A. Right. Most of the ships never left the San Francisco Bay. The wood from the ships was used to build the young city. Although California had plenty of redwood trees in 1850, mills to cut lumber and workers to run the mills were few. So, people took the canvas sails and wood from the ghost ships.

Buildings in the city sprung up so quickly that some were just wooden frames with canvas roofs. Sails from the ships were also used to make tents.

Perhaps the hull was the most valuable part of a ship. As San Francisco grew, sand was dumped around the wharf. Thus land eventually filled in the cove. Ships were dragged up into the mud of the wharf and converted into homes, warehouses, and hotels!