Gold Rush ship-turned-hotel buried underneath San Francisco's financial district

The story of the Niantic is that of a ship made rich, abandoned, remade, burned, buried, lost, re-found, and then lost again. It has had a full history.

The Niantic was one of many ships that brought eager gold-seekers from around the world into Yerba Buena Cove (now San Francisco) during the frenzied times of 1848-1849.

Originally a whaling ship, the amount of money to be made ferrying gold hungry hopefuls to Yerba Buena Cove was staggering, and the Niantic made over 38,000 dollars - over a million dollars in today's money - on its single trip bringing gold seekers to California. Upon arrival in Yerba Buena, the aspiring miners would abandon the ships, stock up on supplies, and race out to take their chances panning for gold in the foothills.

The Niantic, however, had an unusual fate. It wasn't just the passengers that were eager to try their luck in the gold game, and on the first day five of the crew deserted, nine more left on the second day, and three more took off on the third. (It may have been about more than just gold, as two of the deserting sailors stabbed their Captain as part of their farewell.)

The ship, left with almost no crew, was simply floated out of the busy bay and purposely run aground near what is now the intersection Clay and Montgomery Streets.

The ship was subsequently converted for use as a store, warehouse, offices, and hotel. Most of the ship burned in several fires starting in 1850, but was each time was rebuilt into a novelty hotel that incorporated the ship's original hull. Above the door cut into the vessels side was the inscription "Rest for the weary and storage for trunks."

The famous hotel stood until 1872 when it burned down, though in the remains the forgotten hull of the ship - with a bunch of champagne inside - was re-discovered in the ruins. The hull was then promptly forgotten again. The hull of the Niantic was then once again "rediscovered" in 1978 during excavation for the Mark Twain Plaza Complex. She still had some champagne left in her hold.

Today a portion of the ship is in the San Francisco maritime museum while a bow remains undisturbed under a parking lot, awaiting a future "rediscovery." The Niantic is only one of over a hundred ships now buried somewhere under San Francisco's shoreline.

In 1919, the Historic Landmarks Committee of the Native Sons of the Golden West put up a plaque to mark the site.

Public plaque.

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