She departed New York City on her maiden cruise on February 8, bound for San Francisco under the command of Captain L. F. Doty. All three of her topsails were carried away on February 10, forcing her to put into Rio de Janeiro for repairs, departing on April 6 and reaching her destination on July 12. She left San Francisco on August 2 for Shanghai, arriving there 54 days later. The Golden State stopped at Anjer and Deal, Kent, arriving at the latter on February 9, 1854. She then returned to New York in ballast. Her second cruise was under Captain Barstow. The Golden State left New York City on May 25, 1854, reached San Francisco on September 28, departed on October 14 and arrived at Shanghai 42 days later. She then sailed for New York on January 1, 1855, arriving 88 1/2 days later. Originally built for Chambers & Heiser, she was sold in 1855 to A. A. Low & Brother. Her next two voyages saw her make port at San Francisco, Hong Kong and Foo Chow. Captain Hepburn took command for her fifth cruise, departing New York City on March 19, 1857, taking 93 days to reach Hong Kong and 93 days from Foo Chow to New York City. On her next voyage, a mutiny broke out off Penang on the way to Hong Kong. The mutineers fled to Penang after beating the officers and boatswain with handspikes, but were captured; the first mate died of his injuries. In the early 1860s, she worked in the grain and guano trades. In 1864, she returned to the China-Far East trade, delivering the largest cargo of tea to New York, valued at $1 million, in May 1867. In 1869, she underwent a major overhaul. Eventually, she was rerigged as a bark. The Golden State began her last cruise as an American ship on January 18, 1883, departing New York City for Anjer. However, she had to put into Rio de Janeiro due to a bad leak. There she was sold to D. & J. Maguire of Quebec, who renamed her Anne C. Maguire and placed her under the Argentine flag. She plied the Atlantic until December 1886, when she went ashore and broke up at Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The Golden State was the subject of several paintings: The Golden State Entering New York Harbor by Fitz Henry Lane, The American extreme clipper "Golden State" by Leslie Arthur Wilcox and The clipper ship Golden State crossing the ocean by Antonio Jacobsen.
