San Francisco in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
San Francisco Bay "Ark"
By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
1. San Francisco Bay "Ark" Marker
Captions: (main photo) The ark Woinnehaha near Belvedere Island. Guest gather under an awning. A sailing tender waits alongside; (bottom maps) Tiburon and Belvedere Island. The arks wintered in Belvedere Lagoon and moored in Belvedere Cove during the summer. The lagoon was later filled in.
"Here a bath is a matter of stepping off the porch, a stroll is taken in a boat, and a splash of oars announces butcher and baker." - Albert B. Hunt in Houseboats and Houseboating. 1905 This little houseboat, referred to locally as an ark, was one of several dozen boats for San Francisco families in Belvedere Cove, near Tiburon in Marin County.
Reputedly built for the McGinnis family sometime prior to 1900, this ark was hauled ashore about 1923 and passed through several hands before being donated to the museum in 1969.
Summer aboard the arks was an idyllic time. The boats were brightly painted and glowed at night with colorful Japanese lanterns. Evenings were spent visiting between boats in neatly finished rowboats.
BASIC FACTS:
Built: c. 1890-1900
Builder: Unknown
Length Overall - 44 feet
Beam on Deck - 25 feet, 6 inches
Draft - 2 feet
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
By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
2. San Francisco Bay "Ark" and Marker
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Location. 37° 48.483′ N, 122° 25.25′ W. Marker is in San Francisco, California, in San Francisco City and County. Marker can be reached from Hyde Street near Jefferson Street, on the right 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. Triple-Expansion Steam Engine (a few steps from this marker); Steam Donkey Engine (a few steps from this marker); Hyde Street Pier (within shouting distance of this marker); The South End Rowing Club (within shouting distance of this marker); Sanitation at Sea (within shouting distance of this marker); The Dolphin Swimming and Boating Club (within shouting distance of this marker); The Tubbs Cordage Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Tug Sea Fox (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Francisco.
More about this marker. Hyde Street Pier, part of the San Francisco Maritime Nation Historical Park, is located at the bottom of Hyde Street.
Also see . . . San Francisco Bay Ark. Addition photographs of San Francisco Bay "Arks." (Submitted on March 6, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Additional keywords. Houseboat
By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
3. San Francisco Bay "Ark"
By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
4. All the comforts of home.
By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
5. San Francisco Bay "Ark" Marker
By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017
6. Sleeping Quarters
Credits. This page was last revised on March 6, 2017. It was originally submitted on March 6, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 220 times since then and 2 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 6, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
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