Ferry Building
San Francisco
The Ferry Building is San Francisco's ferry terminal, on the waterfront at the foot of Market Street. It opened in 1898 and is one of the symbols of the waterfront.
The city's front door
The building opened on July 13, 1898, replacing an older wooden one. A well-known San Francisco architect designed it. Until the 1930s almost everyone arrived in the city by water. The clock tower was their welcome.
Bridges and cars
When the great bridges across the bay opened, more and more people traveled by car. In the 1950s the building was almost empty. In 1955 the historic interiors were turned into offices. For many years a big concrete structure ran in front of it.
The waterfront reborn
In the early 1990s the structure was torn down. In its place came a waterfront at street level, with palm trees, streetcar tracks and space for walking. The port and the city then decided to restore the building.
The great hall reborn
In 2003, after a long restoration, the great hall opened to everyone again. Above it, a glass roof brightens the restored brick arches. Under that roof, residents and visitors stroll every day.
