Eppleton Hall

Eppleton Hall is a restored paddle tugboat with twin steam-powered wheels and side-lever engines that powered it for moving large ships. It sits at Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park where visitors can see its exterior structure.

Built in 1914 by Hepple and Company in South Shields, England, the boat spent decades towing coal ships on English waterways. It later made a transatlantic voyage to San Francisco in 1970.

The name comes from a British family estate and reflects the ties between maritime industry and coal mining in England. You can sense this heritage when looking at how the boat was built for such specialized work.

The boat sits at a public pier where you can view it from the outside and see the steam engines and paddle wheels from the dock. Take your time walking around to examine the different parts and details of the hull and machinery.

This is the last intact paddle tug that worked on the River Tyne, and it crossed the Atlantic under its own power to reach San Francisco. Such a voyage by an old steam-powered boat was an extraordinary feat for the time.

Location: San Francisco

Inception: 1914

GPS coordinates: 37.80944,-122.42194

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:46