Union Iron Works

The Union Iron Works stands as the foundation of heavy industry on the West Coast, anchoring the eastern waterfront of San Francisco for over a century. Founded in 1849 as a small blacksmith shop, it evolved into a massive shipbuilding powerhouse that defined the character of the surrounding Dogpatch neighborhood. This site represents the transition from wood to steel, as it launched the first steel-hulled ship on the West Coast in 1884. By the turn of the twentieth century, it employed thousands of workers, including many who lived in the nearby cottages that still stand today. The shipyard served as a vital center of production through two World Wars, cementing its legacy as a pivotal player in the industrial history of the United States.