By Christopher VerPlanck and Larry Clinton, Sausalito Historical Society
On September 20 the Sausalito city council approved a refined citywide historic context statement, a survey of the city’s history underpinning its development. The statement was prepared by Christopher VerPlanck, principal of VerPlanck Historic Preservation Consulting. The following excerpts tell the story of one of the town’s earliest assets:
During the Gold Rush, Richardson’s Rancho de Saucelito continued to supply fresh water, firewood, and lumber to residents of San Francisco (its name was changed from Yerba Buena in 1847). Meanwhile, Shelter Cove, which was still part of Richardson’s rancho, became an important rendezvous point for New England whalers, approximately 650 of whom were active in the Pacific by 1855. Located just inside the Golden Gate with plenty of deep water, Shelter Cove also became an important area for ad hoc ship repairs. Because of its wide, sandy beach, ship captains could safely run their vessels ashore, making hull repairs much easier.
Such activity soon attracted the attention of the U.S. Navy, which was then in search of a place to build a naval repair facility on the Pacific Coast.
Facilitated by the demands of the U.S. Navy and independent ship captains, Sausalito got its own saw mill in 1848. Originally shipped to San Francisco, the mill was inexplicably redirected to Shelter Cove, perhaps with the encouragement of the increasingly cash-strapped William Richardson.
The saw mill was erected near the present-day intersection of 3rd and Main streets in Old Town. Under the terms of his contract, Robert Parker, the operator of the saw mill, was obliged to supply one-third of his output to the Navy, whereas the remainder could be sold on the open market. In addition to the saw mill, the facility at Shelter Cove included a Navy storehouse, sheds, and several shanties for the saw mill workers. Around the same time, the Navy built a dry dock on Shelter Cove to maintain its Pacific-based steamship fleet. For a short time, Shelter Cove was the only place in California where a modern maritime repair facility was available, and it marks the beginning of Sausalito’s long-lived boatbuilding and marine repair industry.
As Shelter Cove developed into the Navy’s main West Coast repair facility, Navy Lt. George F. Emmons surveyed and laid out a small town site surrounding the saw mill and the dry docks. Several Navy officers purchased lots and built houses, including Captain Leonard Story, who built a house near the intersection of 2nd and Richardson streets.
The community also had a boarding house, a hotel, and a saloon called the Fountain House. Established by Lt. James McCormick on Main Street, between 2nd and 3rd streets, the Fountain House was named for a productive artesian well in its vicinity. Another hotel, built in 1849, was called Saucelito House.
In spite of its alliances with the Navy and continuing commerce with visiting whalers and merchant ships, Sausalito was soon overshadowed by San Francisco, which retained its role as the gateway to California.
Although well-used, the saw mill at Shelter Cove never reached its full potential, partly because of the
expense of transporting logs from West Marin to Sausalito following the depletion of redwood groves on the east side of the Marin Peninsula.
In 1852, the Navy purchased Mare Island from General Mariano Vallejo and moved its dry dock facilities to what is now Vallejo. Following the departure of the Navy, a fire in Sacramento prompted property owners in the town site at Shelter Cove to dismantle their buildings and ship them to Sacramento. Sausalito instantly became a ghost town and Shelter Cove became known as “The Boneyard,” on account of the derelict vessels that littered the mud flats.
The Historical Society is proud to have assisted Christopher VerPlanck in researching his historic context statement.
PHOTO FROM SASUALITO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Old Town and Shelter Cove, ca. 1850 during the earliest period of American settlement.