1898 earthquake-rescue ferryboat at the Maritime Museum, haunted by a fedora-wearing figure
1492 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Included with Maritime Museum of San Diego general admission. Adult admission approximately $22; seniors and children discounted. See website for current pricing.
Access
Limited Access
Vessel decks with gangways; historic ship with multiple levels accessible by stairs. Uneven deck surfaces.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1898 · National Historic Landmark · California State Historical Landmark No. 1031 · 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Response · First Propeller-Driven West Coast Ferry
The SS Berkeley was launched on October 18, 1898, from Union Iron Works in San Francisco. It was the largest commuter ferryboat in the United States at the time, with a passenger capacity of 1,700, and was among the first ferries on the West Coast powered by a triple-expansion steam engine and driven by a screw propeller rather than side paddles.
The vessel's most consequential service came during the aftermath of the April 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. As the city burned, the Berkeley's crew worked continuously to ferry refugees and survivors across the bay to Oakland, helping reduce casualties during one of the deadliest disasters in California history.
In January 1911, an explosion occurred in the men's restroom aboard the Berkeley. A crewman found the remains of a passenger, identified as John O. Norbom, who had been carrying nitroglycerin when it detonated. Another passenger, Edward Hoffschneider, was badly injured and later died from his wounds. Norbom's family disputed the accident narrative, maintaining he would never have transported such material, and believed he had been murdered.
The Berkeley operated under Southern Pacific until July 29, 1958, when the company ended its bay ferry service. The ship was purchased by businessman Bill Conover and briefly converted into a gift shop called 'Trade Fair' in Sausalito. In 1973, the Maritime Museum of San Diego acquired and towed the vessel south, where it has since been restored and serves as the museum's main hub, housing offices, a research library, a museum store, and event space. The vessel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990 and California State Historical Landmark No. 1031 in 2000.
Sources
The most specific account connected to the Berkeley comes from Jim Davis, who served as the Maritime Museum's Director of Marine Operations. Davis described a clear sighting of a man in a trench coat and fedora standing on the upper deck — an apparition that vanished when he tried to approach. The identity of the figure is a matter of debate; the most frequently cited candidate is John O. Norbom, the passenger killed in the 1911 onboard explosion, though this identification cannot be confirmed.
The area of the ship closest to where the men's restroom originally stood — where Norbom died — draws disproportionate reports from staff and overnight cleaning crews: unexplained footsteps on the deck overhead when the vessel is otherwise empty, doors that move without air movement, and objects found displaced from their usual positions.
Ghost City Tours and related operators include the Berkeley as a stop in their San Diego haunted-history programming, citing multiple crew accounts of disembodied voices on the upper deck and a persistent sense of being watched in the lower passenger areas. The ship's history of trauma — the 1911 explosion, and decades of ferrying displaced people during and after disasters — is central to how tour operators frame the reported activity.
The Berkeley is an active museum vessel with daytime visitors, meaning most paranormal reports come from staff working the ship after closing or during early-morning preparation.
Notable Entities
Board the 1898 steam ferryboat Berkeley, a National Historic Landmark that transported survivors of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The ship houses the Maritime Museum's MacMullen Library and Research Archives. Visitors explore the passenger decks, engine room, and the upper deck where apparition sightings have been reported.
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