Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco

Fisherman's Wharf
Neighborhood of San Francisco
Fisherman's Wharf sign
Fisherman's Wharf Location within Central San Francisco
Coordinates: 37°48′30″N 122°24′56″W
Country	United States
State	California
City	City and County of San Francisco

Fisherman's Wharf is a neighborhood and popular tourist attraction in San Francisco, California, United States. It roughly encompasses the northern waterfront area of San Francisco from Ghirardelli Square or Van Ness Avenue east to Pier 35 or Kearny Street. The F Market streetcar runs through the area, the Powell-Hyde cable car line runs to Aquatic Park, at the edge of Fisherman's Wharf, and the Powell-Mason cable car line runs a few blocks away.

History

1884

Feluccas at Fisherman's Wharf at the foot of Union Street, circa 1891

In 1884, the first state-owned Fisherman's Wharf was built at the foot of Union Street, jutting out from the shore on a north by northeast angle, comprising a long narrow rectangle about 450 feet long and 150 feet wide, with an entrance along the leeward eastern side.

1900

In 1900, the state of California set aside the waterfront between the foot of Taylor and Leavenworth streets for commercial fishing boats.

1970s

Despite its redevelopment into a tourist attraction during the 1970s and 1980s, the area is still home to many active fishermen and their fleets.

2000s to present-day

In 2010, a $15 million development plan was proposed by city officials hoping to revitalize its appearance for tourists, and to reverse the area's downward trend in popularity among San Francisco residents.

On the morning of May 23, 2020, a four-alarm fire burned a fish-processing warehouse on Pier 45, resulting in a partial collapse of the warehouse, and damage to two other buildings. No injuries were reported.

On June 18, 2023, a car-to-car gun battle left two people in one of the cars wounded, three bystanders who were hit by glass shards, and a 10-year-old girl was struck by one of the recklessly-driven cars involved in the shootout. A 33-year-old man from Pittsburg, California was arrested later that month for his involvement in the shooting, and in October 2023, three people, including a juvenile, were arrested for their alleged roles in the shooting. The shooting allegedly stemmed from a burglary-related conflict between the two parties, and it occurred on Father's Day in broad daylight.

Attractions and characteristics

Aerial view of San Francisco, looking south, with Fisherman's Wharf just left of center, directly above a lone sailboat

One of the busiest and well known tourist attractions in the western United States, Fisherman's Wharf is best known for being the location of Pier 39, the Cannery Shopping Center, Ghirardelli Square, a Ripley's Believe it or Not museum, the Musée Mécanique, Wax Museum at Fishermans Wharf, and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

Seafood restaurants are plentiful in the area, including the floating Forbes Island restaurant at Pier 39 to stands that serve fresh seafood. Some of the restaurants, including Fishermen's Grotto, Pompei's Grotto and Alioto's, go back for three generations of the same family ownership. Other restaurants include chains like Applebee's and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. The area also has an In-N-Out Burger; local business leaders said they opposed every other fast food chain except In-N-Out, because they wanted to maintain the flavor of family-owned, decades-old businesses in the area, with one saying locals would ordinarily "be up in arms about a fast-food operation coming to Fisherman's Wharf," but the family-owned In-N-Out "is different."

Other attractions in Fisherman's Wharf area are the Hyde Street Pier (part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park), the USS Pampanito, a decommissioned World War II era submarine, and the Balclutha, a 19th-century cargo ship. Nearby Pier 45 has a chapel in memory of the "Lost Fishermen" of San Francisco and Northern California.

On November 13, 2023, the SkyStar Wheel began operations in Fisherman's Wharf after spending three years in the nearby Music Concourse within Golden Gate Park. Its opening coincided with the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman on State Belt Railroad track, at Fisherman's Wharf, in 1972

There is a sea lion colony next to Pier 39. They "took-up" residence months before the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. The sea lions lie on wooden docks that were originally used for docking boats.

Fisherman's Wharf plays host to many San Francisco events, including a firework display on the Fourth of July and some of the best views of the Fleet Week air shows featuring The Blue Angels.

Pier 45

The USS Pampanito (SS-383) and SS Jeremiah O'Brien are National Historic Landmarks, preserved as a memorial and museum ships as part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park located near the Wharf.

In popular culture

In 1985, the wharf was used as a filming location in the James Bond film A View to a Kill, where Bond (played for the last time by Roger Moore) met with CIA agent Chuck Lee (David Yip) in his quest to eliminate the villain of the film, Max Zorin (Christopher Walken).

The cover photos for Van Dyke Parks' music album Clang of the Yankee Reaper (1975) were taken by Ed Thrasher at Fisherman's Wharf.

See also

• Hyde Street Pier, old automobile ferry site made obsolete by the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges
• 49-Mile Scenic Drive
• Fisherman's Wharves in other places
• F Market, the San Francisco Municipal Railway historic streetcar linking the Wharf to Market Street
• Pier 39
• Musée Mécanique
• Red & White Fleet bay cruises

Further reading

• San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, Alessandro Baccari Jr. Arcadia Publishing (2006)

External links

• Fisherman's Wharf Merchants Association (including wharf history and visitor information)
• JB Monaco Fisherman's Wharf Photo Gallery