The Berkeley, a Rare Treasure
A California Historic Landmark and National Historic Landmark
By Ed Jones, SD Writer
The Berkeley, a Rare Treasure!
A California Historic Landmark and National Historic Landmark.
One of the crown jewels of the San Diego Maritime Museum's fleet of historic ships is the ferry Berkeley. Built in 1898, it hauled countless passengers across the bay between San Francisco and Berkeley. The 1936 completion of the Oakland Bay Bridge signaled the end of passenger services on the ferry just three years later. For a couple of decades it carried trains before its retirement in 1958.
Now Berkeley serves many functions. Its lower deck has the original engine room and a room for special displays. The main deck provides space for ship models and other displays, the library, offices, and the museum store.
But it's the upper salon deck that still has the aura of the Victorian era in which she was created. A large, airy space of 12,000 square feet, it boasts elegant curved-back original seats of perforated teak and laminated black walnut. The central bar, still in use for entertaining, is authentic and abuts a large oak dance floor.
The room is surrounded by windows giving onto views of the bay and the tall ships Californian, HMS Surprise, and Star of India. In stark contrast a jet-black Russian submarine lurks alongside. To the south lies the cruise ship terminal, and to the east stands the modern skyline of a vibrant city.
The upper windows are original Kokomo opalescent glass that features numerous glass jewels in their design. The windows are not stained, but had colored oxides mixed into the molten glass before pouring. These priceless windows are among the most beautiful ever installed on a ferryboat.
It's no wonder that Berkeley's upper deck is in great demand for parties, receptions, and meetings for clients who appreciate the elegance of the Victorian era. It's one of San Diego's rare treasures.
Ed Jones, SD Writer 2008
