Pier 43 Ferry Arch, Ferry arch at Pier 43, San Francisco, California, U.S
Pier 43 Ferry Arch is a metal structure along San Francisco's Embarcadero that serves as the entrance to the ferry terminal. The pier was built in 1914 and features a headhouse, a small building historically used to load and unload rail cars connected to ferry operations.
The pier was built in 1914 to connect rail cars with ferries and transport people and goods across the bay. After a fire in 1998, the headhouse was restored between 2002 and 2003, and in 2006 the pier was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The arch marks the entrance to a ferry terminal that has been part of San Francisco's daily life for generations. Visitors can observe how locals and travelers still use the ferries today and sense the enduring connection between the city and the bay.
The site is located along the Embarcadero near Powell and Jefferson Streets and is easily accessible on foot from Fisherman's Wharf. Ferries still operate from this terminal, connecting San Francisco to other parts of the bay.
A distinctive feature is the decorative hoisting tower attached to the headhouse, which was originally used to lift rail cars onto and off ferries. This tower demonstrates the engineering solution that connected rail and water transport during the era when this location served as a major transportation hub.
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