DELTA KING
Why it's listed
Moored on the Sacramento River just north of Rio Vista, the Delta King is a four-deck sternwheel steamer built between 1923 and 1927 for the California Transportation Company. Fabricated in Glasgow and assembled in Stockton, it was 250 feet long with a steel hull and interiors of oak, mahogany and walnut. It was the twin of the Delta Queen, now on the Mississippi. In the late 1920s and 1930s it carried passengers and up to 2,000 tons of freight between San Francisco and Sacramento. Highway competition, including the Antioch bridge of 1926, cut into the trade. During the Second World War the Navy leased it as a troop transport on San Francisco Bay. Later it changed hands several times, and its engines, paddle wheel and interior fittings were removed. It was listed as the last of the large river steamers built and as a record of the shift from river to road transportation in Northern California.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the Delta King was the last of the large river steamers built and is an important part of the Sacramento Delta's history. It shows the shift from steamboat to highway and trucking transportation in Northern California. It carried passengers and freight between San Francisco and Sacramento and later served the U.S. Navy as a troop transport.
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 78000797, listed March 31, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3 mi. (4.8 km) N of Rio Vista on CA 84, Rio Vista |
|---|---|
| County | Solano County |
| Listed | March 31, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000797 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | Constructed 1923-27 |
| Architect / builder | California Transportation Co. |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied, deteriorated and altered; interior fittings, paddle wheel and engines have been removed. Sold in August 1977, with new owners planning to refurbish it for commercial and office space. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.17083, -121.67728 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 78000797.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q265864
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.