Alameda in Alameda County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

A Working Waterfront

By Andrew Ruppenstein, September 29, 2020

1. A Working Waterfront Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

At the heart of the San Francisco waterfront are the maritime workers - the ferryboat deckhands, longshore workers, deep-sea sailors, cooks, cleaners, and engineers who move goods and people across the bay and around the world. Deckhands, engineers and boat captains begin work before sunrise-readying ferryboats for the daily commute.

Ferries have been an important form of transit in the bay for over a hundred and fifty years. Ferry service declined following the construction of the Bay Bridge, then revived after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and has continued to grow with the expanding population. Represented by the Inlandboatmen's Union and the Masters, Mates and Pilots, San Francisco maritime workers are known for their powerful, member-run unions. In 1934, sailors and longshoremen struck for fair hiring practices and safe working conditions. San Francisco maritime unions continue to play an important role in both local and international politics.

(sidebar not transcribed)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Labor Unions • Waterways & Vessels.

Location.

A Working Waterfront Marker - wide view, with ferries in the background image. Click for full size.

By Andrew Ruppenstein, September 29, 2020

2. A Working Waterfront Marker - wide view, with ferries in the background

37° 46.308′ N, 122° 17.909′ W. Marker is in Alameda, California, in Alameda County. Marker can be reached from Alameda Point Shoreline Trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Alameda CA 94501, 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. An Era of Dramatic Change (a few steps from this marker); The Jimmy Doolittle Pier – Alameda Naval Air Station (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pan Am China Clipper (approx. 1.1 miles away); Alameda Terminus of the 1st Transcontinental Railroad (approx. 1.1 miles away); U.S. Maritime Officers Memorial (approx. 1.2 miles away); First Transcontinental Railroad (approx. 1.2 miles away); Skippy Peanut Butter (approx. 1.3 miles away); 930 Pacific Avenue (approx. 1.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alameda.

More about this marker. The marker is located on the Alameda Point Shoreline trail right by the ferry facility.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 8, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 8, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. This page has been viewed 49 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 8, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California.