National Historic Landmark · full-rigged ship · San Francisco, California

Balclutha

Steel-hulled full rigged ship that was built in 1886 in San Francisco, California. Added to the National Register in 1976, and a National Historic Landmark.

Has a visitor websiteNational Historic LandmarkListed 1976
1988- NPS establishes San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park (99f28391-155d-4519-3e31-e38788a936be)1989- The annual Sea Music Concert series debuts (449e04d2-155d-4519-3ec2-e89d1074fc36)1992- Interpretive BALCLUTHA aloft program begins (d6a19814-155d-4519-3ea9-53a54cb554f1)2005- BALCLUTHA celebrates 50 Years as a museum ship (08bcfd6c-155d-4519-3ef4-fc82bcfb3dcc)
Photos via Wikimedia Commons · 6 in the Commons category

What it is

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 representative of several different commercial ventures, including lumber, salmon, and grain. She is a U.S. National Historic Landmark and is currently preserved as part of San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in San Francisco, California, although temporarily on display in Vallejo. She was added to the National Register of Historic Places on 7 November 1976.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The record

Property typeStructure
AddressPier 41 East, San Francisco, CA
CountySan Francisco County
ListedNov 7, 1976
Listed forCommerce, Transportation
Level of significanceNational
Also known asStar Of Alaska; Pacific Queen; Sailing Ship BALCLUTHA
Reference number76000178
Type of placefull-rigged ship, preserved watercraft
DesignationsNational Historic Landmark
Contributing resources1 structure
StandingYes

The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗

Visiting

AddressPier 41 East, San Francisco, CA
Websitenps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/balclutha.htm ↗
Coordinates37.8098° N, 122.4225° W · Directions ↗
Also in San Francisco197 listed places in San Francisco → · walking tours →
Nearest national park unitSan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park · under a mile · on Park Atlas
Federal campgrounds nearbyAquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels Only (Auxiliary Engine Ok) under a mile · Rob Hill Group Campground 3 miles · Kirby Cove Campground 4 miles
Listing on the Register does not open the door. Unless a museum or park runs it, treat this as private property and see it from the sidewalk.

Explore

Map

Local history books for San Francisco

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  • San Francisco's Ferry Building
    Anne Evers Hitz, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • San Francisco's St. Cecilia Parish
    Frank Dunnigan, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • 1906 San Francisco earthquake
    Richard Hansen, 2013
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Russian San Francisco
    Lydia B. Zaverukha, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • San Francisco Zoo
    Katherine Girlich, 2009
    Find at Bookshop.org

Guidebooks to historic places in California

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

When was Balclutha listed on the National Register?

Nov 7, 1976. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.

Source: National Park Service

Can I visit Balclutha?

Probably. Places of this type are usually open to the public, but the record lists no hours; the official website will have them.

Source: Official website

Where is Balclutha?

Pier 41 East, San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. The nearest national park unit is San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, under a mile away.

Source: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Are there historic photographs or drawings of Balclutha?

Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.

Source: Library of Congress

Where is the nomination form for Balclutha?

The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.

Source: National Archives

Are there campgrounds near Balclutha?

Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels Only (Auxiliary Engine Ok), under a mile away. Rob Hill Group Campground is 3 miles away, and Kirby Cove Campground is 4 miles away.

Source: Campsite Atlas

Is there cell service at Balclutha?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

Sources

Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 76000178. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.