San Francisco Film Locations Then & Now

Bathing Beauties at the old Maritime Museum in Aquatic Park: That tall microphone-like thing was there for broadcasting messages.

“Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?” “Joltin’ Joe has left and gone away!” DiMaggio’s is now Joe’s Crab Shack.

Outta the road, kid!” Filbert Street with Saints Peter and Paul Church: Just up from this point, Filbert becomes the steepest street in San Francisco!

Wow, it’s a 1939 Taylor Swift concert! Oh, sorry, it’s Pierre Monteux at the old Opera House. That’s the dome of City Hall reflecting in the windows.

“No, honey, the bridge is over there!” The old Roundhouse Restaurant, later gift shop, now stands empty.

I’m in awe of anybody who can ride their bikes straight up a cliff! The Great Highway and Ocean Beach from Sutro Heights; That’s Playland-at-the-Beach in the old photo.

The Embarcadero at Broadway in the 1950’s: Pier 7 was demolished for a walking pier. You can just see a piece of the Embarcadero Freeway where it ended at Broadway on the far right of the old photo. (Thumbnail image)

Where California Street ends at Market Street in January of 1941. (Thumbnail image)

Market Street and New Montgomery at the Palace Hotel in the 1950’s: They had a Pig ‘n Whistle here too. (Thumbnail image)

In spite of criticism about carelessness, and rude drivers, I find the San Francisco Municipal Railway “Muni” an easy and efficient way to get around San Francisco. This 1948 photo of Muni bus drivers shows a well integrated staff long before Martin Luther King Jr.

The death of a streetcar: As a streetcar began it’s run down 3rd Street from Market on April 18, 1906, the Earthquake struck shutting down the power, and stalling the car at 3rd and Mission in this Bay Area Electric Railroad Association photograph. The approaching fires eventually incinerated the car. (Thumbnail image)

A major streetcar strike in the Spring of 1907 caused a riot between strikebreakers temporarily operating the streetcars and the strikers. On May 7, 1907, gunfire broke out leaving two dead and twenty wounded. This photograph, taken the following day, shows a heavy police guard protecting the streetcars in something called a “Circus Parade”. The picture was put on a postcard; notice the mention of the riot to “Gertrude” by the sender. To me, the most interesting things about the picture, taken at Divisadero and California Streets are the long-ago lass in dark running across the intersection, and that somebody didn’t know how to spell Divisadero. (Thumbnail image)

1916 – Opening day of the Church Street grade through Dolores Park: A jubilant crowd gathered along the tracks, moves aside as the streetcar inches up the hill………. “Mom, my foot’s stuck!” (Thumbnail image)

Muni, eventually, took over the cable car system as well, and it’s still part of the Municipal Railway. This is on California between Stockton and Grant. The spot where the No Parking sign is in the old picture was where the Trafalgar Building, apparently, recently demolished by the time this 1951 photo was taken, was located. Just four years before the vintage picture was taken, the opening scenes from Bob Hope’s ‘My Favorite Brunette’ were filmed here. (Thumbnail image)

The old Muni Ferry Terminal under the Embarcadero Freeway. (Thumbnail image)