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Alma (1891) facts for kids

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Alma
Historic photo of Alma under sail, taken about 1900
Alma under sail, c. 1900
History
United States
Builder Fred Siemer
Launched 1891
Status Museum ship
General characteristics
Tonnage
  • 41 gross register tons (GRT)
  • 39 net register tons (NRT)
Length
  • 80 ft (24 m) LOA
  • 59 ft (18 m) Reg. Length
Beam 22.6 ft (6.9 m)
Depth of hold 4 ft (1.2 m)
Sail plan Schooner
Alma (Scow Schooner)
Alma (scow schooner, San Francisco) 2.JPG
Starboard view of scow schooner Alma Hyde Street Pier, San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park
Alma (1891) is located in California
Alma (1891)
Location in California
Location 2905 Hyde St. (Hyde St. Pier), San Francisco, California
Built 1891
Architect Fred Siemer
NRHP reference No. 75000179
Significant dates
Added to NRHP 10 October 1975
Designated NHL 7 June 1988

The Alma is a special kind of sailboat called a scow schooner. It was built way back in 1891. Today, it's kept safe as a National Historic Landmark at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in San Francisco, California.

History of the Alma

The Alma is a unique flat-bottomed scow schooner. It was built in 1891 by Fred Siemer. His shipyard was in Hunters Point, San Francisco.

What is a Scow Schooner?

Scow schooners like the Alma were designed to carry goods. They worked on and around San Francisco Bay. Their flat bottoms helped them sail in shallow water. They could even go into the small creeks and rivers of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta.

These boats had strong hulls. This meant they could safely rest on the river bottom. Their flat shape also made them stable. This was great for loading and unloading cargo. Even though they had sails, they could also be pulled from the shore. Sometimes, people used poles to move them in very shallow areas.

Alma's Working Life

Until 1918, the Alma carried many different things. It hauled hay and lumber using its sails. After that, its sails were taken down. It was then used as a barge to carry salt.

In 1926, an engine was added to the Alma. It became a boat that collected oysters from the seafloor. It kept doing this job until 1957.

The Alma was built and used in San Francisco Bay. But its design was similar to scows used all over the United States. These included places like Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes. The Alma is the only scow schooner of its kind still floating in the U.S.

Becoming a Historic Treasure

In 1959, the State of California bought the Alma. Work to restore it began in 1964. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 10, 1975. This means it's an important historic site.

Later, in 1988, it was named a National Historic Landmark. This is an even higher honor. Today, the Alma is a cool exhibit at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. You can find it docked at the park's Hyde Street Pier.

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