Two San Diego ferries named to National Register of Historic Places

The Silvergate and Cabrillo, two of San Diego Bay’s working ferries, have been named to the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Silvergate (built in 1940) and Cabrillo (1964) are owned and operated by Flagship Cruises & Events and are still in regular use.

“These ferries are more than boats; they are living history,” said Brad Engel, president of Flagship Cruises & Events. “The Silvergate and Cabrillo have carried millions of passengers across San Diego Bay and have stood as constant witnesses to the city’s growth and transformation. We are honored to see their legacies recognized at the national level.”

The Silvergate saw its first service just before the United States entered World War II as a way to transport the increase in passengers from San Diego to Naval Station North Island on Coronado. Its use declined after the construction of the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge in 1969, when the Silvergate was used mainly for harbor cruises and educational trips.

In 1987, after construction bonds on the Coronado Bridge were paid in full, the Silvergate resumed ferry service. It is being recognized on the Register of Historic Places due to its “association with maritime transportation during World War II and in the post-war years as part of San Diego’s maritime recreation sector.”

The Cabrillo was designed by naval architect Oakley J. Hall and built by the Star & Crescent Boat Company specifica...