The SS Berkeley in San Diego
historic place
The historic place known as BERKELEY in San Diego is the steam ferryboat SS Berkeley. Built by the Union Iron Works of San Francisco, she launched on October 18, 1898. The Berkeley was the first successful propeller-driven ferry on the West Coast. At her launch, she was the largest commuter ferry in the United States, capable of carrying 1,700 passengers. For sixty years, the Berkeley operated on San Francisco Bay. Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the ferry evacuated thousands of refugees to Oakland. Decommissioned in 1958, the Berkeley was acquired by the Maritime Museum of San Diego in 1973. She arrived in San Diego on June 3, 1973. The vessel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990 and a California State Historical Landmark in 2000. Today, the SS Berkeley serves as the main building for the Maritime Museum of San Diego, preserving a significant example of early West Coast ferry technology and service.