Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Ship Balclutha
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
1. Ship Balclutha Marker
Captions: (main photo) The Star of Alaska, formerly Balclutha, under sail off San Francisco in the 1920s; (map, bottom right) Routes of the European grain trade and the Alaska salmon trade.
"No one who has not been there can imagine the strain on the captain in trying to get around Cape Horn. This passage in the Balclutha was about my hardest time. - Captain Alfred Durkee, Master 1894-1899
Balclutha was a cargo ship, one of thousands of iron and steel sailing vessels built in Great Britain and Europe beginning in the 1860s.
During thirteen years under the British flag, Balclutha called at San Francisco five times, bringing coal and general cargo from Europe and returning with California grain.
From 1903 to 1930 the ship made yearly voyages between San Francisco and Alaska. Renamed Star of Alaska, she sailed for the Alaska Packers Association, carrying men and supplies to the canneries and bring back packed salmon.
BASIC FACTS:
Built: 1886, Glasgow, Scotland
Builder: Charles Connel & Co.
Length on Deck - 256 feet
Beam - 38 feet
Draft - 22 feet
Gross Tonnage - 1689
Erected by U.S. Department of the Interior. National Park Service, San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.
Location. 37° 48.575′
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Cathead... (a few steps from this marker); Paddle Tug Eppleton Hall (a few steps from this marker); The Forecastle... (a few steps from this marker); Steam Tug Hercules (within shouting distance of this marker); Towing in the Open Ocean (within shouting distance of this marker); Workin' on the Railroad (within shouting distance of this marker); The Half-Deck (within shouting distance of this marker); The Deckhouse (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Francisco.
More about this marker. The Ship Balclutha, part of the San Francisco Maritime Nation Historical Park, is berthed at the Hyde Street Pier, located at the bottom of Hyde Street.
Also see . . .
1. Balclutha (1886). Wikipedia entry:
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. (Submitted on December 24, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Star of Alaska (formerly Balclutha, later Pacific Queen and Balclutha)
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
2. Ship Balclutha and Marker
After the last voyage for the Alaska Packers Association in 1930, Star of Alaska lay idle for two years. In 1932, the ship was purchased by Frank Kissinger. Kissinger was a showman who had worked carnivals and other venues. He renamed Star of Alaska, Pacific Queen, and thus began a somewhat gaudy career of showboating up and down the California coast. Pacific Queen was chartered to a movie company in 1934-35 to make several sea films, including Mutiny on the Bounty with Charles Laughton and Clark Gable. (Submitted on March 7, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Additional keywords. Ship Balclutha
Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, October 7, 2023
3. Ship Balclutha and Marker
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
4. Ship Balclutha
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
5. Ship Balclutha
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
6. Main and mizzen masts of the Ship Balclutha
Photographed By Texas Tech University
7. Ship Star of Alaska, aka Balclutha
Credits. This page was last revised on December 24, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 7, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 464 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 7, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 3. submitted on October 8, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on March 7, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
