Collection Guide
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A guide to the Myron Spaulding and Spaulding Boatworks photographs, 1860-2010
P08-003 (SAFR 22090)
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Title: Myron Spaulding and Spaulding Boatworks photographs
Date: 1860-2010
Date (bulk): circa 1930-1950
Identifier/Call Number: P08-003 (SAFR 22090)
Creator:
Spaulding, Gladys
Spaulding, Myron
Spaulding, Myron
Physical Description:
2462 items.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The Myron Spaulding and Spaulding Boatworks photographs, 1860-2010, bulk circa 1930-1950, (SAFR 22090, P08-003) are comprised
mainly of photographs of yachting in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, either taken by or collected by Myron Spaulding,
noted boat designer and yacht racer. The collection also includes personal family photographs of Myron and his wife Gladys
Spaulding. The collection has been processed to the File Unit level, with Item level records for items consisting of nitrate
negatives, 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. Digital derivative copies are available for 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.
A majority of the over 500 black-and-white negatives in the collection lacked markings identifying them as either nitrate
or safety film. Because testing all the negatives was not feasible, a sample negative from each File Unit was selected. It
was assumed that if the test came back positive as a nitrate negative, it would mean that the other negatives in the File
Unit would also be nitrate if the photographs were taken on the same day of the same subject matter. If the File Unit contained
photographs that appeared to be taken with different types of film, more than one negative was tested.
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], P08-003 (SAFR 22090), Myron Spaulding and Spaulding Boatworks photographs, San Francisco Maritime National Historical
Park
SAFR-02011
SAFR-02261, SAFR-02518
The collection was held by the estate of Myron Spaulding at the Spaulding Boat Works after his death until it was surveyed
and transferred to San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in 2004 and donated to the Park in 2009 (SAFR-02011). Additional
material containing photographs was donated to the Park in 2014 (SAFR-02261) and 2016 (SAFR-02578).
Historical or Biographical Note
Myron Spaulding (1905-2000) was a San Francisco Bay Area, California, yacht designer, builder, and racer.
John Myron Spaulding was born October 28, 1905, in Humboldt County, California, and attended Polytechnic High School in San
Francisco, California, earning a naval architecture and boatbuilding credential along with a degree in music in 1923. He started
working in Fox Theater's vaudeville orchestra and eventually gained a seat on the San Francisco Symphony as a violinist and
performed with them until 1957.
Spaulding began sail racing in the Bird Class, Star Class, 6-Meters, and larger ocean racing classes. He was the owner of
Star Class sloop yacht number 389 in the 1920s, LOON (built 1929; sloop: yacht: Bird Class, No. 13) in the 1930s, and 6-Meter
boat SAGA (sloop: yacht) in the late 1930s/early1940s. He raced in six Transpacific races from San Francisco to Honolulu,
Hawaii, winning in 1936 as skipper of Jim Flood's 52-foot yawl DORADE and again in 1947 when SUOMI won first in her class.
Prior to World War II, Spaulding had small naval architect office in San Francisco. He worked on marine surveys, race measurements,
and boat design. During the war, he found naval-related work with Madden and Lewis Shipyard in Sausalito.
Starting in 1938, Spaulding became known for his exceptional yacht designs for San Francisco Bay owners such as the 38-foot
sloop NAUTIGAL (built 1938), 50-foot yawl SUOMI (built 1947), the 37-foot sloop BOUYANT GIRL (built 1949), the 45-foot yawl
CHRYSOPYLE (built 1961), and the 34-foot sloop LARK III (built 1963). He also designed the Clipper Class 20-foot sloops and
the Spaulding 33. In the late 1940s, he leased property at McNear's Beach in San Rafael and then, in 1950, he took a leave
of absence from the San Francisco Symphony to start a boatyard at McNear's Beach. In 1951, Spaulding bought the current sight
of the boatworks at Marinship in Sausalito.
He became an influential yacht racing measurer, a practice he learned from local naval architect George Wayland, and helped
develop the handicap system on San Francisco Bay.
In 1963, Spaulding married Gladys Leach Nuckolls (maiden name: Wilson) (1906-2002).
Spaulding continued working in his boatworks into his 90s. Spaulding died in Sausalito on September 11, 2000.
Sources:
Knight, Lucia, and Daniel Bruce MacNaughton, eds. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF YACHT DESIGNERS. 1st ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006.
Interviews with staff of Spaulding Wooden Boat Center.
The Myron Spaulding and Spaulding Boatworks photographs, 1860-2010, bulk circa 1930-1950, (SAFR 22090, P08-003) are comprised
mainly of photographs of yachting in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, either taken by or collected by Myron Spaulding,
noted boat designer and yacht racer. The collection also includes personal family photographs of Myron and his wife Gladys
Spaulding. The collection has been processed to the File Unit level, with Item level records for items consisting of nitrate
negatives, and is open for use.
Contains photographs of recreational sailing and racing primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, 1860-2010, bulk
circa 1930-1950. There are 2,018 items in 2,462 physical forms (black-and-white nitrate negatives, black-and-white safety
negatives, black-and-white photographic prints, photograph albums, photograph booklets, color negatives, color photographic
prints, color slides, color transparencies, photographic postcards, picture postcards, Photostats, digital prints, magazine
clippings, newspaper clippings, photocopies, index cards, correspondence, and other ephemera).
In addition to being the owner of Spaulding Boatworks in Sausalito, California, Myron Spaulding was an active yachtsman. The
collection includes photographs taken during cruises on San Francisco Bay, into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, and
along the California coast. There are also photographs of some of the races in which he participated in the Bay Area as well
as Transpacific Yacht Races to Hawaii. Some of the vessels pictured consist of boats owned by Myron Spaulding, including Star
Class sloop yacht number 389, LOON (built 1929; sloop: yacht: Bird Class, No. 13), and 6-Meter boat SAGA (sloop: yacht), as
well as photographs of yachts he designed, including NAUTIGAL (built 1938; sloop: yacht), BUOYANT GIRL (built 1949; sloop:
yacht), CHRYSOPYLE (built 1961; yawl: yacht), the Clipper Class, and the Spaulding-33 Class. There are also photographs of
many other yachts owned by people in the San Francisco Bay Area yachting community.
Some photographs in the collection show the Spaulding Boatworks property in Sausalito, but few show boatbuilding activities
at the yard. However, photographs of the Anderson & Cristofani, Madden & Lewis, Nunes, and Stephens Brothers shipyards show
some boat construction and maintenance.
The collection also contains personal photographs of Myron Spaulding's family and friends, including photographs of Myron
during his career with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra before he left to focus on his boatyard business. In addition,
the collection contains the personal family photographs of Gladys Spaulding, Myron's wife, which includes photographs of yacht
cruises with Dr. James Nuckolls, her first husband, aboard GLADYS N (built 1938; sloop: yacht) and MAVIS (built 1924; sloop:
yacht: Bird Class, No. 4).
Arranged into four Series by subject: Series 1. Yachting photographs; Series 2. Spaulding Boatworks property photographs;
Series 3. Myron Spaulding personal photographs; and Series 4. Gladys Spaulding personal photographs.
Related manuscript collection:
Myron Spaulding and Spaulding Boatworks records, 1902-2004. SFMNHP, (SAFR 22089, HDC 1576). Consist of naval architectural
drawings, structural architecture drawings, and navigational charts and maps, as well as business records and personal papers,
including job and project files, yacht racing measurement materials, invoices and billing, vendor materials, and family records.
- This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Yachts
Yachting
One-Design yachts
Boatbuilders--California
Boatyards
Spaulding Boatworks
San Francisco Bay (Calif.)
San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.)
San Francisco (Calif.)
Sausalito (Calif.)
Black-and-white negatives
Cellulose nitrate film
Black-and-white prints (photographs)
Gelatin silver prints
Color negatives
Color prints (photographs)
Color slides
Color transparencies
Digital prints
Photograph albums
Photographic postcards
Picture postcards