San Francisco Architectural Heritage

Port City

The History and Transformation of the Port of San Francisco, 1848-2010 by Michael R. Corbett


Price



Heritage is proud to announce the release of its new book chronicling the rich history of San Francisco’s maritime past. Port City is the first book to tell the comprehensive—and largely unknown—story of the City’s waterfront. San Francisco Chronicle architecture critic John King, writes:

I know it’s only January, but here’s my nomination for Bay Area history book of the year: “Port City: The History and Transformation of the Port of San Francisco, 1848-2010.”  Read more

For most of its history, the port had a significant impact on the daily lives of many San Franciscans. In addition to the sailors, longshoremen, and others who worked along the waterfront, workers in factories, warehouses, and offices were employed in jobs that directly depended on and had regular contact with the port. Port City looks at the geography of these connections to illuminate the role of the port in the city’s life.

The book not only chronicles the heyday of the port as a flourishing nexus of shipping and commerce, it also puts this story in today’s context.

Illustrated with historical photographs, drawings, maps, and new color photographs commissioned especially for the book, Port City details the planning, infrastructure, and engineering of the port.

Port City is now $40 for Heritage members and the public (reduced from $65). The book is also available for purchase at retailers, including Book Passage, William Stout Architectural Books, Builders Booksource, Books Inc., The Green Arcade, The Warming Hut, and Pier 1 (Port of San Francisco).

Table of Contents and Select Excerpts

  1. Foreword by Monique Moyer
  2. Introduction by Mike Buhler and Jay Turnbull
  3. The Port Landscape and the City
  4. Commerce
  5. The Board of State Harbor Commissioners
  6. Ships, Rails, and Trucks
  7. Tenants and Workers
  8. Engineering
  9. Architecture and Planning
  10. Epilogue: The Port Since 1969
  11. Catalogue
  12. Appendix: The Chief Engineer and the Engineering Department


 Heritage does not ship internationally.

If you would like to order Port City, but would rather not complete the transaction online, fill out a Port City order form and email it to info@sfheritage.org or send it to the Heritage office at 2007 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94109.

Book cover photo courtesy San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.