Waiting for the 4th

In spite of its being considered by some as just slightly Left of the Chicago Seven as a city, San Francisco is full of patriotic pride. “Old Glory” still flies around the town and San Francisco hasn’t seceded from the Union yet. I did a little exploring around Downtown San Francisco over the 4^th of July weekend, and tomorrow night Left and Right will be down by the waterfront watching the fireworks show. I have seen the pageantry on the Bay many times, but nowadays, like tomorrow night, I usually do my flag waving at home on the 4^th  watching the 1972 film ‘1776’.

Speaking of 1776, although England and the United States have had long ago differences, (Well, the British did capture Washington DC once, and President Trump hasn’t done that yet) our two countries are as united as any two countries in history, and hopefully that will always be. In the early 1950’s a cross country tour by three of England’s double-decker buses to promote tourism to Great Britain arrived in San Francisco. Here, the buses are traveling east on Market Street at 8^th Street. Notice the driver’s on the right side of the bus. Behind the streetcar on the right is the magnificent movie palace the Fox Theater demolished in 1963. (Vintage picture from SF Chronicle)

The buses continue on Market past Jones Street. (SF Chronicle)

 The double-decker buses turn right off Market Street onto 4^th St.

Now we’re over on Grant Avenue during World War Two just after Pearl Harbor. This building, the Telephone Exchange Building at the time, was considered so vital that sandbags were stacked in front of it to protect the structure if the Japanese ever bombed San Francisco, although, I’ve never been able to understand what good those bags would do in the event of a direct hit. (SF Chronicle)

A view of the Telephone Exchange Building during this period looking south toward Market Street:

I’m still waiting for my ship to come out! Grooooan! Berstein’s Fish Grotto on Powell Street, famous for its ships bow entrance, was a popular restaurant from 1912 until closing in 1981. A Walgreens Pharmacy now occupies the spot.

Market Street west of Grant Avenue after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire: The Mutual Bank Building is the Gothic looking building tucked between other buildings in the center of my picture. The dark building just to the right of the Mutual Building and not labeled in the postcard is the old Chronicle Building, the copper colored building in the center of my picture. The old and modernized Call Building is on the right. The Phelan Building, (they spelled it Philan) destroyed in the earthquake and rebuilt in 1908, is on the far left. Well, I hope that George A. Hyde got a date with Miss Hazel!