The site of the Mill Valley Air Force Station, located on the summit of Mount Tamalpais: 27 December 2014

I explored the abandoned Mill Valley Air Force Station. The majority of the buildings have been demolished and removed.

A view of the Mill Valley Air Force Station as seen from a plane in 1956. It was an active base at that time. The view is looking east; Mount Diablo is in the distance. Also seen is the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge which opened in 1956.




The route of the hike. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 8.3 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 1,603 feet.

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the ramble.

The summit of West Peak. It is now used as a FAA aircraft radar site. This location was the tallest point on Mount Tamalpais until it was bulldozed and flattened to accommodate the Air Force Station.

The remains of the Officer's Quarters.

The remains of the mess hall.

The remains of the vehicle repair facility.

The remains of officer family housing.

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"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

The first volume of the San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains galleries of photographs posted on the Internet between 2002 and 2011. Click Here to view those photos.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com.

Alameda, an island city with many homes dating from the Nineteenth Century: 20 December 2014

On Saturday 20 December I joined a  group of people for a hike in the City of Alameda. We viewed some of the homes in the city, most of which were constructed in the late nineteenth century. We also saw the beautifully decorated homes on "Christmas Tree Lane," aka Thompson Avenue. 

The city of Alameda was founded in 1853; it is sited on an island, and it has a population of approximately 75,000. The city is located in the eastern portion of San Francisco Bay and is adjacent to Oakland. 

In 1938 Congress approved the construction of a naval air station in the Northwest part of Alameda Island. In April 1942 the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-08) sailed from Alameda Naval Air Station carrying 16 B-25 aircraft that would take part in the Doolittle Raid on Japan. Alameda Naval Air Station closed in April 1997.

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Two charming sisters, and their rabbit, at Franklin Park. Click on the image to see the full-size photo.

The walking group is receiving information about the Christmas decoration on "Christmas Tree Lane." Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

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The map of the route. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 7.3 miles. Mile markers are displayed on the track. Click on the image to see the full-size map.

“A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.”-Dorothea Lange

You are welcome to visit my primary website  www.mishalov.com

Across San Francisco, thru the Tenderloin, and into Downtown: 7 December 2014

I walked across San Francisco from west to northeast on a cloudy Sunday. 

I started the walk near the San Francisco Zoo; just a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean. I then headed north through the Sunset District, crossed through Golden Gate Park, and entered the Richmond District. I then continued on Geary Boulevard, traveling east through the Anza Vista District and the Western Addition Neighborhood. I stopped in Japantown for a bite to eat. Afterwhich, I continued east on Post Street and entered the Tenderloin District. After the Tenderloin, I entered the Union Square area and then finished the walk at the Ferry Building.

Click on an image to view the full-size photograph.

This apartment building is located at 1036 Polk Street. It has 36 living units.

The map of the route. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 10.7 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 567 feet. Mile markers are shown on the route’s track. 

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the ramble. 

This street fire alarm box is located on Anza Street in the Richmond District. The alarm box was manufactured in 1912 by the no longer operational San Francisco Department of Electricity. This fire alarm box is still in service 102 years after it was put into operation. 

This lovely 19th Century duplex is located at 1406/1408 Post Street in Japantown. 

The site of the California Pacific Medical Center hospital is currently under construction. The photograph shows the amount of excavation that has taken place for the below-ground area of the building. The project occupies an entire city block surrounded by Van Ness Avenue, Geary Boulevard, Post Street, and Franklin Street. The new 304-bed hospital opened in 2019. 

This building is located at 1151 Post Street. It is one of the many SRO (single room occupancy) apartment buildings/hotels located in the Tenderloin District. The building was constructed in 1910, and it has 20 units. 

San Francisco Fire Department Station #3 is located at 1067 Post Street. A fire engine is leaving on a call. 

The Hartland Hotel is located at 909 Geary Street; the cross street is Larkin Street. This SRO hotel provides 137 housing units. 

I am now in Downtown San Francisco. This is a photograph of Lotta’s Fountain; it is located on Market Street and it was dedicated on 9 September 1875. The cast-iron sculpture with a drinking fountain at its base was donated to San Francisco by the entertainer Lotta Crabtree.  It served as a meeting point during the aftermath of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. In 1999 the fountain, which had suffered neglect in the past decades, was totally refurbished to its 1875 appearance. The fountain has a metallic gold-brown paint finish. 

A detail from Lotta’s Fountain. It depicts miners searching for gold in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. 

The Hobart Building, located on Montgomery Street in the Financial District, was completed in 1914 after a construction period of only 11 months. The architect was Willis Polk. The building was designated as a landmark by the City of San Francisco in 1983. 

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"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange 

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

The first volume of the San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains galleries of photographs that were posted on the Internet between 2002 and 2011. Click Here to view those photos.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com