Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Ferryboat Eureka
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
1. Ferryboat Eureka Marker
Captions: (main photo) The Ukiah underway on the bay; ("walking beam" diagram, bottom right) A typical walking beam engine.
Between 1920 and 1922 Ukiah was totally rebuilt as the automobile ferry Eureka. She ran to Marin until 1941, and to Oakland until 1957, one of the last auto ferries on the bay.
Eureka's huge single cylinder "walking beam" engine is the last such engine afloat in this country. Technically outdated by the 1890s, these slow turning paddle engines remained popular for their simplicity and reliability.
BASIC FACTS:
Built: 1890, Tiburon, California
Builder: San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad, George Dickie, Contactor.
Length Overall - 299 feet , 6 inches
Beam Over Guards - 78 feet, 6 inches
Draft - 10 feet
Gross Tonnage - 2420
Engine Type - Single cylinder walking beam
Erected by U.S. Department of the Interior. National Park Service, San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1890.
Location. Marker has been permanently removed.
this page online
We have been informed that this sign or monument is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Highway 101 (here, next to this marker); Hyde Street Pier Was Part of Highway 101 (a few steps from this marker); Schooner C.A. Thayer (within shouting distance of this marker); Why Here? (within shouting distance of this marker); The Port in Action (within shouting distance of this marker); Sanitation at Sea (within shouting distance of this marker); Paddle Tug Eppleton Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Ship Balclutha (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Francisco.
More about this marker. The ferryboat Eureka, part of the San Francisco Maritime Nation Historical Park, is
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
2. Ferryboat Eureka
Also see . . .
1. Eureka (ferryboat) - Wikipedia. Although a number of large ferryboats survive in the US, Eureka is the only one with a wooden hull. She is one of the most impressive remaining examples of traditional American wooden shipbuilding...
Her walking beam engine was originally powered by coal-fired boilers that were converted to oil in 1905. The engine was built in 1890 by the Fulton Iron Works in San Francisco. It is the only walking beam engine in the United States preserved in a floating vessel. (Submitted on March 6, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
2. Sidewheeler ferryboat Eureka model - YouTube. A YouTube video of a working walking beam model on the Eureka. (Submitted on March 6, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Additional commentary.
1. Marker Removed
The marker has been removed, but the ferryboat is still there. Park staff said they are preparing for the pier to be demolished and rebuilt. Some displays will be replaced.
— Submitted October 8, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.
Additional keywords.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
3. The automobile deck
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
4. The passenger deck
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
5. Ferryboat Eureka
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
6. Ferryboat Eureka
Credits. This page was last revised on October 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 6, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 441 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 6, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
