Opened in 1898, the building replaced a wooden predecessor constructed on the same site in 1875. The well built reinforced building with its arched arcades survived both the 1906 and the 1989 earthquakes with little damage. It served as the destination for commuters to San Francisco from the East Bay, who rode the ferry fleets of the Southern Pacific and the Key System. It also served as the connection to San Francisco for the transcontinental rail lines of the Southern Pacific, Santa Fe and Western Pacific which terminated in Oakland, and for the Northwestern Pacific running north from Marin County. The ferry piers north of the clock tower served the Key System, Santa Fe, and Northwestern Pacific, while the piers south of the tower served the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific. A loop track in front of the building enabled convenient transfers to streetcars. A large pedestrian bridge spanned the Embarcadero in front of the Ferry building to facilitate safe crossing of the busy plaza and transit hub. In the 1940s, the bridge was dismantled to supply scrap metal for the Second World War.