SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The Silvergate and Cabrillo, two of San Diego Bay's working ferries, were named to the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior, it was announced Monday.
Silvergate (built in 1940) and Cabrillo (1964) are owned and operated by Flagship Cruises & Events and are still in regular use.
"These ferries are more than boats; they are living history," said Brad Engel, president of Flagship Cruises & Events. "The Silvergate and Cabrillo have carried millions of passengers across San Diego Bay and have stood as constant witnesses to the city's growth and transformation. We are honored to see their legacies recognized at the national level."
The Silvergate saw its first service just before the United States entered World War II as a way to transport the increase in passengers from San Diego to Naval Station North Island on Coronado. Its use declined after the construction of the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge in 1969, when the Silvergate was used mainly for harbor cruises and educational trips.
In 1987, after construction bonds on the Coronado Bridge were paid in full, the Silvergate resumed ferry service. It is being recognized on the Register of Historic Places due to its "association with maritime transportation during World War II and in the post-war years as part of San Diego's maritime recreation sector."
The Cabrillo was designed by naval architect Oakley J. Hall and built by the Star & Crescent Boat Company specifically for passenger service on San Diego Bay. The Cabrillo was operated "historically as an excursion vessel during the post-war maritime recreation boom in San Diego," a statement from Flagship read.
It is being historically recognized under National Register Criterion A, with a period of significance of 1964-1968 and also recognized under National Register Criterion B, for associated significance with the life of its designer Hall.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic places worthy of preservation and includes buildings, districts, objects and historical sites.
"These vessels represent an irreplaceable part of our maritime heritage, serving as reminders of an era when ferries were the primary way of connecting people, commerce, and culture across San Diego Bay," said Vickie Stone, curator of collections at the Coronado Historical Association. "The preservation of these two ferries will ensure that future generations can appreciate the craftsmanship, innovation, and civic importance that these boats embody."
Other San Diego County places on the register include the Cabrillo National Monument, Chicano Park, the Gaslamp Quarter Historic District and the Berkeley, another ferryboat used by the Southern Pacific Railroad in San Francisco Bay area before coming to San Diego as part of the Maritime Museum of San Diego in 1973.
Flagship ferry and excursion schedules and tickets can be found at flagshipsd.com.
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