Richmond–San Rafael Ferry Company

The East Shore and Suburban Railway extended its line 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) from the Blake Brothers Quarry to the pier.

The secondhand Sonoma Valley entered service in 1927, with the Charles Van Damme relegated to secondary use.

The new ferry inaugurated service between Richmond and San Francisco on January 15, 1925, with fares of $1.20 for a car and driver and 20 cents per rider or pedestrian.

This ferry was renamed Russian River when purchased from Southern Pacific for service across San Pablo Bay, and was dismantled for scrap after the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge opened in 1956.

Walter Landor had the boat refurbished and moored it at the old San Francisco Pier 5, where it served as the design firm's headquarters through the remaining 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

During this time, it was a cultural hub for artists, musicians, actors, and writers, among them Andy Warhol, Tom Wolfe, and Marshall McLuhan.

The Bay Area Council paid $1.85 million for the vessel, plus tax, and signed a 15-year lease on July 13, 2021, with the Port of San Francisco, to serve as its floating headquarters.

As the last major steamboat of its kind to operate on the bay, the vessel would also serve as a conference center and be open to the public.