Yerba Buena Island is a natural island in San Francisco Bay, connecting the east and west spans of the Bay Bridge. It was used by the Ohlone Indians and later for military installations. After being decommissioned in 1996, it was put into civilian use.
Yerba Buena Island is a natural island located in San Francisco Bay between Oakland and San Francisco. Many Bay Area residents are familiar with the island because it connects the east and west spans of the Bay Bridge with a central tunnel. Yerba Buena Island is also home to a coast guard station and a small civilian population. It also serves as the gateway to Treasure Island, an island artificially constructed on the shallows of Yerba Buena Island in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration.
The Ohlone Indians were the first to use Yerba Buena Island. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Ohlones fished on Yerba Buena Island and probably established temporary camps as well. Early explorers also visited the island, noticing a tasty wild mint that inhabited the island and naming it Yerba Buena, Spanish for “good herb.” It was also used to graze goats and was officially named “Goat Island” in 1895. The construction of Treasure Island for the Golden Gate International Exposition in the 1930s called for a more dignified name, and title reverted to Yerba Buena Island.
Along with other islands in San Francisco Bay, Yerba Buena Island was used for military installations by early explorers. A lighthouse was also built along the east coast of the island to assist navigators. In 1936, Yerba Buena Island was a hive of activity when the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge was completed. During World War II, Yerba Buena Island fell under the control of the United States Navy, which established a station on Yerba Buena and the Treasury Islands.
During World War II and in subsequent years, Yerba Buena Island formed an active part of the base. Quarters for officers were built on the island, and an observation tower, still visible, was built on the top of the island. The observation tower offers a panoramic view of the entire bay, but is unsafe due to earthquake damage and poor maintenance, so it is currently closed.
After the naval base was decommissioned in 1996, much of the former military housing on Yerba Buena Island was put into civilian use. The eastern side of the island is still home to a United States Coast Guard installation, and portions of the island are also used to store materials related to Bay Bridge construction and maintenance. Access to the island is available via an exit on the left side of the bridge, which is confusing for some visitors.
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