C.A. THAYER
historic place
In San Francisco, the historic vessel C.A. Thayer represents the city's maritime history. This schooner was built in 1895 by Hans D. Bendixsen near Humboldt Bay, California. It was named for Clarence A. Thayer, a partner in the San Francisco-based E.K. Wood Lumber Company. From 1895 to 1912, the C.A. Thayer served as a lumber schooner, transporting timber between Grays Harbor, Washington, and San Francisco. Its voyages also extended to Mexico, Hawaii, and Fiji. The ship then adapted to new roles. From 1912, it worked in the Alaskan salmon fishery, and later, as a cod fishing vessel in the Bering Sea. During World War II, the U.S. Army used the C.A. Thayer as a munitions barge in British Columbia. The C.A. Thayer completed its last commercial voyage in 1950. After restoration, it opened as a museum ship in 1963 at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. This vessel is a rare surviving example of 19th-century Pacific Coast lumber schooners.