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

Steam Tug Hercules

Steam Tug <i>Hercules</i> Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017

1. Steam Tug Hercules Marker

Captions: (main photo) Hercules at Camden, New Jersey ready to begin her voyage to the West Coast; (illustration bottom right) Hercules maneuvers raft in San Diego Harbor. These huge rafts were towed from the Columbia River to mills in southern California.

Inscription. ... we picked up six million feet of timber in a raft to tow South to San Diego. Long, slow lazy days, making no more than three knots. We rigged a fishing line and caught beautiful King Salmon on the way." - Albert Hody, Hercules Fireman.

Built on the East Coast for the Shipowners and Merchant Tugboat Company. Hercules made her maiden voyage of 13,500 miles around the tip of South America, towing the Goliah, a sistership.
Until 1923 Hercules ranged the West Coast from Alaska to Panama, with tows including sailing vessels (the C.A. Thayer among them), log rafts and barges.
Hercules worked on the bay from 1924 until 1962, towing railroad barges for Western Pacific. Her strong steel hull and reliable triple-expansion engine assured her a long and useful life.

BASIC FACTS:
Built: 1907, Camden, New Jersey
Builder: John H. Dialogue and Son
Length Overall - 139 feet
Beam - 26 feet
Gross Tonnage - 409

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. A significant historical year for this entry is 1907.

Location. 37° 48.587′

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N, 122° 25.334′ W. Marker is in San Francisco, California, in San Francisco 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. Towing in the Open Ocean (here, next to this marker); Workin' on the Railroad (here, next to this marker); The Deckhouse (a few steps from this marker); The Cathead... (a few steps from this marker); The Half-Deck (a few steps from this marker); The Forecastle... (a few steps from this marker); The Carpenter Shop... (a few steps from this marker); Ship Balclutha (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Francisco.

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

Also see . . . Hercules (1907) - Wikipedia. For the first part of her life, Hercules was an oceangoing tug. Because of the prevailing northwest winds, sailing ships often employed Hercules and her sisters on journeys north up the coast from San Francisco. For example, in 1916, Hercules
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017

2. Steam Tug Hercules and Marker
towed C.A. Thayer to Port Townsend, Washington. On return trips back down the coast, Hercules often towed log rafts of Pacific Northwest timber, to Southern California mills. At other times, Hercules was employed towing barges to other ports on the West Coast and to Hawaii, and in transporting equipment for the construction of the Panama Canal. (Submitted on March 7, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Additional commentary.
1. Tug Relocated
The Hercules has been taken to drydock for repairs. Once completed, the tug will be taken to a new location while park staff prepare for the demolition and rebuilding of the pier. Once construction is completed, the Hercules is expected to return to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

— Submitted October 8, 2023, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.

Additional keywords. Steam Tug Hercules

Marker Without the Tug image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, October 7, 2023

3. Marker Without the Tug

See Additional Commentary section.

Steam Tug <i>Hercules </i> image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017

4. Steam Tug Hercules

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 4, 2017

5. Steam Tug Hercules

Photographed By U.S, Government, circa 1908

6. Steam Tug Hercules Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on October 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 7, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 379 times since then and 33 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. submitted on March 7, 2017, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.