Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Scow Schooner Alma

Scow Schooner <i>Alma</i> Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017

1. Scow Schooner Alma Marker

Captions: (main photo) The Alma under sail on San Francisco Bay.; A laden scow at the hay wharf, San Francisco.

Inscription. "The bay used to be full of them... They worked on the tide, they'd go up the cricks and riser's and lay on the flat until they got their cargo in and then out they'd go. Got, they were a busy outfit... What load they carried. - F.H. Wade, Scow Schoonerman

Alma is the last of some 400 locally built scow schooners. Designed to haul hay, salt , bricks, and other bulk products, scows were well suited for the shallow reaches of the bay and delta.
Alma was one of five scows owned by James Peterson. She was used in a number of local trades, but most often carried salt from Alviso to San Francisco.
In 1917 Alma was rigged down for use as an unpowered barge, and later was converted to a dredge. She came to this museum in 1939 and has been restored to active sailing condition.

BASIC FACTS:
Built: 1891 Hunters Point, San Francisco
Builder: Fred Seimer
Length on Deck - 59 feet
Beam - 22 feet, 6 inches
Gross Tonnage - 41
Draft - 3 feet, 6 inches

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1891.

Location. 37° 48.614′ N, 122° 25.371′ W. Marker is in San Francisco, California, in San Francisco

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City and County. It is in Fisherman's Wharf. Marker can be reached from Hyde Street near Jefferson Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2950 Hyde Street, San Francisco CA 94109, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Felucca Nuovo Mondo (a few steps from this marker); Hicks Engine (a few steps from this marker); Steering the Ship... (within shouting distance of this marker); The Main Fiferail... (within shouting distance of this marker); The Carpenter Shop... (within shouting distance of this marker); Balclutha (within shouting distance of this marker); The Deckhouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Workin' on the Railroad (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Francisco.

More about this marker. The scow schooner Alma, part of the San Francisco Maritime Nation Historical Park, is located on the Hyde Street Pier at the bottom of Hyde Street.

Also see . . .
1. Alam (1891) - Wikipedia. Able to navigate the shallow creeks and sloughs of the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Delta, the scows' strong, sturdy hulls could rest safely and securely on the bottom and provided a flat, stable platform for loading and unloading. While principally designed as
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017

2. Scow Schooner Alma and Marker
sailing vessels, scow schooners could also be hauled from the bank or poled in the shallows of the delta. (Submitted on March 8, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

2. Alma - National Park Service. This site contains links to the history of the Alama and scow schooners on San Francisco Bay. In addition there is a link to a video of the Alma under sail. (Submitted on March 8, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Additional keywords. Scow Schooner Alma

Scow Schooner <i>Alma</i> sailing on San Francisco Bay image. Click for full size.

Photographed By National Park Service, October 29, 2009

3. Scow Schooner Alma sailing on San Francisco Bay

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer

4. Scow Schooner Alma sailing on San Francisco Bay

Scow Schooner Unloading Hay image. Click for full size.

Photographed By National Park Servicee

5. Scow Schooner Unloading Hay

Scow Schooners Unloading Railroad Track at Sacramento image. Click for full size.

B. Swackhamer Collection, 1867

6. Scow Schooners Unloading Railroad Track at Sacramento

Scow Schooner at Stockton image. Click for full size.

B. Swackhamer Collection, circa 1870s

7. Scow Schooner at Stockton

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 343 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 8, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 7. submitted on March 10, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.