Niantic

Niantic was a whaleship that brought fortune-seekers to Yerba Buena later renamed San Francisco during the California Gold Rush of 1849. Run aground and converted into a storeship and hotel, she was a prominent landmark in the booming city for several years. The site of Niantic beside the Transamerica Pyramid is now a California Historical Landmark. Artifacts excavated in 1978 and the ship's log from her last voyage are on display in the San Francisco Maritime Museum. 1832—Niantic built in Connecticut. Originally intended for trade with China, she was later converted to a sperm whaler. Owners in 1840 appear to have been N. L. and G. Griswold of New York. 1840—Niantic, Captain Doty in command (Captain Robert Bennett Forbes acting),...