Month: September 2023

Actually, they weren’t she creatures; they were a couple of cute society girls named Claire Zwieg and Marjorie Wilson, and they probably didn’t have any trouble getting the nice fishermen to take their pictures all around the Fisherman’s Wharf Boat Lagoon in March of 1938. The vintage photos are from the UC Berkeley Library Archives. (Thumbnail images)

 

“Hey, Cappy, does your wittle boat go fast?”
“Lady, you talk like that when you get onboard, and I’ll throw your ass off my boat!”
Looking back toward where the Alioto’s and Fishermen’s Grotto Buildings would eventually be. You can see Coit Tower on the right in both images. I love the fisherman’s cap on the one girl.

“I wonder if I’ll get in trouble if I ring this bell.”
“Honey, I don’t think they’ll mind much what we do!”
The building behind them was demolished in the 1960s, and the chapel in the background is there now.

“I like this boat better!”
“No, we’re on the same one. Tim just switched boats.”

 

“Hey, look! I can see Applebee’s!”
“Yeah, maybe in about 75 years!”

 

Speaking of Applebee’s, it was nice of the girls there to let me go out on their glass terrace to get my update of this 1939 view of Jefferson and Taylor Streets.

 

Looking southwest from walkway in the middle of the lagoon in 1938: You can’t see Ghirardelli Square from here anymore.

I ended up in Aquatic Park last Saturday morning after taking some pictures, and decided to hop on a cable car up Hyde Street back to Market Street. Because it was a weekend morning, most people were heading into the area, rather than away, so the lines to board the cars weren’t that long. I got on an outside step on the front left side of the car, and took pictures along the way back to Market Street. On Sunday I searched through internet archives looking for vintage pictures that closely matched the ones I took. Now and thens are more challenging than then and nows because you have no control over the line up, but they’re still fun to try. Now, I’ve been hanging on the outside of cable cars since I was 15, but coming down Nob Hill toward the end of the ride, a pretty girl in her late teens or early twenties coming uphill on a passing cable car reached across for a fist bump as we passed, which I obliged her with, and watched the car she was on head up the hill. It doesn’t seem like much in describing, but it made my day. Anyway, back to the pictures. (Thumbnail images)

 

Heading up Hyde Street on Russian Hill from Bay Street, on the car and from the intersection in 1979: The line ups get a little better along the way. (San Francisco Pictures Blog)

The view down Lombard Street at sunset in 1960: Being one of the most photographed locations in San Francisco history, it wasn’t hard to find a near match here, (opensfhistory.org)

Passing Greenwich Street: I’ll let Bogie take this one from the 1947 film ‘Dark Passage’.

Turning left off Hyde Street, we’re heading down Washington Street: The Cable Car Barn and Museum is on the left in my picture and the one from the 1950s (San Francisco Pictures Blog)

 

Looking down Clay Street from Powell as fire caused by the 1906 Earthquake approaches: This picture of Arnold Genthe’s is overshadowed by his more famous photo taken one block over at Powell and Sacramento Streets, but I thinks it’s almost as classic.

Crossing California Street along Powell, and another one of the most photographed spots in San Francisco:

Heading down Powell Street from California: It’s difficult to find a good match up here because most pictures taken from here are looking down California Street, so this 1957 shot is about the closest that I could find. Also, the cable car coming up toward us is carrying the girl I bonded with over a fist bump, although I didn’t know it at the time I took the picture. I can’t make her out when I look at a close up of the photo, we were just “two ships passing in the night” during the day, but I got a kick out of it. (opensfhistory.org)

Passing Post Street at Union Square: I think this one from the 1980s is the one I got the best line up on. (San Francisco Pictures Blog)

Looking down Geary Street from Powell toward the old Palace Hotel just after the 1906 Earthquake: The fire would eventually gut the whole area, including the Palace Hotel. (opensfhistory.org)

Passing O’Farrell Street, looks like the early 1910s:   I didn’t want to leave out the one with the jerk crossing the street that’s posing for us; it doesn’t have the class of a fist bump. (San Francisco Public Library Archives)

I’ve taken the new Central Subway north to Chinatown a number of times, but today is the first time I rode it south to Oracle Stadium. It’s easily the best way to get to the ballpark using public transportation. I wandered around the area for awhile updating some vintage pictures from the San Francisco Public Library Archive and opensfhistory.org. (Thumbnail images)

Looking northeast across China Basin (McCovey Cove now) from the Third Street Bridge (Lefty O’Doul Bridge now) in 1922: The Giants aren’t at home this weekend, so the area was quiet today. (opensfhistory.org)

Looking toward the Lefty O’Doul Bridge in 1933: The was major damage to the bridge from a barge that broke away during the storms earlier this year, so the area near the water is fenced off right now. (opensfhistory.org)

 

I wandered up Third Street past where the old Southern Pacific Railroad Station used to be. The vintage picture was taken from in front of the train station in 1940. The Gallenkamp’s Building is still around. (opensfhistory.org)

 

Looking down Third Street from Brannan in 1931: Yeah, I can imagine the luck I’d have today holding up a Metro Streetcar while I posed for a picture. (opensfhistory.org)

People crossing the intersection of Townsend and Third Streets during the 1950s: The vintage picture may have been taken during the Korean War. I moved down Brannan Street to the Fourth and Brannan Central Subway stop, and headed back to Market Street to round out the Labor Day Weekend. The blood advertisement sign reminds me that tax season isn’t over yet in California; I’m worried that I’m going to have an invasion of last minute income tax filers trying to beat the October 16^th deadline that will make the zombies from ‘Night of the Living Dead’ look like trick-or-treaters. (The San Francisco Public Library Archives)