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A guide to the George H. Harlan photograph collection, 1851-1990
P96-033 (SAFR 23844)
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Title: George H. Harlan photograph collection
Date: 1851-1990
Date (bulk): circa 1890-1958
Identifier/Call Number: P96-033 (SAFR 23844)
Creator:
Harlan, George H.
Physical Description:
1250 items.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The George H. Harlan photograph collection, 1851-1990, bulk circa 1890-1958, (SAFR 23844, P96-033) is comprised mainly of
photographs of ferries in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Many of the photographs were published in George H. Harlan's
book "San Francisco Bay Ferryboats" about San Francisco Bay Area ferry history. The collection has been processed to the File
Unit level with some Items listed and is open for use.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
Nitrate negatives are restricted from use. Use-copies can be provided.
Glass plate negatives may require special handling by the reference staff.
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.
Each photographic image has been assigned an Item number; there are often multiple physical forms of each image (e.g. a negative
and a print) which has been noted in the physical description field. Note that copies of the same image may appear in multiple
File Units. The processing archivist did not track the number of copies for each unique image.
Description Notes:
Dates refer to when the original photograph was taken. Many of the photographic prints and negatives in this collection are
copies that were made much later than when the original photograph was taken.
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.
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], P96-033 (SAFR 23844), George H. Harlan photograph collection, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
SAFR-01066
SAFR-01113
SAFR-01066 consists of photographs, documents, and a document case from the estate of George H. Harlan, donated to the San
Francisco Maritime National Historical Park by Jack E. Shekell on March 14, 1996. The initial inventory listed: 11 boxes of
negatives of ferries and various vessel of San Francisco Bay; 9 large envelopes of photographs; 4 envelopes of negatives of
San Francisco Bay ferries, sailing ships and transports; 1 album containing negatives of ferries; 3 glass plate negatives;
a photograph and negative of George Harlan aboard the ferry EUREKA; a box with 7 glass color slides; 0.25 linear feet of textual
records; an engine room logbook from the ferry TAMALPAIS; and a ships papers holder from the ferry CAZADERO.
The textual records were cataloged as HDC1105 (SAFR 14796). The CAZADERO document case was cataloged as SAFR 14627. In January
2014, the photographs were cataloged as P96-033 (SAFR 23844).
SAFR-01113 consists of photographs, documents, and ephemera from the estate of George H. Harlan, donated to the San Francisco
Maritime National Historical Park by Jack E. Shekell on July 19, 1996. The initial inventory listed: 30 items of ephemera
related to San Francisco Bay Area ferries; 1 metal stamp of George H. Harlan's name; 1 logbook from the ferry CAZADERO; 1
inch of miscellaneous textual materials; architectural drawings; approximately 325 photographs and negatives related to San
Francisco Bay ferries; and newsprint and other publications.
The ephemera were assigned catalog numbers SAFR 15389 through SAFR 15395. The metal stamp was assigned catalog number SAFR
15396. The newsprint and other publications were transferred to the J. Porter Shaw Library. The textual records and architectural
drawings were cataloged as HDC1105 (SAFR 14796). In January 2014, the photographs were cataloged as P96-033 (SAFR 23844).
Note that one photograph, possibly of Andrew C. Disher, was left in situ in the textual records of HDC1105 (Series 1, Folder
2). Also note that documents found among the photographs during processing in 2014 were left in situ in P96-033 (SAFR 23844).
Some of Harlan's original enclosures that held P96-033 Items were kept for reference (not cataloged). See P96-033, Box 7 for
a sampling of original boxes and the P96-033 Collection File for a sampling of original envelopes.
Historical or Biographical Note
George H. Harlan, Jr. (1916-1995) was a marine architect and engineer from Marin County, California. He was an author of books
on the history of San Francisco Bay Area, California, ferries as well as West Coast railroads.
George Hillary Harlan, Jr. was born on July 4, 1916, in Sausalito, California, to George H. Harlan, Sr. (June 3, 1877-May
7, 1960) and Esther (Greaves) Harlan (February 17, 1884-July 1, 1956). His mother, born in England, and his father, born in
San Francisco, California, married in 1908. His father was a prominent Marin County attorney whose accomplishments included
being elected to the 1911 California State Legislature, drafting the legislation that formed the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway
District in 1923, and serving as the president of the Marin Junior College Board of Trustees from 1926-1938. Harlan, Jr. had
an older brother, possibly named Charles H. or John M., who was born in 1909.
As a child, George H. Harlan, Jr. attended Miss Greaves Private School in Sausalito and Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley.
While in high school, he took mechanical drawing classes from Andrew P. "Scotty" Hall, a naval architect from Scotland. Harlan
attended Marin Junior College, graduating in 1935. He studied liberal arts at the University of Nevada, graduating in 1937,
before returning to Sausalito and obtaining his law degree from the University of California at Berkeley, Hastings College
of the Law. However, the threat of World War II changed Harlan's career path.
After law school, Harlan received additional naval architecture training from Scotty Hall and passed the state examination
for mechanical engineers. In April 1941, he began working as a naval architect for the U.S. Army Transport Service, located
at Fort Mason in San Francisco. When World War II ended, he began teaching engineering at Lick-Wilmerding High School in San
Francisco; however, the Army Transport Service asked him to return to his former position. He remained with the Army Transport
Service through its transformations into the Military Sea Transportation Service in 1950 and Military Sealift Command in 1971.
He worked his way up to superintending engineer and senior naval architect, becoming the highest graded civilian in the organization.
He retired in 1980.
Harlan married Kathleen Shannon (1915-2000) in 1958 in Reno, Nevada. She had two children from a previous marriage, Sandra
Rose and Kadeane.
Harlan grew up fascinated by the trains and boats that frequented his hometown of Sausalito, an interest he shared with his
father. It was through his membership in the Railroadians of America that the idea originated to write a book about narrow
gauge railroads, which led to the publishing of "Oil Lamps and Iron Ponies: A Chronicle of the Narrow Gauges" (1949) by Harlan
and two fellow Railroadians members, Frederic Shaw and Clement Fisher, Jr. Harlan and Fisher teamed up again to write "Of
Walking Beams and Paddle Wheels: A Chronicle of San Francisco Bay Ferryboats" (1951). Harlan was also the author of "San Francisco
Bay Ferryboats" (1967) and self-published "An Island in Yosemite: The Story of White Wolf Lodge" (1981) and "Those Amazing
Cab Forwards" (1983).
George H. Harlan died in Greenbrae, California, on July 3, 1995.
- Harlan, George H. Interview by Carla Ehat. Transcript. Oral History Project of the Marin County Free Library, San Rafael, CA, November 4, 1982.
- Harlan, George H. San Francisco Bay Ferryboats. Berkeley, CA: Howell-North Books, 1967.
- Harlan, George. "San Francisco Ferry Boats." Presentation at the Moya Library, Marin Art & Garden Center, Ross, CA, unknown date [between 1983-1995].
- State of California. California Death Index, 1940-1997. Sacramento, CA: State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics. Accessed October 22, 2013, from Ancestry.com.
- United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1920. T625, 2076 rolls). National Archives, Washington, D.C. Accessed December 2, 2013, from Ancestry.com.
- United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls. Accessed December 2, 2013, from Ancestry.com.
Harlan's published works, in order by publication date:
- Shaw, Frederic, Clement Fisher, Jr., and George H. Harlan. Oil Lamps and Iron Ponies: A Chronicle of the Narrow Gauges. San Francisco, CA: Bay Books, 1949.
- Harlan, George H. and Clement Fisher, Jr. Of Walking Beams and Paddle Wheels: A Chronicle of San Francisco Bay Ferryboats. San Francisco, CA: Bay Books, 1951.
- Harlan, George H. San Francisco Bay Ferryboats. Berkeley, CA: Howell-North Books, 1967.
- Harlan, George H. An Island in Yosemite: The Story of White Wolf Lodge. Greenbrae, CA: G. H. Harlan, 1981.
- Harlan, George H. Those Amazing Cab Forwards. Greenbrae, CA: G. H. Harlan, 1983.
The George H. Harlan photograph collection, 1851-1990, bulk circa 1890-1958, (SAFR 23844, P96-033) is comprised mainly of
photographs of ferries in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Many of the photographs were published in George H. Harlan's
book "San Francisco Bay Ferryboats" about San Francisco Bay Area ferry history. The collection has been processed to the File
Unit level with some Items listed and is open for use.
Contains photographs primarily of ferries operating in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, 1851-1990, bulk circa 1890-1958.
There are 900 photographic images and documents, in 921 physical forms (nitrate negatives, safety negatives, glass plate negatives,
black-and-white photographic prints, color photographic prints, color slides, a positive, a cyanotype, photomechanical prints,
postcards) as well as 312 paper captions that correspond to prints, 7 typed paper captions with no corresponding prints, and
10 documents of various types.
George H. Harlan used the photographs for research purposes and many were published in his book "San Francisco Bay Ferryboats"
as well as in the book "Of Walking Beams and Paddle Wheels: A Chronicle of San Francisco Bay Ferryboats," co-authored with
Clement Fisher, Jr., both about the history of San Francisco Bay Area ferries. The collection also includes photographs of
United States Army and Navy troop transports, likely related to Harlan's career in the U.S. Army Transport Service. There
are also photographs of additional vessels, including riverboats and American President Lines steamships, among others.
Arranged into three Series. Series 1: Ferries consists of photographs of San Francisco Bay Area, California, ferries. It is
divided into two Subseries. Subseries 1.1 "San Francisco Bay Ferryboats" book photographs and captions consists of photographs
and captions that appear in George H. Harlan's book "San Francisco Bay Ferryboats," with File Units organized by book chapters.
Subseries 1.2: San Francisco Bay Area ferries consist of additional photographs of San Francisco Bay Area ferries, arranged
into File Units by original enclosure. Series 2: United States Army and Navy vessels consists of photographs of U.S. Army
and Navy troop transports and other military vessels. Series 3: Other vessels consist of additional vessel types not covered
by Series 1 and 2. Both Series 2 and 3 are arranged into File Units by original enclosure.
The collection was originally arranged into multiple labeled boxes and envelopes. Eight envelopes contained photographs directly
related to Harlan's book "San Francisco Bay Ferryboats," grouped roughly by chapter. The photographs in the remaining boxes
and envelopes were typically grouped by subject matter, but they were in no apparent order. See the Series level descriptions
for more detail on how the collection was physically arranged.
Related photograph and media collections:
George Harlan photograph collection, circa 1940. SFMNHP, (SAFR 13903, P85-044). Consists of photographs of EUREKA (built 1890;
paddle ferry) underway in 1940 near Sausalito, California, and CAZADERO (built 1903; paddle ferry) underway near Sausalito,
California, possibly circa 1940. Both photographs were possibly taken by William Knorp. Also includes a photograph of Captain
Victor Verdellet, master of EUREKA, in the pilot house of EUREKA in 1940 as photographed by George Harlan.
See also Item A04.22257 in the SFMNHP Classified photograph collection for a black-and-white safety negative showing KLAMATH
(built 1924; ferry) under construction in 1924. Source: "Gift - George Harlan, from Bethlehem Shipyards files."
Related manuscript collections:
George Harlan Papers, 1904-1955 (bulk 1931-1955). SFMNHP, (SAFR 14796, HDC1105). Consists of papers and marine architectural
drawings collected by George Harlan. Also includes a CAZADERO (built 1903; paddle ferry) logbook, 1904-1905, and an engine
room logbook for TAMALPAIS (built 1901; paddle ferry), 1931-1933.
Related object collections donated by George H. Harlan:
Ticket, circa 1910-1920. SFMNHP, (SAFR 15389). Lot of 20 Northwestern Pacific Railroad tickets for San Francisco Bay ferries
and connecting Marin trains. Most are for the San Francisco-Sausalito route, with a few for San Francisco-San Rafael and Sausalito-Tiburon
routes.
Ticket, 1929-1940. SFMNHP, (SAFR 15390). Lot of 4 ticket books for Northwestern Pacific Railroad service between Sausalito
and San Rafael.
Ticket, 1912. SFMNHP, (SAFR 15391). Individual monthly commutation ticket for the Northwestern Pacific Railroad trains and
ferries between San Francisco and Sausalito, January 1912. Signed by commuter Charles Harlan.
Card, Trade, circa 1911. SFMNHP, (SAFR 15392). Trade card for the "Pioneer Boat House/Sausalito," Charles Forrest, proprietor,
offering the "swift launch 'GAZELLE' and a large variety of Whitehall, fishing and hunting boats of all sizes." A 1911 Northwestern
Pacific Railroad ferry schedule is printed on the verso.
Card, Identification, 1912. SFMNHP, (SAFR 15393). Identification card # 159 issued by "Southern Pacific Company/Hospital Department"
to employee Charles Harlan, authorizing his admission for treatment to the Southern Pacific hospital system.
Card, Souvenir, 1937. SFMNHP, (SAFR 15394). Souvenir card from the Golden Gate Bridge Pedestrian Day on May 27, 1913. White
card stock with color picture on one side of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco in the background. Text on back certifies
that "The Bearer/Charles H. Harlan" was there before the car traffic started.
Pass, 1937. SFMNHP, (SAFR 15395). Pass to the speaker's stand on stage at the Golden Gate Bridge opening in 1937.
Type, no date. SFMNHP, (SAFR 15396). Rectangular type slug for one line, reading "George H. Harlan."
Holder, 1900-1940. SFMNHP, (SAFR 14627). Document case for CAZADERO (built 1903; paddle ferry) ship's papers. Flat rectangular
box of sheet steel, open at one end. Black finish with yellow lettering on front: "STR/CAZADERO/SHIPS/PAPERS." Four mounting
flanges, probably for securing box to wheelhouse bulkhead.
Researchers should note that there are other books and collections with materials related to San Francisco Bay Area ferries
in the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. They can search the Park's web catalog for more information.
- This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Related material from other institutions:
Interview with George Harlan, 1982 November 4. Anne T. Kent California History Room, Marin County Free Library, San Rafael,
California. Recording and transcript of an oral history conducted with Harlan by interviewer Carla Ehat, accompanied by Genevieve
Martinelli. Harlan discusses his life growing up in Marin County, his father, his career as a marine engineer and naval architect,
as well as his books on West Coast railroads, San Francisco Bay Area ferries, and White Wolf Lodge in Yosemite, California.
George Harlan lecture: "San Francisco Ferry Boats," [between 1983-1995]. Anne T. Kent California History Room, Marin County
Free Library, San Rafael, California. Recording and transcript of a lecture by George H. Harlan held at the Moya Library of
the Marin Art & Garden Center in Ross, California. Harlan discusses San Francisco Bay Area ferries history, including his
personal recollections.
- This material is located at Marin County Free Library
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ferries
Paddle steamers
Passenger ships
Merchant ships
Transports
Government vessels--United States
Harlan, George H.
Cazadero (built 1903; paddle ferry)
Eureka (built 1890; ferry)
San Leandro (built 1923; ferry)
Tamalpais (built 1901; paddle ferry)
Tiburon (built 1884; paddle ferry)
Ukiah (built 1890; ferry)
United States. Army Transport Service
United States. Navy. Military Sea Transportation Service
American President Lines, Ltd.
San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.)
San Francisco Bay (Calif.)
San Pablo Bay (Calif.)
Black-and-white negatives
Black-and-white prints (photographs)
Captions
Cellulose nitrate film
Color prints (photographs)
Color slides
Correspondence
Cyanotypes (photographic prints)
Gelatin silver prints
Glass negatives
Journals (periodicals)
Photographic postcards
Photomechanical prints
Picture postcards