The name “Benicia” not only came from the wife of General Mariano Vallejo — and it is not only the moniker given to the South Solano County city founded by Dr. Robert Semple and Thomas O. Larkin on land Vallejo sold to them.

Benicia also is the name given to several sailing vessels over the years, and in a Benicia Historical Society program Thursday night residents and visitors can hear about those ships.

Jim Kern, executive director of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum, will describe the various ships named “Benicia.”

One that carried the city’s name is a barquentine built in 1899 by Benicia’s own famed shipbuilder, Matthew Turner.

That ship, wrecked in 1920 in Haiti, has been remembered for traveling from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia to Kehei on Maui in 35 days.

Kern has been a member of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum since 1988, when he was hired as curator. He has been its executive director since 1990.

His talk will start at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Camellia Tea Room, 828 First St. Admission is $5 for those who are not members of the Benicia Historical Society and free to society members. Refreshments will be served.

Those interested may visit the society’s website, www.BeniciaHistoricalSociety.org.

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