San Francisco – A view of Nike Missile radar site SF-89C, which was located on the summit of Mount Sutro. Plus, a ramble on Mount Davidson: December 2019

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This photograph shows one of the three Presidio missile launching pads known as SF-89L. The houses in the distance are located in the Richmond District of San Francisco, and the view is looking south. The mountain on the far left is Mount Sutro. Sited at the summit of Mount Sutro, at an elevation of 909 feet, is radar tracking site SF-89C. It was designed to guide the missiles toward incoming enemy aircraft. This picture is circa 1958-1960.

Ramble #1: This map shows the route traveled from the Ashbury Heights neighborhood over Mount Sutro and concluding in the Sunset District on 19th Avenue at Judah Street. I used a Garmin GPS receiver to track the route: The distance traveled was approximately 4.4 miles, and the cumulative elevation gain was about 645 feet.

This is a view of the Fairy Gates Trail on Mount Sutro. The elevation of Mount Sutro is 909 feet. 

This is a view of the summit of Mount Sutro. In the 1950s,1960s, and early 1970s, the U.S. Government had between 250 and 300 Nike Missile defense sites constructed and installed in the United States during the Cold War. Each missile site was occupied by military personnel and consisted of two plots of land separated by approximately two miles. One parcel of land was used as the missile launching site. The second parcel of land was where radar antennas scanned the sky for enemy planes traveling toward the land area protected by the Nike missile site. 

This area on the summit of Mount Sutro, known as SF-89C, was the site of the radar antennas. The missile launching position, SF-89L, was located about two miles north of Mount Sutro, in San Francisco's Presidio Army base.

One of the several former military positions is located on the south side of Mount Sutro. It is approximately 200 feet from the radar antennae positioned on the summit. This location was used by the soldiers who operated the radar tracking equipment. This facility is now being used as a native plant-growing site.

This empty and unused structure was a military police guard building located near the former radar tracking site.

Here is a view looking northwest from the vicinity of Nike radar site SF-89C, located on Mount Sutro's summit. Ahead in the distance is the location of the Presidio U.S. Army base, which was the site of the three SF-89L missile launch pads. Each launch pad had four missile launching positions. Twelve missiles could thus be launched simultaneously if needed. No missiles were ever launched from any of the Nike missile sites located throughout the United States.

This is a picture of the upper part of Oakhurst Lane, a steep and long stairway on the west side of Mount Sutro. The stairway goes from the upper portion of Mount Sutro down to near the mountain's base.

This photo was taken from the Oakhurst Lane stairway; the view looks northwest, towards the Inner Sunset District. Grandview Park is located on the hill in the distance.

This is the Sunset branch of the San Francisco Public Library. The building is located on 18th Avenue at Irving Street. Andrew Carnegie donated the money necessary to construct this library building and six other San Francisco library buildings. Andrew Carnegie built 2,509 libraries throughout the world between 1883 and 1920. 1,689 libraries were built in the United States, 660 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and 125 in Canada. He also constructed libraries in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Serbia, France, Mauritius, Malaysia, and Fiji. This library branch opened on 18 March 1918. Thank you, Andrew Carnegie.

Ramble #2: This map shows the route traveled from the West Portal neighborhood over Mount Davidson and concludes at the Glen Park BART train station. A GPS recorded the route taken. The distance traveled was approximately 3.3 miles, and the cumulative elevation gain was roughly 555 feet. Mount Davidson, at 927 feet, is the highest natural point in San Francisco.

Here is a view from the West Portal neighborhood. This two-car K-Ingleside streetcar exited the Twin Peaks Tunnel and is heading outbound to the Balboa Park station.  

A view of West Portal Avenue. Ahead is the Barbagelata Real Estate Company. John Barbagelata (29 March 1919 - 19 March 1994) founded and owned the real estate company. He was the father of eight children, one of the members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and a 1975 San Francisco mayoral candidate. He lost the 1975 mayoral election to George Moscone by less than 5,000 votes.

This is a view from San Lorenzo Way. Edgehill Mountain (734 feet) is ahead.

This is a view of the Forest Hill Extension neighborhood.

St. Francis Wood Neighborhood (1)

St. Francis Wood Neighborhood (2)

St. Francis Wood Neighborhood (3)

St. Francis Wood Neighborhood (4)

A view of Mount Davidson is seen from a pedestrian walkway that crosses over Portola Drive. Also visible is San Francisco Fire Department Station #39.

Mount Davidson is shrouded in fog.

A view of Mount Davidson as seen from the Sherwood Forest Neighborhood.

 






A view from Mount Davidson looking southeast.


Near the summit of Mount Davidson, looking north.


The Mount Davidson Cross is located on the summit of Mount Davidson.

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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.

   Either a Sony camera or an Olympus camera was used to take these photographs.

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

San Francisco – Views from Corona Heights Park, Buena Vista Park, Mount Olympus, and Kite Hill: 17 December 2019

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

This photograph was taken from Kite Hill, and the view is looking north. The treed area ahead on the right is Buena Vista Park. The hilltop on the left side of the photo is Mount Olympus.

This map shows the route taken, as recorded by a GPS receiver. The approximate distance traveled was 5.1 miles; the approximate cumulative elevation gain was 848 feet.

NOW  This is a view of the summit of Mount Olympus. This hilltop has a fascinating history: An empty pedestal is now at the top of the 570-foot hill. From 1887 until 1955, there was a twelve-foot-high concrete statue on top of the now-empty pedestal. Titled “Triumph of Light,” the statue showed Lady Liberty. The statue was given to the City of San Francisco by Adolph Sutro in 1887. The statue remained on the top of Mount Olympus for sixty-eight years, and it had a hard life. The concrete weathered and crumbled; water was causing the statue’s metal support rods to rust, and so in 1955, the city decided to remove the statue because it was deemed to be a hazard. This pedestal is the last remaining portion of the “Triumph of Light” statue installation. Mount Olympus is located near the geographical center of San Francisco. This view is looking northwest.

THEN The Triumph of Light Statue as seen on the top of Mount Olympus in 1888. A plaque on the pedestal reads "Erected by Adolph Sutro 1887" This view is looking west across undeveloped Cole Valley. Golden Gate Park and Strawberry Hill are visible in the right background. Thanks to the Western Neighborhoods Project for the use of this photo.

THEN  The Triumph of Light Statue as seen on the top of Mount Olympus in 1947. Buena Vista Park is visible behind Mount Olympus. This view is looking northeast.

THEN  This is a view of the Triumph of Light statue, as seen in 1927. The treed hill seen on the left is Mount Sutro. Thanks to the Western Neighborhoods Project for the use of this photo.

This is a view looking southwest from Corona Heights Park. At the beginning of the 20th Century, this site was the location of a brick-manufacturing factory. The hill was then known as Rocky Hill. There were also several active rock quarries at this hill site to provide the raw material needed for the brick kiln. The rock quarries and brick kiln were owned and operated by two brothers, George and Harry Gray. In 1899 they established the rock quarries and built the brick kiln factory on Rocky Hill. San Francisco needed stones and bricks for building construction, street paving, and other uses. The Gray brothers provided the necessary material. The brothers also operated rock quarries on Telegraph Hill and Billy Goat Hill. The brick-making kiln on Rocky Hill burned down during the 1906 Earthquake and Fire; the rock quarrying continued unabated, and the kiln was rebuilt. 

On 10 November 1914, a desperate 36-year-old former quarry worker named Joseph Lococo approached co-owner George Gray to request the $17.50 due him in back wages. The Sicilian immigrant was ill, and he and his family were about to be evicted from the apartment they were renting in the Potrero Hill neighborhood. Also, he, his wife, and their two babies had not eaten for two days. George Gray refused to pay him and told him to get out. Joseph Lococo then pulled out a gun and shot George Gray dead. Lococo was jailed and went on trial for the murder. He was acquitted because of temporary insanity, and he walked out of the courtroom a free man. Harry Gray shut down the rock quarry and brick kiln operation in 1915.

In 1928 Josephine Randall, the Recreation Superintendent of San Francisco, proposed that the city buy the 16 acre Rocky Hill site so that it may be used by the residents of San Francisco as a recreational facility. Rocky Hill was purchased by the city in 1941 and, it was then renamed Corona Heights Park. The Randall Museum, located on the lower southwest side of the hill, opened in 1951. It was the desire of Josephine Randall to create a place where city children could experience “a day in the country" and learn to love natural history, science, and crafts. Today, the museum offers science exhibits, art and ceramics classes, a theater, and a carpentry workshop. The park provides some of the best views of San Francisco.

This is all that now remains of the Rocky Hill brick kiln building. This location is adjacent to State Street.


This is a view from Corona Heights Park looking northeast.

Here is a view of Twin Peaks as seen from the intersection of 22nd Street and Collingswood Street.

A house in the Noe Valley neighborhood.

A house in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood.

An apartment building in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood.


This is a view looking southwest from near the summit of Corona Heights Park. Ahead is Sutro Tower and the Public Safety Radio Towers.

A house near Buena Vista Park.


This house is located at 22 Beaver Street. The residence was constructed in 1870 by silver refiner Jacob Benedict. It is an Italianate style dwelling that was erected near Rocky Hill, now known as Corona Heights Park. The home was converted to a boarding house after the 1906 earthquake and later used as a hippie crash-pad. Beginning in 1966, after a change of ownership and years of neglect, the building underwent a decades-long restoration. The property has recently been designated San Francisco Landmark #284.

This is a view from Corona Heights Park looking northwest. The treed area ahead is Buena Vista Park. The large building in front of the park was under construction from 1926 through 1928. It was erected as St. Joseph's Hospital. The hospital closed on 6 September 1979. The hospital building was subsequently converted to its present configuration, a condominium apartment building.

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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.

   A Sony camera was used to take these photographs.

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

San Francisco – Views from Tank Hill and Twin Peaks: 14 December 2019

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

This is a view from Tank Hill looking north. The towers of the Golden Gate Bridge are visible, and Mount Tamalpais overlooks the scene. The de Young Museum,  which is located in Golden Gate Park, is visible in this photograph.

This view from Tank Hill is looking east. Ahead is Mount Olympus, and immediately behind Mount Olympus is Buena Vista Hill. 

One more view from Tank Hill. Ahead is St. Ignatius Church; It first opened its doors on 2 August 1914. Angel Island and the Tiburon Peninsula are both visible in this photograph.


This is a view looking west from Noe Valley at the intersection of 24th Street and Church Street. Ahead in the distance is Twin Peaks.


This is a view from Twin Peaks. Corona Heights Park and Kite Hill are visible. Downtown San Francisco is ahead. Looking east, across San Francisco Bay, are Berkeley and Oakland.


This view from Twin Peaks shows the City of San Francisco's Public Safety Radio Towers. These two 180-foot tall steel towers primarily serve public safety radio systems used by San Francisco's police and firefighters.


This view from Twin Peaks shows the 977-foot tall three-antennaed Sutro Tower. This antenna tower is used to transmit television and radio signals to the immediate San Francisco Bay Area.
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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.

   A Sony camera was used to take these photographs.

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