Tiburon Marin County California Naval Coaling Station Real Photo Postcard
The Naval Coaling Station depicted in "California City, Cal" refers to the U.S. Navy facility established at Tiburon, California, on San Francisco Bay. Authorized in 1902 and becoming operational around 1904, this station was a crucial logistical asset for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Its primary purpose was to refuel the steam-powered warships of the era, enabling them to extend their operational range and project American naval power across the vast Pacific Ocean.
Coaling stations were indispensable during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, prior to the widespread adoption of oil as marine fuel. The Tiburon station's strategic placement near the Golden Gate provided incoming and outgoing ships with a vital resupply point. However, with the rapid technological shift to oil-fired propulsion, particularly accelerated after World War I, dedicated coaling facilities like Tiburon became largely obsolete by the 1920s, leading to their eventual decommissioning or repurposing.
Coaling stations were indispensable during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, prior to the widespread adoption of oil as marine fuel. The Tiburon station's strategic placement near the Golden Gate provided incoming and outgoing ships with a vital resupply point. However, with the rapid technological shift to oil-fired propulsion, particularly accelerated after World War I, dedicated coaling facilities like Tiburon became largely obsolete by the 1920s, leading to their eventual decommissioning or repurposing.
