STAMBOUL (Whaling Bark)
Also known as: Whaling Bark STAMBOUL
Why it's listed
Buried in the mud of Carquinez Strait at the foot of West 12th Street in Benicia, the remains of the bark Stamboul preserve a long maritime career. Built in 1843 at Medford, Massachusetts, by Waterman and Ewell, she first served in the Boston ice trade and reportedly carried ice to Egypt. From 1865 she was a whaler, sailing from New Bedford and later San Francisco to Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic grounds. In 1895 shipbuilder Matthew Turner bought her for use as a shear hulk at his Benicia yard, where she was scuttled and fitted with winches and shear poles for stepping masts. She remained in use until about the First World War. Divers found her in 1986 during a survey of the shipyard and confirmed that the lower hull, from the 'tween deck to the keel, survives, about 70 percent of the vessel. The nomination calls her one of three surviving American whaling ships of her period and a source of information on New England shipbuilding.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues national significance for the ship's role in the Boston ice trade, American deepwater whaling and the Matthew Turner/James Robertson Shipyard, where she served as a shear hulk. Her roughly 70 percent intact hull is described as one of three surviving American whaling ships of the era. It also holds potential information on mid-19th century New England shipbuilding and ice-trade vessel construction.
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 88002030, listed November 2, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Foot of W. 12th St., Benicia |
|---|---|
| County | Solano County |
| Listed | November 2, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002030 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1843-1918 |
| Architect / builder | Waterman and Ewell |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Hull lies partially buried in about six feet of water; about 70 percent of the hull survives intact. Owned by the City of Benicia; listed as unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 38.06148, -122.15812 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 88002030.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.