Month: March 2015

The first series of pictures are from wartime San Francisco in 1943, and during the 2014 San Francisco Giants World Series Victory Parade. The City Hall is seen here during both the historic events.

Go, Giants! Go! Well, this is the place to be if they have to. I’m not too sure how we won the war with that cap less sailor in the middle on our side, but we did! The tall building in the back was the old Empire Hotel. The grass in this area is gone now and the comparison is a little bit off today because they were walking right where the San Francisco Main Library is now.

Market Street at Stockton: “Hey, dudes! Go Giants!”

This terrific World War Two photo was in front of the Telenews Movie Theater at 930 Market Street. The theater was located at what is now the edge of Hallidie Plaza. The 2014 Victory Parade was on Halloween, and the light rain falling didn’t dampen anyone’s enthusiasm!

Another wonderful World War Two time capsule from Life Magazine at Turk and Market Streets along movie theater row;: Out of sight behind the Esquire Theater is where the Telenews Theater in the previous photo was.

The next series of pictures are from the Victory over Japan Day parade in August of 1945, and the San Francisco Giants first ever World Series Champions Parade in November of 2010. 7th & Market on VJ Day, and for the Giants Parade November 3rd 2010. Notice the Flood Building on the left side of Market, and the old Humboldt-Bank of America Building on the right side in both scenes. The brick streetcar island on the left in the modern picture is actually nearer to the center of Market Street for easier streetcar access. (Vintage footage by C.R. Skinner)

The old columned Hibernia Bank Building at Jones and Market Streets was a great place to watch both the VJ Day Parade and the 2010 Giants Parade. (Vintage footage by C.R. Skinner)

Watch the following series of pictures taken at McAllister and Market Streets. The girl in pink on the right doesn’t mind when her friend gets kissed, but when a sailor puts a cap on her head, bends her over and kisses her, she throws it back at him, angrily.

Giants fans watching the 2010 parade at the same spot where the young lady in pink fought so valiantly for her honor, long ago: (Vintage footage by C.R. Skinner)

James Kirk and Doctor Spock at Fort Point and the Golden Gate Bridge. (Thumbnail image)

The boys at the St Francis Marina Yacht Harbor, with the old stone Marina Lighthouse in the background.

The crew of the Enterprise get their first look at San Francisco at Columbus and Kearny.

The landing dock on Alcatraz Island, used when it was a penitentiary is the same landing dock used by visitor’s today. All of the buildings up by the lighthouse were gutted by fire. They still line you up and give you instructions when you get off the boats today, but they’re a little nicer, and they don’t strip search you. Notice the train at the lower right. Some prisoners were considered so dangerous, the train they arrived in was drive right on to a barge and docked on the island before the prisoners left the heavily guarded train. (Thumbnail image)

Deputy Warden Cecil Shuttleworth and his Officers in the 1930’s. There’s always one! “Hey, you on the right. Eyes front!” (Thumbnail images)

Of course, it wasn’t all fun and games. In 1946 there was “The Battle of Alcatraz” where inmates rioted and took over much of the cellblocks, and the island was surrounded by the Marines. Two guards and three inmates were killed, and two of the rioters were later executed. This photo taken during the battle shows an explosion from a mortar fired at the prisoners and police officers in the circle at the left. (Thumbnail image)

Robert Stroud, the “Birdman of Alcatraz” in his comfy cozy hospital cell, and the same cell today. Don’t let the sentimental treatment of this creep in the old movie fool you; there’s evidence that he was a pedophile, he was an anti social monster, and he didn’t look like Burt Lancaster. (Thumbnail image)

Inmates unloading food supplies in 1954. (Thumbnail image)

Clint Eastwood as Frank Morris plans his escape in the prison exercise yard in the 1979 film ‘Escape from Alcatraz’. It was said that on a clear day the inmates could actually smell the food cooking in Fisherman’s Wharf from here. That had to be irritating! (Thumbnail image)