salute to an act of American heroism at sea nearly 165 years ago.

 

A Hidden Community in Aquatic Park Cove

October 20, 2017 Posted by: Jacob Goyne, 2017-18 Youth Development Intern, American Conservation Experience

On any given morning in Aquatic Park Cove, you can see a number of organisms moving about the harbor. However, the biodiversity most mornings is somewhat limited; a herd of harbor seals, a flock of assorted sea birds, and the ever-faithful human contingent from the historic swim clubs. Through my internship with American Conservation Experience, I learned that with some planning there are select mornings when the variety of observable life significantly increases...

 

A Summer of Service: Youth Conservation Corps at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

September 05, 2017 Posted by: Jacob Goyne, 2017-18 American Conservation Experience Youth Engagement Intern

Everybody has a first job. For me it was washing dishes in a restaurant by the beach. You have to begin somewhere, and every summer hundreds of high school students get their start as a crew member with the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) at National Park Service sites across the United States.

 

A Day on the Bay: Engaging Youth through Kayaking in Aquatic Park

August 02, 2017 Posted by: Jesse DeGuzman, 2017-18 VISTA member, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

For the past four summers, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, in partnership with San Francisco State University’s Summer Youth Sailing and Paddling program, host a month-long kayaking program.

 

Is C.A. Thayer Being Restored for Sailing?

June 27, 2017 Posted by: Courtney J. Andersen, Historic Ship Rigging Supervisor

At San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, we are often asked about the ongoing restoration projects that occur on our fleet of historic ships and whether vessels like the C.A. Thayer will sail again as a result of the modifications.

 

Women in Culture: 4 Questions for Gina Bardi and Heather Hernandez of the Maritime Research Center

June 22, 2017 Posted by: Emily Eaton

Gina Bardi, Reference Librarian, and Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian, are dedicated to the preservation and care of the largest maritime research collection on the West Coast at the Maritime Research Center. In honor of Museum Week 2017 and the contributions of women in cultural heritage, we asked them four questions about their role in preserving, protecting, and providing access to the collections.

 

Preserving the Small but Mighty Hercules

June 04, 2017 Posted by: Erika Brown

Preserving the Small but Mighty Hercules

 

Meet the Balclutha at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

May 12, 2017 Posted by: Cleo M., Age 9

Written in her Bayfarer journalism class at 826 Valencia, nine year old Cleo (and daughter of a Park Ranger) shares why she think you should visit the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

 

#NPS101: What is a Maritime Museum & What Do They Do?

April 17, 2017 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

National Park Week is America's largest celebration of national heritage. This year’s theme, “Parks 101,” plays off the 101st anniversary of the National Park Service and the idea of 101-type introductory classes. Join San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park this week as we share maritime and Parks 101 related anecdotes and stories through our digital platforms.

 

#NPS101: Do You Know The Origins of These 6 Commonly Used Sailor Phrases?

April 17, 2017 Posted by: Travis Mackin

National Park Week is America's largest celebration of national heritage. This year’s theme, “Parks 101,” plays off the 101st anniversary of the National Park Service and the idea of 101-type introductory classes. Join San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park this week as we share maritime and Parks 101 related anecdotes and stories through our digital platforms.

 

Join Rangers and Volunteers for SF History Days at the Old Mint

March 03, 2017 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Park rangers and volunteers will greet visitors at an NPS exhibit at the free event San Francisco History Days at the Old Mint on Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5, 2017.

 

Dry Days Mean Concrete Pours on the Promenade

February 24, 2017 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Concrete slabs poured and drying as part of the Promemade construction project.

 

Aquatic Park Pathway Closed Due to Storm Damage

January 19, 2017 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

A storm-damaged tree in Aquatic Park has triggered a temporary closure of an east-west pathway. Visitors should exercise caution, and plan to route around the area.

 

Back to Work After the Rain

January 17, 2017 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Portion of the Promenade showing that the railroad tracks and ties have been removed, and the surface is being re-graded.

 

Weather Closes Hyde Street Pier on Tuesday Afternoon, January 10

January 10, 2017 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Weather Closes Hyde Street Pier on Tuesday Afternoon, January 10

 

One of "15 Amazing Interior Department Jobs" Located Right Here

January 10, 2017 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park has one of the "15 Amazing Jobs at the Interior Department"

 

2017 Blue Room Lecture Series Announced

January 03, 2017 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Blue-painted, restored room in the Maritime Museum.

 

1907 Steam Tug Hercules Honored With "2016 Tugboat of the Year" Award

December 12, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

The Steamship Historical Society of America honored San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park’s 1907 steam tug Hercules with the SSHSA’s "2016 Tugboat of the Year" award.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 23, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Chinatown's Maritime Stories: Walking Tour - December 3 at 10am

November 18, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Join park rangers on a "Healthy Parks, Healthy People" walk from Chinatown to San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

 

Promenade Work Continues

November 18, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Working from the west end, crews are uncovering layers of asphalt, patching and concrete.

 

John Roberts and Debra Cowan Concert Aboard Balclutha

November 07, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Sea Music concert aboard the 1886 square-rigger Balclutha

 

Aquatic Park Promenade Will Close Monday, October 24, 2016

October 21, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Aquatic Park Promenade will be closed on Monday, October 24, 2016.

 

The Aquatic Park Upper Path Closed Thursday, October 20

October 19, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Aquatic Park upper path will close for paving tomorrow Thursday 10/20 to prep for promenade project closure next week.

 

Promenade Work Will Begin Later This Week With Paving An Upper Aquatic Park Path

October 17, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Promenade project work will begin later this week with re-paving an upper Aquatic Park path.

 

Video clip from the 2016 Moby Dick Mini-Marathon

October 17, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Video clip of a reading at the park's 2016 Moby Dick Mini-Marathon

 

Moby Dick Mini-Marathon Breaching Friday, October 14 in the Research Center

October 07, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Moby Dick Mini-Marathon on Friday, October 14 in the Research Center

 

Fleet Week On the Horizon: Enjoy the Show Safely and Plan for Crowds

October 04, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

Fleet Week 2016 happens this weekend. It's a great show, but expect extremely crowded conditions in Aquatic Park.

 

Promenade Construction Project Begins After Fleet Week 2016

September 30, 2016 Posted by: Lynn Cullivan

An improvement project will close the Promenade (the path between the Museum and Aquatic Park Cove) from Jefferson Street to Van Ness Avenue starting in October, 2016.

 
 

Last updated: December 10, 2020

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