Richmond in Contra Costa County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Ferries and Frieght on San Francisco Bay
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, May 20, 2020
1. Ferries and Frieght on San Francisco Bay Marker
Before bridges spanned the Bay, ferries and trains once linked
San Francisco with the rest of the nation. At that time, the Bay
Area boasted the world's largest ferry system.
Here, at Ferry Point ship and rail met in 1900 when Santa Fe
tunneled through the hills to open the western terminus of its
transcontinental line. Train passengers disembarked for the first
time to board a ferry for San Francisco. One traveler described
the trip:"On the [ferry's] upper deck is...a cozy dining room where one can be served..while enjoying the beauties of this seven mile trip-the harbor, the shipping, the Berkeley hills upon the left, Mount Tamalpais on the right. It takes about thirty minutes.."
Freight trains, too, pulled in to the Ferry Point yards. The
boxcars were loaded onto barges and hauled by tugboat
across the Bay.
Richmond, a new bayshore community, sprang up following
Santa Fe's move to the area. Today, the old pier, pump house, and
pieces of track still remain from the days when Ferry Point was
the gateway to San Francisco and the world beyond.
Erected by East Bay Regional
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, May 20, 2020
2. Ferries and Frieght on San Francisco Bay Marker - wide view
...with terminal as background, now popular for fishing.
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 37° 54.565′ N, 122° 23.429′ W. Marker is in Richmond, California, in Contra Costa County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Dornan Drive and Brickyard Cove Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Richmond CA 94801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Clay, Kilns & Brick (approx. 0.6 miles away); By Land and By Sea (approx. 0.8 miles away); Contra Costa College Site (approx. 1.2 miles away); First City Hall of Richmond (approx. 1.2 miles away); Wartime Changes (approx. 1.2 miles away); Richmond Shipyards (approx. 1.2 miles away); Bank of Richmond (approx. 1.2 miles away); War Boomtown (approx. 1.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Richmond.
More about this marker. The marker is located at Ferry Point in Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline Park. From the parking lot located where Dornan Drive and Brickyard Cove run into each other it is a less than a 3 minute walk from the lot to the former ferry terminal.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 14, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 14, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 188 times since then and 67 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 14, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
