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| Piers (San Francisco) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Port of San Francisco Piers |
| Other name | San Francisco Waterfront Piers |
| Settlement type | Waterfront piers and wharves |
| Subdivision type | City |
| Subdivision name | San Francisco |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Established title | Major development |
| Established date | 1850s–20th century |
| Population density km2 | auto |
Piers (San Francisco)
The piers of San Francisco form a continuous series of maritime structures along the northeastern waterfront of San Francisco, primarily lining the Embarcadero and the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Originating in the mid-19th century during the California Gold Rush, they became critical nodes for shipping, immigration, naval operations, and urban transit, connecting the city to the Pacific Ocean, the Central Valley, and transcontinental rail networks. Over time the piers hosted shipping lines such as the Matson Navigation Company, naval facilities tied to the United States Navy, and passenger terminals for lines including the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.
The waterfront piers emerged as San Francisco transformed after the 1848 California Gold Rush and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo era consolidation of California into the United States. Early wooden wharves were supplemented by numbered piers built under municipal authority and private companies like the Pacific Mail Steamship Company and Pacific Coast Steamship Company. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries the piers were integrated with the Southern Pacific Railroad ferry terminals and the Transcontinental Railroad logistics network, while disasters such as the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire prompted major reconstruction. In the World War II period the piers were mobilized by the United States Maritime Commission and the United States Navy, supporting convoys and troop movements to the Pacific Theater. Postwar shifts toward containerization, exemplified by innovations from companies like Sea-Land Corporation, and the expansion of the Port of Oakland led to decline in some piers’ freight roles. Civic responses included beautification tied to the Golden Gate International Exposition (1939) and later activism around the Embarcadero Freeway removal after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
The pier line extends roughly from Fort Mason and the Marina District eastward along the Fisherman's Wharf area, past the Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street, then south toward South Beach and the Bayview–Hunters Point industrial shoreline. Piers are numbered sequentially (e.g., Pier 1½, Pier 7, Pier 39) and intersperse with landmarks such as Aquatic Park, Ghirardelli Square, and Oracle Park. The waterfront sits on filled tidelands and reclaimed landfill underlain by bay mud; engineering projects have included bulkheads, revetments, and pile-supported decking dating to the era of municipal engineer M. H. de Young-era improvements and later seismic retrofitting influenced by standards from United States Geological Survey studies.
Prominent structures include the historic Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street; Pier 39, a mixed-use complex near Fisherman's Wharf famous for sea lion colonies and retail; Pier 7, a pedestrian pier with views of the Bay Bridge; and the massive finger piers of the former Embarcadero Center waterfront. Military-associated facilities included Pier 70 with shipyards and the Union Iron Works, while Pier 45 at Hyde Street houses the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and preserved vessels like the Balclutha (1886) and the C.A. Thayer (1895). Commercial shipping historically used larger berths like Pier 80 and Pier 70 Shipyard, which have seen industrial reuse and preservation attention. Cultural venues emerged at locations such as Pier 14 and the renovated spaces around Jack London Square-adjacent facilities.
The piers function as multimodal terminals linking waterborne transit with street systems like Market Street, municipal transit operated by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, and regional services from Bay Area Rapid Transit connections. Ferry operators include Golden Gate Ferry, San Francisco Bay Ferry, and private excursion providers serving routes to Sausalito, Tiburon, Alameda, and Oakland. Historically, ferryboat services were run by companies such as the Market Street Railway Company and integrated with Southern Pacific ferry terminals prior to the construction of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge.
The waterfront piers host attractions tied to Fisherman's Wharf, the Exploratorium (formerly at Palace of Fine Arts and later at Pier 15), farmers' markets at the Ferry Building Marketplace, and entertainment clusters including aquarium and maritime museums connected to the National Park Service. Annual events such as Fleet Week (San Francisco), fireworks during Fourth of July celebrations, and cultural festivals draw visitors to venues like Pier 39 and Pier 7. Culinary scenes developed around seafood producers, influenced by heritage from companies like Boudin Bakery and historic fish processors, while contemporary arts initiatives have staged exhibitions and performances in repurposed warehouses and piers.
Historically the piers supported cargo handling for commodities from the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, agricultural exports bound for Asia, and naval logistics supporting the Pacific Fleet. Industrial clusters at Pier 70 and the Bayview–Hunters Point shipyards underpinned maritime manufacturing and repair, involving firms such as Union Iron Works and later contractors tied to Naval Shipyards. The decline of break-bulk shipping and rise of container ports shifted freight activity to the Port of Oakland and expanded logistics corridors to include Interstate 80 trucking and rail yards linked to BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. Contemporary waterfront economies blend tourism, office space, culinary retail, and adaptive reuse of maritime industry assets.
Preservationists, municipal agencies such as the Port of San Francisco, and organizations including the National Trust for Historic Preservation have collaborated on landmark designations and adaptive reuse projects for piers and shipyard complexes. Redevelopment initiatives have encompassed seismic retrofit programs, environmental remediation to address contaminants linked to historical shipbuilding and industrial operations, and mixed-use conversions exemplified by the Ferry Building revitalization and adaptive projects at Pier 70. Public planning controversies have engaged civic groups, waterfront businesses, and regulatory bodies like the California Coastal Commission and San Francisco Planning Department over proposals for residential development, open-space restoration, and resiliency planning in response to sea-level rise studies from NOAA and seismic risk assessments by the United States Geological Survey.
Category:San Francisco Bay Category:Waterfronts in California