Harbor Commissioners Board for San Francisco Harbor Records, 1863-1963

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Summary

Title:
Board of State Harbor Commissioners for San Francisco Harbor Records
Dates:
1863-1963
Creators:
Board of State Harbor Commissioners for San Francisco Harbor and Board of State Harbor Commissioners
Abstract:
The records of the Board of State Harbor Commissioners for San Francisco Harbor and its predecessor, the Board of State Harbor Commissioners, document California’s efforts to manage the port of San Francisco. This record group contains 81.5 cubic feet of textual records, 1062 volumes, and 14 photographic items covering the period 1863-1963.
Extent:
81.5 Cubic Feet, 1062 Volumes, and 14 Items
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Board of State Harbor Commissioners for San Francisco Harbor Records,[ID Number],[Series Number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The records of the Board of State Harbor Commissioners for San Francisco Harbor and its predecessor, the Board of State Harbor Commissioners, document California's efforts to manage the port of San Francisco. This record group contains 81.5 cubic feet of textual records, 1062 volumes, and 14 photographic items covering the period 1863-1963. Prominent series in this record group includes wharf and pier books, correspondence, construction and maintenance files, personnel files, accounting records, legal files, reference books, and oversized photographs.

Biographical / historical:

Chapter 306 of the Statutes of 1863 created the Board of State Harbor Commissioners. The Commission originally consisted of three Commissioners, one of whom was elected by the electors of the State, the second was elected by the Senate and Assembly, and the third was elected by the electors of the City and County of San Francisco. Each Commissioner was required file a fifty thousand dollar bond and oath of office with the California Secretary of State. Upon receipt of their commissions, the Commissioners controlled the entire San Francisco Bay waterfront extending six hundred feet into the waters of San Francisco Bay.

The Commissioners held possession and control of the waterfront, with the improvements, rights, privileges, franchises, easements, and appurtenances connected therewith, for the following purposes and uses: to keep in good repair all the sea walls, embankments, wharves, piers, landings, and thoroughfares, for the accommodation and benefit of commerce; to dredge such number of the docks as the commerce of the harbor may require, to a depth that will admit of the easy arrival and departure of the vessels which load and unload at the wharves and piers; to construct new wharves, piers, landings, and thoroughfares, at the foot of the streets, as the wants of commerce may require; to construct all works necessary for the protection of wharves, piers, docks, landings, and thoroughfares, and for the safety and convenience of shipping; to provide for the construction, out of the surplus funds growing out of the revenues arising from said wharves, such sea wall or other structure along the waterfront of the City and County of San Francisco; to collect rents, tolls, wharfage, craneage, and dockage.

Chapter 145 of the Statutes of 1911 amended the procedures for appointing Commissioners so that the Governor appointed all Commissioners. Chapter 835 of the Statutes of 1929 created the San Francisco Harbor Bond Finance Board. Furthermore, the act provided for the issuance and sale of state bonds to create a fund for the improvement of San Francisco harbor by the board of state harbor commissioners, created a sinking fund for the payment of the bonds, to define the duties of state officers in relations thereto, and to make an appropriation of five thousand dollars for the expense of printing the bonds.

Chapter 368 of the Statutes of 1937 changed the name of the commission to the Board of State Harbor Commissioners for San Francisco Harbor. It also established the Harbors and Navigation Code for California to consolidate and revise the law relating to harbors, ports, and navigation. Chapter 112 of the Statutes of 1957 renamed the Board of State Harbor Commissioners for San Francisco Harbor the San Francisco Port Authority. After 1957, the San Francisco Port Authority consisted of five commissioners who continued to be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.

Chapter 1333 of the Statutes of 1968 transferred all authority, jurisdiction and control of the San Francisco Port Authority over San Francisco Harbor and facilities to the City and County of San Francisco. Upon the transfer of these authorities, the port authority ceased to function and was dissolved. The newly created Harbor Commission of the City and County of San Francisco consisted of five members, each member serving for a term of four years. The members were appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco.

Acquisition information:
The California State Archives acquired the Board of State Harbor Commissioners for San Francisco Harbor Records through a series of agency transfers according to state law.
Accruals:

No further accruals are expected.

Physical location:
California State Archives
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Processed by Archives Staff
Date Prepared:
© 2010
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid created by Archives Staff. Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word. Date of source: 01 January 2010.

Access and use

Restrictions:

While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.

Terms of access:

For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives collections.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Board of State Harbor Commissioners for San Francisco Harbor Records,[ID Number],[Series Number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.

Location of this collection:
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814, US
Contact:
(916) 653-2246
reference@sos.ca.gov
Website