C.A. THAYER (Additional Documentation)
Also known as: C.A. THAYER (Lumber Schooner)
Why it's listed
Built in 1895 at Fairhaven on Humboldt Bay, the C. A. Thayer is a three-masted wooden schooner, 156 feet long, constructed of Douglas fir by Hans Ditley Bendixsen. She was designed to haul about 575,000 board feet of lumber, much of it on deck, and a small crew could handle her rig. The schooner carried lumber from Washington mills to San Francisco and Southern California, later served Alaskan salmon salteries from 1912 to 1924, and then fished for cod in the Bering Sea until 1950. By then she was the last operating commercial schooner on the Pacific Coast. Described as the last survivor afloat of 122 schooners built for the Pacific Coast lumber trade, she was purchased by the State of California in the 1950s, repaired in Puget Sound, and sailed to San Francisco. She was named a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and is now displayed at Hyde Street Pier.
Significance in brief: The C. A. Thayer is described as the last surviving example afloat of 122 sailing schooners designed for the 19th-century Pacific Coast lumber trade. She was typical of the vessels that carried redwood and fir lumber from coastal mills to San Francisco and other ports. She later served the Alaskan salmon and Bering Sea codfish trades, and became the last operating commercial schooner on the Pacific Coast.
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 66000229, listed November 13, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park/Hyde Street Pier, San Francisco |
|---|---|
| County | San Francisco |
| Listed | November 13, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000229 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Hans Ditley Bendixsen |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated November 13, 1966 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored to her original 1895 appearance except for the foc'sle added during the codfishing years; on exhibit at the Hyde Street Pier. Condition listed as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.80907, -122.42160 (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 66000229.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1022336
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.