Scow Schooners of San Francisco Bay (Local History Studies Vol 33)

Here is a fascinating and unique look at the history of the "scow schooners" of the San Francisco Bay. These were specially modified sail boats that provided a necessary lifeline in the Bay area from the last half of the nineteenth century into the opening decades of the twentieth. Olmsted combines an interesting text with a wealth of rare photographs. He acquaints his reader with their design, their commerce, the waters on which they sailed, and the lifestyle of the men who manned them. Olmsted's research included first-hand interviews with surviving members of the crews who sailed in these ships, creating an intriguing history of a time now gone.