This Day in Maritime History, July

This Day in Maritime History highlights the connections between SF Maritime NHP Collections and maritime historical events through the year.

January -- February -- March
April -- May -- June
July -- August -- September
October -- November -- December

 

The certificate from Park collection HDC1649 (SAFR 23806), Series 1. Teaching Career, 1935-1967 (bulk 1937-1967), Box 16, folder 4, File Unit 04. Membership cards, certificates and licenses, 1931-1956.

(Digital image by NPS)

July 1, 1952

Mary Tornich Janislawski becomes a member of the Institute of Navigation.

 

The credential from Park collection HDC1649 (SAFR 23806), Series 1. Teaching Career, 1935-1967 (bulk 1937-1967), Box 16, folder 4, File Unit 04. Membership cards, certificates and licenses, 1931-1956.

(Digital image by NPS)

July 3, 1939

Mary Tornich Janislawski is granted a credential in special subjects to teach navigation and nautical astronomy in special day and evening classes for adults by the California State Board of Education.

 

SAFR 16692

(NPS photo)

July 4, 1776

The Declaration of Independence is adopted by Congress, as described on the Park's Oriana dinner menu of Sunday, April 11, 1965.

 

CA Thayer setting sail for Bristol Bay, Alaska, in 1912 (SAFR J7,5,134)

(NPS photo)

July 8, 1895

According to the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record report, Schooner C.A. Thayer, the Thayer was launched at 2:09pm in Fairhaven, California.

 

(NPS photo)

July 9, 1857

Clipper ship David Crockett arrives in San Francisco for the first time after a trip of 122 days from New York City,

 

Cover of book Snow Squall by Nicholas Dean

July 14, 1851

The extreme clipper ship Snow Squall, built by Alford Butler, was launched at Turner's Island in Cape Elizabeth (now South Portland), Maine.

 

SAFR 7401

(NPS photo)

July 15, 1896

The US Navy commissions the battleship USS Oregon (BB-3) and names H.L. Howison her commanding officer.

 

Rush More, mascot of the USS Rushmore (SAFR 21374, K099002)

(digital version by NPS)

July 17, 1944

"Rush" More, the canine mascot of the USS Rushmore, begins a war-time correspondence with Miss Eleanor Blewitt, the woman who christianed the Rushmore and presented the ship's crew with their mascot "Rush."

 

SAFR 18775

(NPS photo)

July 20, 1851

John A. Edgecomb writes home to family in New York about sailing on the west coast and life in San Francisco and the Gold Rush.

 

Model of the Gracie S (SAFR 22765)

NPS photo

July 23, 1900

A passing whale snags the kedge anchor of the pilot schooner Gracie S while she is anchored for the night on the pilot station. The whale tows the schooner for a distance of 5 knots at high speed, almost pulling her bow under, before the line parts and the whale escapes with the anchor. Gracie S cruises cautiously for the rest of the night through great schools of whales which were presumably migrating grays.

 

July 28, 1922

The ship Tamara leaves San Francisco headed for England. She is "The last sailing ship of any nation to make the eastward passage of Cape Horn from the West Coast," according to Last days of sail on the West coast, San Francisco harbor by Walter MacArthur, p. 64.