The History of Dogpatch and Pier 70

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Union Iron Works began as a small blacksmith shop in San Francisco, founded in 1849 by Irish immigrant brothers Peter and James Donahue. Known as the “Iron Men,” they expanded into a machine shop, boiler works, and foundry. Maritime operations took place at Steamboat Cove, near present-day AT&T Park.

Peter Donahue capitalized on the mining booms and moved into locomotive repair and construction in the 1850s. He sold Union Iron Works in 1864 and used the profits to establish San Francisco’s first gas works, which later became Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).

Under the leadership of Irving M. Scott, the company shifted towards shipbuilding. Scott, with his brother Henry, steered Union Iron Works through significant changes, including relocating to the Pier 70 area in 1883. By 1891, after a tour of European shipyards, Scott invested in modernizing the facility and improving workforce productivity by recruiting skilled workers and creating an apprenticeship program.

In 1899, Scott proudly announced that “Uncle Sam’s Navy Beats the World,” with Union Iron Works building many of the ships for the Great White Fleet. The company leveraged political connections and preferential bid-pricing to secure numerous contracts. In 1902, Union Iron Works merged into the United States Shipbuilding Company and was eventually sold to Bethlehem Steel Corporation after legal battles.

THE HISTORY OF DOGPATCH

Irish Hill

Butchertown

Chinese Shrimp Shacks

Irving’s life

Dogpatch Legends

Dogpatch Stories