Submerged Cultural Resource Assessment: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Point Reyes National Seashore

Delgado, James; Haller, Stephen

This report is the first assessment-level publication in a series that documents the submerged cultural resources present within the boundaries of National Park Service areas, National Marine Sanctuaries,, and other marine-protected areas. It was drafted in 1986 under a memorandum of understanding between the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The tidal and submerged lands within the two parks and marine sanctuary contain approximately 151 shipwrecks. Of these, research indicates 41 lie solely within the jurisdiction of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, 78 lie solely within the jurisdiction of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and 32 lie solely within the jurisdiction of Point Reyes National Seashore. Many of these shipwrecks are individually significant and potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; as a study collection, the group of shipwrecks is significant in documenting and assessing the progression of maritime development and activity associated with the port of San Francisco and its surrounding subports. Maritime archeological research has been undertaken in the three areas. This includes discovery phase surveys, limited site excavation, and documentation of eight shipwrecks. The activity to date has resulted in the listing of three shipwreck sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Serious threats to shipwreck resources exist in the three areas, including National Register sites, including beachcombing, sport-diver collecting, professional salvage, and treasure-hunting. This report lists the particuiars of presumed "total loss" shipwrecks within the three areas, assesses research and management activities to date, discusses potential and actual threats to the resources, and recommends an extended program consisting of additional historical research, cornplete nondestructive archeological survey of the tidal and submerged lands, limited on-site archeological survey of selected shipwrecks, the preparation of National Register nominations, a comprehensive program of exhibits, displays, interpretive progrnms, and publications to enhance public appreciation of submerged cultural resources and their management arid preservation, and the establishment of local in-house submerged-cultural-resource management teams and a conservation facility.

Submerged Cultural Resource Assessment: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Point Reyes National Seashore

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