ALMA (Scow Schooner)
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Why it's listed
Alma is a small wooden scow-schooner built in 1891 by local shipwright F. Seimer for James Peterson, who named her for his daughter. She measures 59 feet long and 22.6 feet wide, with a flat bottom, a convertible centerboard, one deck and two masts. Vessels of this type were once everywhere on San Francisco Bay, carrying hay, grain and nearly any other cargo into shallow creeks and tideflats with a crew of only one or two people. Hundreds worked the bay before roads and trucks made shore installations easy to reach. Alma later passed to other owners and was altered for use as a shell dredger. The State of California bought her in 1960, removed the dredging equipment and restored her to her original condition. She is now berthed at the Hyde Street Pier and is regarded as the only surviving restored scow-schooner afloat in California, which is why she was listed.
Significance in brief: The Alma is described as the last of her kind in California and the only surviving restored scow-schooner afloat in the state. These flat-bottomed, centerboard schooners carried hay, grain and other cargo around San Francisco Bay before roads and trucking replaced them. The form marks significance in commerce and transportation.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75000179, listed October 10, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2905 Hyde St. (Hyde St. Pier), San Francisco |
|---|---|
| County | San Francisco |
| Listed | October 10, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000179 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1891 (19th century) |
| Architect / builder | F. Seimer, local shipwright (built for James Peterson) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated June 7, 1988 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored to her 1891 condition after earlier alteration as a shell dredger; condition listed as excellent and unaltered; maintained and preserved by trained shipwrights and displayed as a museum and park vessel. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 37.81035, -122.42280 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75000179.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2156353
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.