Discovery: The Candace
This ca. 300 ton barque is moored at or adjacent to Hare's breaking yard, near today's intersection of Spear and Folsom streets. The barque lies off the Folsom Street alignment; the line of capped pilings visible behind its stern is the property line of the waterlot. They outline the southern boundary of Folsom while the vessel lies across the Spear Street alignment. Although this 1853 photo predates the arrival of the Candace, the barque pictured is of similar size and appearance (San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, J. Porter Shaw Library, A11.4528-c.).

The stern section excavated and recovered in 2005 is from a vessel that was pointed stern to shore for ship breaking. Based on the remains, it was an approximately 100-foot long vessel with an estimated 25-foot beam. The surviving form of the stern suggests a broad, full-formed vessel of the "boxy" or "apple-cheeked" style of the first part of the nineteenth century. Indications of the breaking process included saw-cut ceiling planks, hacking at frame ends, and futtocks split to free fasteners. Although no definitive evidence links any of the timbers to a specific vessel, after analysis of recovered ship timbers and historical records, Dr. James P. Delgado believes the Spear Street vessel is most likely the ex-whaler Candace.



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