Pumping Station No. 2 San Francisco Fire Department Auxiliary Water Supply System
historic place
Pumping Station No. 2 of the San Francisco Fire Department Auxiliary Water Supply System is a historic place in San Francisco County. Erected in 1912, this station sits near Fort Mason, at the northern end of Van Ness Avenue. Its creation followed the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, which revealed the inadequacy of the city's water system for firefighting. In 1909, San Francisco voters approved a bond for the Auxiliary Water Supply System, a dedicated high-pressure network. Designed by City Engineer Marsden Manson and Caldwell & Co. in the Mission Revival style, Pumping Station No. 2 was built to draw saltwater from the San Francisco Bay. This provided a vital emergency water source for the system. The station stands as an example of innovative engineering and community planning, establishing an 'earthquake-proof' firefighting system for the city.