#OnThisDay, 2135:

The United Earth Star Fleet Space Academy opened its doors to cadets for the first time, under the leadership of founder and Superintendent Stavros Niarchos VII. It shared its grounds with the UESF HQ on the Marin Peninsula, and would later become UFPSFA's Main Campus in 2161.

Book One – "2063-2135: Laying The Foundation" — now being written.

Stay tuned.

"If we want the best and the brightest of all the Federation to represent us in the Fleet, we cannot simply sit on our hands and expect every member world to send their best and brightest to Earth."

— Vice-Admiral Tvarishan Ch'dar, Superintendent of SFA, on the need for satellite campuses (c.2284)

Over the years, the Elm has become a popular spot on the grounds. It is a place to gather, to study, to reflect on the past -- or in the case of a young cadet named Jean-Luc Picard, it was the perfect canvas on which to carve the initials "A.F.", much to the ire of SFA's Head Groundskeeper, Boothby.

The Susquehanna Elm, airlifted from Safe Harbor, PA, is a living memorial to the Hammer Incident of 2135 located north of the Central Gardens of the San Francisco Campus. Sitting in a circular green ringed with benches, the pavers on the path are etched with the names of the victims of the disaster.

Portrait of Stavros Niarchos VII (2095-2187), c. 2135

The seventh in a lineage descended from the Greek petroleum tycoon of the 20th century, Stavros VII was the first Commandant of the Star Fleet Space Academy, the modern SFA's immediate predecessor. While his father ran one of the last bastions—

U.N.S.S. Hammer was a Susquehanna-class destroyer built for the United Earth Stellar Navy in 2101.

Built in response to an increase in pirate raids against ECS freighters, Susquehannas like Hammer saw frequent action during the Earth-Kzinti Conflicts (2112-2134).

(Concept sketches included below)

To top it off, the failure of Handshake engendered a notion within the Vulcans that humans could not be trusted with their own safety and had to be held back.

In the words of V'lon, diplomatic attaché to Ambassador Soval: "If they cannot temper their own recklessness, we must temper it ourselves."

While the move was roundly criticized internally, Operation Handshake moved forward regardless. The politicians, blinded by their own ambition, were confident in their plan, and human opinion swayed in their direction.

The destruction of the U.N.S.S. Hammer changed all that.

Sometimes, the greatest developments are spurred by the worst tragedies.

In 2135, the United Earth Star Fleet was formally established through a merger of much of the operational hierarchy of the scientifically-minded UESPA and the defense-oriented United Earth Stellar Navy.

From The Bay To The Beyond ("FB2B") will be divided into seven volumes, neatly breaking up the 350-year history of Starfleet Academy and its direct predecessors into digestible chunks.

Suffice it to say, there's a lot of ground to cover, but I'll do my darnedest to deliver what I can!

For centuries, the Golden Gate has held its doors open to new opportunities. Ever since First Contact, those opportunities have stood among the stars.

And from the stars, comes knowledge.

"From The Bay To The Beyond" is a 350-year chronicle of the history of Starfleet Academy.

Stay tuned, cadets!

The Golden Gate has held its doors open to opportunities beyond the horizon. Ever since First Contact, those opportunities have stood among the stars.

And from the stars, comes knowledge.

"From The Bay To The Beyond" is a 350-year chronicle of the history of Starfleet Academy.

Stay tuned, cadets!