Cook (Charles H.) photographs of Forester (built 1900; schooner, 4m), 1992 May

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Summary

Title:
Charles H. Cook photographs of Forester (built 1900; schooner, 4m)
Dates:
1992 May
Creators:
Cook, Charles H.
Abstract:
The Charles H. Cook photographs of Forester (built 1900; schooner, 4m), 1992 May, (SAFR 23860, P92-093) are comprised of photographs taken by Charles H. Cook of the burned hulk of Forester (built 1900; schooner, 4m) in Martinez, California. The collection has been processed to the Collection level and is open for use.
Extent:
11 items
Language:
In English.
Preferred citation:

[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P92-093 (SAFR 23860), Charles H. Cook photographs of Forester (built 1900; schooner, 4m), San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Background

Scope and content:

The Charles H. Cook photographs of Forester (built 1900; schooner, 4m), 1992 May, (SAFR 23860, P92-093) are comprised of photographs taken by Charles H. Cook of the burned hulk of Forester (built 1900; schooner, 4m) in Martinez, California. The collection has been processed to the Collection level and is open for use.

Contains photographs of the remains of Forester (built 1900; schooner, 4m) in Martinez, California, 1992 May. There are 11 color photographic prints, 4 x 6 in. Charles H. Cook photographed the vessel at low tide. Plants are growing in the hulk. Includes views as seen from up a hill as well as closer views. The Benicia-Martinez Bridge is visible in the background of some of the photographs. Note that Item 11 is a panorama made by taping two 4 x 6 in. prints together to form a 4 x 11 in. image.

Biographical / historical:

FORESTER (built 1900; schooner, 4m) was built by Hay & Wright shipyard for the lumber and copra trade. FORESTER ended her days laid up on the mudflats of Martinez, California, as the last surviving intact topmast schooner on the Pacific Coast until she was destroyed by fire in 1975.

FORESTER was launched on November 10, 1900, at Hay & Wright shipyard in Alameda, California, for Sanders & Kirchmann of San Francisco, California. She was the sister ship to COMMERCE (built 1900; schooner, 4m). FORESTER's skipper was Captain Otto Daeweritz, a native of Czechoslovakia, who owned one-third of 64 shares in the schooner. Daeweritz served as FORESTER's captain throughout her entire sailing career. FORESTER carried lumber from the Pacific Northwest to foreign ports, including Asia, Australia, and the South Sea Islands, often returning with loads of copra. In 1932, Daeweritz bought out his partners and remained the sole owner until his death aboard the vessel in 1947.

As business in the lumber and copra trade declined due to competition with steamships, FORESTER was hired to serve as a tidal break around the base of the Carquinez Bridge main tower from 1927 to 1931. Next, Daeweritz anchored FORESTER off Government Island in the Oakland Estuary, but he was forced to move. In 1932, Daeweritz had the vessel towed to her final resting spot on the mudflats of the Martinez shoreline west of Grangers' Wharf.

After Daeweritz's death, Charles Fitzgerald purchased the FORESTER and began to live on board as Daeweritz had done. In 1961, Fitzgerald allowed the San Francisco Maritime Museum to salvage fittings from FORESTER over a period of six weeks. The crew removed the three remaining masts (the mainmast was already missing) and collected various pieces of the masts, rigging, and deck gear for the museum's collection. As the last intact topmast schooner on the Pacific Coast and a vessel built in the San Francisco Bay Area, FORESTER contained an important collection of fittings which exhibited local wooden sailing ship methods and styles.

FORESTER was destroyed by fire on June 18, 1975. Remnants of the vessel are still visible on the Martinez shore.

Sources:
  • O'Brien, Robert. "A Rainy Sunday Afternoon." San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA), Nov. 5, 1947.
  • Rego, Nilda. "Captain dedicated his life to caring for the Forester." Contra Coast Times, [2006? Full date was not cited on the newspaper clipping located in the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park's HDC 1600 (SAFR 22224), Series 3.11, File Unit 021].
  • "Relic Salvage...Schooner Forester." Sea Letter, no. 3 (1962): 1-5.
Acquisition information:

SAFR-00580

The collection was donated along with copyright to San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park by Charles H. Cook in October 1992.

Processing information:

The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.

Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.

Arrangement:

No arrangement due to the small size of the collection.

Physical location:
San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Physical description:
.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard .

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Processed by: L. Bianchi, August 2014.
Date Prepared:
2014
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid derived from ICMS database and converted into xml from a template revised and updated by San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department. 9/30/2014 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.

Terms of access:

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Preferred citation:

[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P92-093 (SAFR 23860), Charles H. Cook photographs of Forester (built 1900; schooner, 4m), San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Location of this collection:
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123, US
Contact:
415-561-7030
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