San Francisco's Mission District and Potrero Hill: 7 March 2015

I took BART to the Mission and 24th Street station and entered the heart of the Mission District. I first walked west, to Noe Valley, and had a cup of java at La Boulange de Noe. Suitably energized, I walked east, through The Mission to Potrero Hill. After visiting Potrero Hill, I headed to the intersection of Dolores Street and Market Street where I boarded the old F-Line streetcar #1052, and took it inbound, disembarking in downtown San Francisco.

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

The original Mission Delores Church. It is an adobe structure, and construction was completed in 1791. It is the oldest standing building in San Francisco. 

The Mission has many paintings on buildings, fences; actually, any surface can be used as a place to paint! These examples are on 25th Street between Mission Street and Osage Street.

The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 6.5 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 709 feet. Mile markers are on the track. 

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the ramble. 

A lovely duplex that is located on Guerrero Street in the Mission. The cross street is 24th Street. 

A building that is located on the northwest corner of the intersection of 25th Street and Bryant Street. 

A basketball game played on a court located within the Potrero Hill Recreation Center. 

This view is looking northeast. The eastern span of the Bay Bridge is visible. A new span was recently built and opened for traffic. The old span is being disassembled, removed, and recycled. The Berkeley Hills are in the background. This picture was taken from the Potrero Hill Recreation Center.

This view is looking northwest. Mount Tamalpais, the Marin Headlands, and both towers of the Golden Gate Bridge are visible in the distance. The photo was taken from the Potrero Hill Community Garden. 

This view is looking west. 20th Street is straight ahead. Eureka Valley, The Castro, Noe Valley, The Mission, Twin Peaks, Mount Sutro, and Sutro Tower are just some of the locations visible in this photograph. The photo was taken from the Potrero Hill Community Garden. 

A picture of San Francisco General Hospital. It is the primary public hospital in San Francisco; it is on Potrero Avenue. The photo was taken from the Potrero Hill Community Garden. 

Walking on a pedestrian walkway that crosses over the 101 Freeway. 

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

"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  

San Francisco, part 1 – The Mission District: 1 March 2015

I went to San Francisco to explore the Mission District, the Noe Valley District, and the Castro District. I finished the ramble by walking down Market Street to the Ferry Building.  

My first destination was Mission San Francisco de Asís Church, or Mission Dolores Catholic Church, as it is commonly known. I was particularly interested in viewing the small cemetery adjacent to the church. The cemetery, which is on the south side of the church, dates back to the late 1700s. It has been reduced in size; the former cemetery grounds are now covered by a paved playground behind Mission Dolores School. The cemetery is one of the few remaining cemeteries in San Francisco.

I also walked through the Castro District. From the Castro, I walked the 3 or 4 miles down Market Street and finished the ramble at the Ferry Building. 

I have divided the number of photographs from the ramble into three photo galleries.

  Part One

Mission Dolores Church is located on Dolores Street at 16th Street. The church was founded in 1776.

The route of the 1 March ramble. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 8.8 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 652 feet. Mile markers are shown on the route’s track.

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the ramble.

The Woman's Building is located on 18th Street in the Mission District. The cross street is Lapidge Street.

A view of the Woman's Building as seen from Lapidge Street.

The Clarion Alley Mural Project as seen from Valencia Street.

Mission Dolores Cemetery. Many of the headstones are difficult to read because of their age. Some, however, are readable. Below are some headstones that are not only readable, but that are also poignant and evocative.
Don Francisco de Haro First Alcalde of San Francisco 1835. Died 1849.

In Memoriam Catherine Stewart, Born in Ayrshire Scotland. Died Dec. 7th 1878. Aged 65 Years. A long illness born with a resignation to the Divine will.

Sacred to the Memory of Charles Henry O'Niell who departed this life Nov 6, 1859. Aged 7 years 3 months & 21 days. The last sad gift which a Mothers love can bestow upon his mortal remains. Calmly sleeping here.

In Memory of James Gallager a native of Donegal, Ireland. Born Feb 1, 1798. Died March 28, 1876. Aged 78 years 28 days.

Sacred to the memory of Edward Oates, Native of Ireland. Died March 1, 1860. Aged 43 years. Also, his wife Mary, a native of Ireland died Dec 26, 1883, aged 63 years. May their souls rest in peace. Erected by their loving daughter Annie Barlow. Died April 16, 1886, Aged 33 years.

Erected by William Atkinson in memory of his affectionate wife Bridget who died June 28, 1853, Aged 33 years. A native of the County Longford, Ireland. Also, his son John, who died November 15, 1851, aged 9 years. May they rest in Peace. Amen.

Here rest the remains of Francisca Granados who was born in Sonora, Mexico. She died on 28 July 1858. She was 33 years old.

Sacred to the memory of Mary, wife of John McNamara. Died Oct 11, 1856. Aged 28 years 10 months. Also, Margaret Hannah daughter of J M McNamara, died Sep 1, 1867, Aged 11 years 10 months. John McNamara died Nov 1, 1871, aged 51 years. A native of County Tipperary. Ireland.

In the cemetery.

A view of downtown San Francisco as seen from Mission Dolores Park.

 A view of a portion of the lovely Helen Diller Playground. The playground, in Mission Dolores Park, opened in April 2012.

Another view of the playground. The Berkeley Hills can be seen in the background, across San Francisco Bay.

A view of Potrero Hill as seen from Sanchez Street in the Upper Mission District.


GO HERE to view part two.

GO HERE to view part three.

"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 these photo galleries.

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

San Francisco, part 2 – Noe Valley and the Castro: 1 March 2015

Part Two
Click on an image to view the full-size photograph.
Cranking up Castro Street; leaving Noe Valley and entering the Castro District.

The route of my 1 March ramble. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 8.8 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 652 feet. Mile markers are shown on the route’s track.

Looking at Noe Valley from Sanchez Street. San Bruno Mountain can be seen in the background. San Bruno Mountain is located in the city of San Bruno in San Mateo County.

The intersection of 24th Street and Castro Street, which is part of a shopping district in Noe Valley.

I saw some lovely houses on Castro Street.

Castro Street

Castro Street

 Near the summit of Castro Street. The view is looking north, and the Castro District is straight ahead.

The heart of the Castro District.

Harvey's Restaurant is named for Harvey Milk, a San Francisco supervisor who was assassinated inside San Francisco City Hall on 27 November 1978, along with Mayor George Moscone, by Dan White, who was also a San Francisco Supervisor. About two weeks before these assassinations, a group of 913 people, mainly from San Francisco, and members of the Peoples Temple, an American religious organization, committed suicide in Jonestown, which was located in Guyana, South America. I still remember what a horrible month that was for the Bay Area.

The Castro Theatre is showing Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 movie Vertigo. (Vertigo) 

Outdoor seating at Café Flore.

A view of upper Market Street. Castro Street is at the intersection. The hill in the background is the northern portion of Twin Peaks and beyond Twin Peaks is Sutro Tower.

GO HERE to view part one.

GO HERE to view part three.

"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

San Francisco, part 3 – Streetcars on Market Street: 1 March 2015

As I was rambling down Market Street, heading for the Ferry Building, I became aware of the old streetcars heading up and down Market Street. I have meant to take photographs of San Francisco streetcars for many years, but I never found the right time to do so. I quickly realized that this was an excellent opportunity to snap pictures of many of the extraordinary San Francisco streetcars. Also, about a month ago I purchased an excellent little book about, among other things, the history of each San Francisco Streetcar. The book is "On Track; A Field Guide to San Francisco's Historic Streetcars & Cable Cars." Now let's get rolling!

Part Three

The hulking concrete building on the left, with the large vertical windows, is the San Francisco Mint. The San Francisco Mint currently only produces proof coinage. 

Streetcar #1006 was built for the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) in 1948 by the St. Louis Car Company. It has served San Franciscans since 1948. The streetcar is heading outbound. I will be using the terms "outbound" and "inbound" to describe the direction that each streetcar is going. Simply stated, outbound means that the streetcar is leaving downtown San Francisco, and inbound indicates that the streetcar is heading to downtown San Francisco.

Streetcar #1052 was built in 1948 for Philadelphia Transportation Company by the St. Louis Car Company. It served Philadelphia from 1948-89. It was purchased by San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) in 1992. It is painted in tribute to Los Angeles Railway Company. The streetcar is heading outbound.

Streetcar #1059 was built in 1948 for Philadelphia Transportation Company by the St. Louis Car Company. It served Philadelphia from 1948-89.  It was purchased by San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) in 1992. It is painted in tribute to Boston, Massachusetts. The streetcar is heading outbound.

Streetcar #1062 was built in 1948 for Philadelphia Transportation Company by the St. Louis Car Company. It served Philadelphia from 1948-89. It was purchased by San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) in 1992. It is painted in tribute to Louisville, Kentucky. The streetcar is heading outbound.

Streetcar #1072 was built in 1946 for Twin City Rapid Transit Company, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, by the St. Louis Car Company. It served Minneapolis-St. Paul from 1946-1953. It served Newark, New Jersey from 1953-2001. It was purchased by San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) in 2004. It is painted in tribute to Mexico City, Mexico. The streetcar is heading inbound.

Streetcar #1008 was built for the San Francisco Municipal Railway in 1948 by the St. Louis Car Company. It has served San Franciscans since 1948. The streetcar is heading outbound.

Streetcar #1074 was built in 1946 for Twin City Rapid Transit Company, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, by the St. Louis Car Company. It served Minneapolis-St. Paul from 1946-1953. It served Newark, New Jersey from 1953-2001. It was purchased by San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) in 2004. It is painted in tribute to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The streetcar is heading inbound.

Streetcar #1077 was built in 1947 for Twin City Rapid Transit Company, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, by the St. Louis Car Company. It served Minneapolis-St. Paul from 1947-1953. It served Newark, New Jersey from 1953-2001. It was purchased by San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) in 2004. It is painted in tribute to Birmingham, Alabama. The streetcar is empty and stationary. It is waiting near the Ferry Building.

Streetcar #1080 was built in 1946 for Twin City Rapid Transit Company, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, by the St. Louis Car Company. It served Minneapolis-St. Paul from 1946-1953. It served Newark, New Jersey from 1953-2001. It was purchased by San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) in 2004. It is painted in tribute to Los Angeles, California. The streetcar is heading inbound.

Streetcar #1893 was built by Carminati & Toselli, in Milan, Italy in the 1970s. It has served San Franciscans since 1998. The streetcar is heading outbound.

The route of the 1 March ramble. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 8.8 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 652 feet. Mile markers are shown on the route’s track.

GO HERE to view part one.

GO HERE to view part two.

"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