San Francisco's Chinatown: 30 August 2015

I did a walk through Chinatown after reading "San Francisco Chinatown, A Guide to its History and Architecture." The book, written by Phillip P. Choy and published in 2012 by City Lights, is well written and informative. Mr. Choy passed away in 2017.

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

Portsmouth Square is located on the first public square established in the early 19th century in the Mexican community of Yerba Buena, whose name was changed to San Francisco in 1847. Captain John B. Montgomery of the USS Portsmouth was ordered to seize Yerba Buena during the Mexican-American War. On 9 July1846, the first American flag was raised near the Mexican adobe custom house in the plaza that would eventually be named Portsmouth Square in honor of the ship.

Many historical events have happened at the plaza. In 1847, the first public school in California was erected at the plaza's southwest corner. On 11 May 1848, the discovery of gold was announced when Sam Brannan showed his gold to a crowd. On 12 June 1849, a group was gathered at the plaza, demanding the election of delegates at the Monterey Constitutional Convention. On 29 August 1850, a memorial service was held after the death of US President Zachary Taylor. The First Admission Day celebration was held on 29 October 1850, when California became the 31st state of the United States.

Portsmouth Square Park is located in the heart of Chinatown. 

A view from Portsmouth Square looking west, as seen on 22 June 1851. "Near harbor in 1851 — San Francisco during the Gold Rush. Early daguerreotype. Signs visible in the image include Book and Job Printing, Louisiana, Sociedad, Drugs & Medicines Wholesale & Retail, Henry Johnson & Co, Alta California, Bella Union." 

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"Constructed in 1858, this elegant brick building played a major role in the financial and entrepreneurial development of frontier San Francisco. From his offices in this building, William M. Lent, President of the Savage Mining Company, organized the financing of the Comstock Lode located in Virginia City, Nevada. The wealth created by the successful mining of the Comstock provided capital for the development of the West in the years following the Civil War. The Society of California Pioneers." The building is San Francisco Landmark #27.
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I have an unbounded interest in Virginia City and have visited Virginia City many times.

Here are my photo galleries from Virginia City, Nevada.

1. Virginia City, June 2002.

2. Julia Bulette's gravesite, plus the Masonic and Catholic cemeteries of Gold Hill. September 2011.

3. A steam train ride on the historic Virginia & Truckee Railroad right-of-way. September 2011.

The route through Chinatown. The approximate distance traveled was 4.5 miles.

"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.

A San Francisco walk from the Ferry Building to Cow Hollow: 29 August 2015

This was a nice 8.2-mile ramble from the Ferry Building to Lyon Street, the eastern boundary of the Presidio, on a cool and foggy Saturday morning.

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

Gracious home on Lyon Street at Pacific Avenue. The area behind the home is the eastern boundary of the Presidio.

This building is the location of the former Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. It was built in 1924 and is located at 400 Sansome Street. The building is no longer the location of the Federal Reserve for the Twelfth District in the United States. In 1983 the bank relocated to 101 Market Street, San Francisco. The building is now privately owned. 

A Pacifico beer ad and the Transamerica Pyramid are both reaching for the sky. 

1409-21 Sacramento Street. This attractive structure appears to be a twelve-unit apartment building. The location is Lower Pacific Heights. 

This house is located in Pacific Heights on Pacific Avenue. The cross street is Broderick Street. 

As seen on Pacific Avenue. 

Buena Vista Park is straight ahead. It is the oldest official park in San Francisco; It was established in 1867 as Hill Park and later renamed Buena Vista Park. The park is situated on a hill that peaks at 575 feet. From where I took this picture, there are four peaks visible behind Buena Vista Park... except when the fog is as thick as pea soup! Here they are for the record: Twin Peaks (Noe Peak and Eureka Peak), Mount Davidson, and Mount Sutro. This view is looking southwest. 

Here is a flower shop on Union Street. 

This is a view looking north from Pacific Avenue in the Pacific Heights neighborhood. Angel Island is straight ahead and, a small portion of the Tiburon Peninsula is visible on the left side of this photo. The Marina District is visible along the bay. During the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the part of San Francisco that received the most damage was the Marina District. The Marina District is located on mudflats. When the earthquake occurred on 17 October 1989, the mudflats liquified, and several apartment buildings collapsed, some of which caught on fire with a loss of lives. All of the destroyed buildings have been rebuilt. 

This is the Palace of Fine Arts, as seen from Broadway Street in Pacific Heights. The Palace of Fine Arts only occupied a small portion of the land used by the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. This year is the 100th anniversary of the Exposition. Belvedere Island is on the right side of this photograph, and the Tiburon Peninsula is in the background. This view is looking north. 

A view of Telegraph Hill with Coit Tower on the summit, as seen from Union Street in the Russian Hill neighborhood. The view is looking east. 

Here is a view of the Transamerica Pyramid.

The approximate distance traveled was 8.2 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 992 feet. Click on the image to see the full-size map.

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during this ramble.  

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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.  

San Francisco's North Beach: 24 August 2015

A ramble in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco on a cool and cloudy morning.

This is the iconic and well regarded City Lights Books. It is located on Columbus Avenue; the bookstore was named a San Francisco Designated Landmark in 2001. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

La Boulange was a locally owned french bakery and coffee shop... until 2012 when Starbucks purchase the company for 100 million dollars. In June 2015 Starbucks announced that it will close all 23 retail outlets. What a dreadful decision, 745 people will be out of jobs and a beloved San Francisco coffee house will be gone. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

The Fireman's Memorial statue; it is sited in Washington Square Park, which is  located about 1/4 mile from Telegraph Hill, upon which Coit Tower stands on the summit. The statement on the base of the statue: "To Commemorate The Volunteer Fire Department of San Francisco 1849-1866. Erected 1933 By Bequest of Lillie Hitchcock Coit." Ms. Hitchcock Coit, who died in 1929, also bequest Coit Tower to San Francisco in 1933. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

The route. The approximate distance traveled was 7.6 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 603 feet. Click on the image to see the full-size map.

The graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the ramble. Click on the image to see the full-size chart.

“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

A walk from the 16th Street/Mission BART Station to the West Portal Muni Metro Station: 20 August 2015

I started this ramble at the16th Street Mission BART Station. I walked through the Mission District and the Noe Valley neighborhood, among others, and finally arrived at the West Portal Muni Metro Station. 

This building is located on Valencia Street at 16th Street. Click on the image to see the full-size photo.

"La Loma Produce #14" is located in the Inner Mission on 16th Street at Julian Street. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

This grand house is located in the Noe Valley neighborhood at Dolores Street and 25th Street. Click on the image to see the full-size photo.

This is 1249 Dolores Street, it is located in the Noe Valley neighborhood. The cross street is Clipper Street. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

There is a plaque on the outside of the house which proclaims that the structure was built in 1884. The house is located at 1325 Dolores Street, between Cesar Chavez Street and 26th Street in the Noe Valley neighborhood. Click on the image to see the full-size photo.

San Francisco has alleyways located in many parts of the city. The majority of the alleyways were constructed when the primary method of transportation within the city consisted of horse-drawn vehicles. I believe that the alleyways were constructed to provide easy access to backyards, which could provide a safe shelter for horses, if necessary. The official name of this 15-foot wide alleyway is Quane Street; it is located in the Noe Valley neighborhood. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

The approximate distance traveled was 6.7 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 796 feet. Click on the image to see the full-size map.

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered in this ramble. Click on the image to see the full-size chart.

“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

San Francisco's Mission District & Bernal Heights Park: 19 August 2015

The sky was foggy and overcast on Wednesday; a calm wind blew. Another beautiful day in San Francisco.

This photo was taken in the Mission District at 22nd Street and Valencia Street.

This is a view of Bernal Heights Park. The picture looks southeast of Valencia Street. 

Looking at some documents at a cafe on 25th Street. 

The Mission District is known for its graffiti.

This is the colorful entryway to the Mission Community Pool. The pool was constructed in 1916 and is located on 19th Street between Linda Street and Valencia Street. The pool and the adjacent playground are a part of San Francisco Recreation and Parks.

La Taqueria. The burritos are great. The restaurant is always busy, so finding a place to sit down and eat the food can be a problem. 

A lady is feeding the pigeons at Mission Street and 18th Street. 

This is a view of a major freeway interchange as seen from Bernal Height Park. US Route 101 and Interstate 280 meet, dance together, and then go back to their separate ways. Bayview Park occupies the center of the image. This view looks southeast. 

A view of Twin Peaks is visible in the distance; Sutro Tower is partially shrouded by the fog. The photo was taken from Bernal Height Park; the view is looking northwest. 

This is the western entry to the Dogpatch/Miller Memorial Garden. Evelyn brought my attention to a website that identified 16 little-known gardens in San Francisco. Thanks, Evelyn.

A mixed-use apartment building is located at 20th Street and Valencia Street. The view is looking east. 

On the west side of Valencia Street is Dog Eared Books. I took this photo at about a quarter to 10 in the morning. A book store employee is sweeping the sidewalk in front of the store before opening for customers. 

The distance traveled was approximately 5.8 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 586 feet.

A graph of the elevation changes encountered in the ramble. 

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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 these photo galleries.

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

San Francisco Fire Department Engine Company No. 7 - Then & Now: 18 August 2015

I wrote a few days ago: "I think this building has probably had an interesting history..." I did a little research and I found out that the building was used as a City of San Francisco Fire Station from 1907 to 1968. In addition, the building site was used as the location for a fire station since January 1854. This building was the third fire station to occupy this site which is located at 3160 16th Street in the Inner Mission District of San Francisco.

I was able to locate a picture of this building that is circa 1958. A bright red shiny firetruck is peaking out of the front door. You can see that photograph below. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

Built in 1907; active as a Fire Station until March of 1968. Photo circa 1958.

San Francisco Fire Dept Engine Company No. 7 was located at 3160 16th Street. 

Neighborhood: Inner Mission

History of Engine Company No. 7

1854   January 1st, home of Young America Engine Company No. 13
1866   December 3rd, Young America Engine Company No. 13 disbanded
1866   December 3rd, Hose Company No. 5 organized and assigned to quarters
1868   April 15th, Engine Company No. 7 organized and assigned to quarters 
1894   Chemical Engine Co. No. 7 relocated from Masonic Avenue and Java Street
1906   April 18th, building was destroyed in 1906 Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire
1906   Earthquake or Fire damage to the firehouse valued at $12,000.  Cost of new building $22,000
1907   Engine Co. No. 7 returned to the new quarters after temporary 1906 housing at 3623 - 17th Street
1907   Chemical Engine Co. No. 9 organized and assigned to quarters
1916   Chemical Engine Co. No. 9 relocated to Truck Co. No. 6, 349 Hermann Street
1917   Chemical Engine Co. No. 7 disbanded
1918   Converted to motorized apparatus
1941   November 1st, Battalion 6 relocated from Engine Co. No. 13, 1458 Valencia Street
1952   Auxiliary Engine Co. No. 22 organized and assigned to quarters
1968   March 12th, Engine Co. No. 7 relocated to new quarters at 80 Digby Street
1968   3160 16th Street was sold at a City & County of San Francisco public auction

This wooden structure on the corner of Albion Street is the third firehouse to be built on this site. In 1854 the Young America Engine Company, with their hand drawn apparatus, occupied the first firehouse built here. In 1868 the newly organized Engine Company No. 7, with their horse drawn steam engine, was stationed here. The firehouse was lost in the 1906 Fire. In 1907 the firehouse was rebuilt with a simple corniced structure.  In 1918 the company received a 1916 American LaFrance Type 45 chain drive 6 cylinder 120 HP engine with a combination 900 GPM rotary gear pump and hose wagon and the horses were retired. On March 12, 1968, Engine Company No. 7 and the auxiliary engine assigned here were moved to new quarters at 80 Digby Street in Diamond Heights, and the firehouse at 3160 16th Street was closed.

“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