NIANTIC (Storeship)
historic place
Here in San Francisco, at the northwest corner of Clay and Sansome Streets, lies the site of the historic Niantic Storeship. Originally built in Connecticut in 1832, the Niantic was a whaleship that later brought fortune-seekers to San Francisco during the 1849 Gold Rush. Upon its arrival in July 1849, the ship's crew and passengers largely deserted it, eager to join the gold rush. With no crew, the Niantic was run aground in Yerba Buena Cove, where the water once reached Montgomery Street. It was then converted into a storeship, warehouse, and hotel. Its hull became warehouses, and offices and stores were built on its deck, topped with a shingle roof and a wide balcony. The Niantic, in its new role, was a prominent landmark. However, the great San Francisco fire of May 3, 1851, destroyed all but the submerged hulk of the ship. This remaining hulk then served as the foundation for the Niantic Hotel, which stood until 1872. Over the years, the ship's remains were rediscovered during excavations in 1872, 1907, and 1978, revealing artifacts like champagne bottles. Today, a portion of the Niantic is preserved in the San Francisco Maritime Museum. The site is marked by California Historical Landmark Number 88, a tablet placed on September 19, 1919, by the Native Sons of the Golden West. The Niantic Storeship represents San Francisco's rapid transformation during the Gold Rush, when abandoned ships became vital parts of the growing city's infrastructure.