Balclutha, built in Glasgow, Scotland in 1886, survives as the last square rigged vessel afloat on San Francisco Bay and as one of only two American-owned square riggers yet afloat on the Pacific Coast.

Through her long life, Balclutha has played an active role in the development of maritime trade and commerce in the United States, beginning with the grain trade between California and England from 1870 and 1890. Balclutha is one of three survivors of thousands of grain ships which called at San Francisco.

After 1899, Balclutha was engaged for a time in the Pacific Coast lumber trade.

In 1901 she passed into American ownership along with a handful of other vessels through a specific Act of Congress.

Beginning in 1902, Balclutha was employed in the Alaskan salmon trade, in which she remained until she was the last sailing vessel to go north for the Alaskan Packers Association, her owners, in 1930.

During her career, Balclutha sailed to ports around the world including Antwerp, London, Le Havre, Rangoon, Callao, Cape Town, Montevideo, Honolulu, Melbourne, Rotterdam, Port Townsend, San Francisco, and Chignik.

With the exception of a few alterations made during the course of her long career as a working vessel and as a museum ship, Balclutha is essentially the same vessel as launched in 1886.

Balclutha is a National Historic Landmark.

Adapted from the NRHP Nomination Form.

Aquatic Park and Vicinity

• Pumping Station No. 2, Van Ness Avenue
• Aquatic Park Historic District
• Site of the First Ship into San Francisco Bay
• Ghirardelli Square, North Point at Larkin
• Haslett Warehouse, 680 Beach Street

• Alma Scow Schooner
• Balclutha Square-Rigged Sailing Ship
• C.A. Thayer Lumber Schooner
• Eppleton Hall Paddlewheel Tugboat
• Eureka Steam Ferryboat
• Hercules Steam Tugboat
• Lewis Ark Houseboat
• Tubbs Cordage Company Office Building

• USS Pampanito Submarine
• SS Jeremiah O'Brien Liberty Ship