San Francisco – from the Ferry Building through the Presidio and concluding in the Richmond District: 3 April 2018

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

San Francisco Municipal Railway streetcar #1 was built in San Francisco in 1912. Streetcar #1 was initially used on the "A-Geary" line, which ran from Kearny Street to Golden Gate Park via Geary Boulevard and 10th Avenue. In 2009 the streetcar was restored by Brookville Equipment Company of Pennsylvania. After it arrived back in San Francisco in 2010, it was put into limited service for special occasions and private tours of the city. Streetcar #1 has been assigned to regular E-Embarcadeo line service commencing on 3 April 2018.

A view of the interior of San Francisco Municipal Railway streetcar #1.

This is a view of Telegraph Hill looking southwest from the Embarcadero. If you look closely at Telegraph Hill, you can see the scar from a no longer active 100-year-old rock quarry. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were a number of quarry operators who were demolishing portions of Telegraph Hill. San Francisco was a rapidly growing city, and quarry rocks were needed for the construction of streets, city infrastructure, and buildings. Starting in the 1890s and continuing into the early 1920s, the Gray Brothers operated a rock quarry on Telegraph Hill.

The Maritime Museum was built in 1939 as the Aquatic Park Bathhouse. The construction was a joint project of the Federal Works Progress Administration and the City of San Francisco.The maritime museum was closed from 2006 to 2009 for major repairs. The Maritime Museum reopened in 2010.

This is a remnant of the Pier 43 Ferry Arch. This was a rail pier constructed in 1889. Rail barges would come to this pier from Richmond, Oakland and Marin County. It was part of the San Francisco Belt Railroad which ran along the Embarcadero. The SS Jeremiah O'Brien, a WWII Liberty Ship is framed within the ferry arch.

Here is an innocuous looking building sitting on a forgettable pier. The pier is located between Aquatic Park and Fort Mason. The pier was known as Transport Wharf No. 4; it was the location from which federal authorities transported prisoners to Alcatraz Island. Al Capone, the Birdman of Alcatraz, and other notorious prisoners were whisked from this wharf to Alcatraz Federal Peniteniary.

Here is a view of Transport Wharf No. 4 with Alcatraz Island visible in the distance.

This is the east portal of the abandoned Fort Mason Tunnel. The tunnel was constructed in 1914; it was built to provide an efficient method to deliver material for the construction of the Panama Pacific International Exposition which opened in 1915. It was subsequently used as a streetcar route for visitors to the Panama Pacific Exposition. The US Army utilized the tunnel for rail access to the military Port of Embarkation at Fort Mason. During World War Two, more than one million six hundred thousand soldiers, and 23 million tons of supplies were transported to the Pacific battlefronts from the San Francisco Port of Embarkation. 

Here is a view of the west portal of the Fort Mason Tunnel. It is adjacent to the primary entryway to the site of the San Francisco Port of Embarkation. There is a possiblity that the tunnel will be renovated and used as an extension of the E & F San Francisco streetcar lines.

A view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The photo was snapped on what was once an aircraft landing field. Crissy Field was the site of a US Army airfield which became operational on 24 June 1921. The Marin Headlands are seen in the distance. The view is looking northwest.

This is Gun Battery Boutelle. It is located within the Presidio at Fort Winfield Scott. It was active from 1901 to 1917 and was decommissioned from service in 1918.

A view looking north from within the site of Fort Winfield Scott.

The distance traveled was approximately 9.0 miles (14.5 kilometers). The cumulative elevation gain was about 630 feet (192 meters). Mile markers are displayed on the GPS generated track. Click on the image to see the full-size map.

This plant is known as a Sea Fig (Carpobrotus chilensis), it is a succulent plant that is native to southern Africa. It was brought to California to be planted alongside freeways. The plant has since been recognized as an invasive plant; it is now found in parks and woodlands. This picture was taken in the Presidio. Thanks to Margot Cunningham for identifying this lovely plant.

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

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

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

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.

   A Sony camera was used to take these photographs.

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

San Francisco: March 2018

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

A view looking east from Harrison Street, the cross street is The Embarcadero. This is the western span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

Looking eastward at San Francisco Bay. The Berkeley Hills are in the distance, and Yerba Buena Island is ahead.  

This view is from Broadway, looking west. Ahead is the east portal of the Broadway Tunnel. Are you interested in seeing a photo of the west portal of the Broadway Tunnel? If so, go here to view the 21 January 2018 edition of this photoblog; it is the eleventh photo on the blog.

A view from The Embarcadero looking northwest. The forty-five story skyscraper is known as Four Embarcadero Center. It is a part of the Embarcadero Center a six-building complex built in the Financial District. Construction of the complex began in 1971, and the work was completed in 1989.


This sculpture is known as Cupid's Span; it was constructed by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. The work was installed in Rincon Park in 2002, which is adjacent to The Embarcadero. The view is looking west. 

This is Melbourne, Australia streetcar #496; it is traveling to Fisherman's Wharf via the SF Muni E-Embarcadero streetcar route. Streetcar #496 was constructed in Australia in 1928. I boarded this streetcar on 27 August 2017, at which time I participated in a twenty-five mile, four-hour streetcar tour of San Francisco. Go here to view that edition of this photoblog.

The Palace Hotel is located at the southeast corner of Market Street and New Montgomery Street. This is the second iteration of the hotel. The first building was destroyed during the earthquake and fire of 18 April 1906. This building began to accept guests on 19 December 1909.

This is a view looking west up Sacramento Street. The tall office building ahead is located at 505 Montgomery Street.  

This building is known as the Old San Francisco Mint. It became operational in 1874 and continued to operate until 1937 when a new mint located at 155 Hermann Street became functional. During the weekend of 3 and 4 March 2018, the Old Mint became a pop-up museum of San Francisco history.

La Taqueria Restaurant is located on Mission Street near Twenty-fifth Street. The restaurant always seems to be crowded; many people like the food and the vibrant activity. Below are three pictures I took inside the restaurant as I waited in line to order a quesadilla.

This is Saints Peter and Paul Church, it is located on Filbert Street in the North Beach neighborhood. Joe DiMaggio married Dorothy Arnold in this church in 1939. They were subsequently divorced in 1944. Then in 1954, Joe DiMaggio married Marilyn Monroe; that marriage took place in San Francisco's City Hall. Joe DiMaggio died at the age of 84 in Hollywood, Florida on 8 March 1999. His funeral took place in Saints Peter and Paul Church on 11 March 1999.
 

Construction of the Trans-Bay Tower is almost complete. It is 920 feet in height (326 meters) and has sixty-one floors. It is the tallest building in San Francisco and it is located at 415 Mission Street.

On John Street, looking east. The cross street is Powell Street. The upper portion of the Transamerica Pyramid is visible on the right.

The brick building on the right side of this photo is the old YMCA Hotel, which was built in 1928. If you look closely at the brick building, you can see near the roofline some faded white paint stating 'YMCA ROOMS'. In June of 1960, I took a Greyhound bus across the country to visit California and San Francisco. I spent three days in San Francisco, and during that time I had a room in the YMCA Hotel. The hotel is located on The Embarcadero.

"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.

   A Sony camera was used to take these photographs.

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

San Francisco – Chinatown, Tank Hill, Kite Hill, Billy Goat Hill & Mission Delores Park: February 2018

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

A view looking east from Drumm Street near Clay Street. Salesforce Tower seen ahead is under construction. It is now the tallest building in San Francisco.


A Wells Fargo bank branch in downtown San Francisco.


A view of the north portal of the Stockton Street Tunnel. Would you like to see the south portal of the Stockton Street Tunnel? Go Here (it is the last photo in the group of photographs.)


A view in Chinatown.


Looking up Sacramento Street at Grant Avenue in Chinatown.


Waverly Place, Chinatown.


Grant Avenue, Chinatown.


This is the First Church of Christ, Scientist. The cornerstone was laid in 1911, and the building was dedicated in 1913. Edgar A. Mathews was the architect who designed the building. The church is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Franklin Street and California Street.


A view looking north from the intersection of California Street and Larkin Street. People are waiting in line to have brunch at Olea Restaurant.


A view from Bush Street looking west. Van Ness Avenue is the cross street.


A view from Cole Street looking north. Ahead is St. Ignatius Church.


A view from Tank Hill looking northeast. Ahead is Mount Olympus and directly behind Mount Olympus is Buena Vista Park. Downtown San Francisco is visible in the distance.


A view from Tank Hill looking southeast. Potrero Hill is visible, and the City of Oakland may be seen across San Francisco Bay. The summit of Mount Diablo is detectable approximately 40 miles ahead.


This view is looking north from Kite Hill. Ahead is Corona Heights Park.


Here is a scene of Bernal Heights Hill. The picture was taken from Billy Goat Hill, and the view is looking southeast.


This picture was taken from the summit of Tank Hill. The view is looking northwest.


Here is a view from Mission Dolores Park looking northeast. Mission High School is visible as is downtown San Francisco.


THEN This is a photo of Billy Goat Hill. The view is looking south. The photographer was standing on Castro Street at 29th Street. The photograph was taken in 1930.


NOW Two of the houses standing in 1930 are still standing today.


This is a view of the eastern flank of Twin Peaks. Sutro Tower is on the right.


A view of Market Street as it ascends the east side of Twin Peaks.


Looking down Twenty-fifth Street towards the Mission District.


Helen Diller Playground is located in Mission Dolores Park.


This is the entryway to the Mission Community Pool. It is the only City of San Franciso operated outdoor pool. It was constructed in 1916 and it is located in the Mission Recreation Center.


Street art in the Castro District.

Springtime in the San Francisco Bay Area.

"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.

   A Sony camera was used to take these photographs.

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