Her story continues...
The San Francisco Bay Area has supported human life for an estimated 8,000+ years, and today is no exception :)
Loosely affiliated pre-Columbian Native American tribes, now known as Ohlone (formerly Costanoan), were primarily hunter/gatherers subsisting on a large bounty of animal and plant life in the area.
The Spanish colonization of California combined territorial expansion and (involuntary) Catholic conversion - in San Francisco, founding the Presidio and Mission Dolores in 1776. In less than 60 years, the various Ohlone cultures and populations were destroyed even as the Spanish Empire itself was distintegrating.
The Catholic missions were secularized/decommissioned in 1833, and 13 years later the United States claimed California during the Mexican-American War - which was primarily a battle over Texas, with Mexico ceding Alta California (including the small 500-ish population settlement of Yerba Buena, later San Francisco) not the least because, there wasn't much here...
... except, gold :)
In 1848, James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma (outside Sacramento) triggering a worldwide rush to the Sierra Nevada. With one of the world's finest natural harbors (undiscovered by early explorers, probably owing to the fog), San Francisco became a primary gateway for both miners and minerals (and coffee!), and the SF population grew from 1,000 to 25,000 people in less than a year, and far beyond that, quickly.
... and then, silver!
San Francisco's first two booms put it on the maritime map and spurred the third boom, the transcontinental railroad.
In aggregate, these movements generated massive wealth for local entrepreneurs and businesses (including Levi Strauss, Wells Fargo, James Fair, James Flood, Mark Hopkins and Leland Stanford), created one of the largest Chinese populations outside Asia, started the iconic Victorian architectural tradition, inspired the invention of Cable Cars (to spare horses!), forged Golden Gate Park (in the spirit of New York's Central Park) all the way out to the ocean and the playful Sutro Baths - and literally blasted San Francisco into the world as both a frontier land of opportunity and a cultured "Paris of the West".
Following this initial triple boom and owing both to rapid construction and the use of coastal redwoods, fires were a constant threat (and firefighters a topic of active adoration), culminating in a (nearly) all-consuming blaze in the 1906 earthquake, after which the city was almost entirely rebuilt, bigger and better organized than ever (with a 10+ million gallon water reservoir under Twin Peaks). The post-fire/1906 20th century brought the boom back with the opening of the Panama Canal (vastly improving SF shipping channels with the east) and the related Panama-Pacific Exposition along what is now Crissy Field (of which the Palace of Fine Arts remains). The Great Depression didn't hit San Francisco as hard as other places, and both the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges were completed (within 6 months of each other). In 1939, Bill Hewlett and David Packard tossed a coin and named their Palo Alto (one car!) garage company "Hewlett-Packard" - starting a local tradition of technological entrepreneurship that continues to boom and bust, invent and morph its way into the future.
Owing to both it's excellent port and relative prominence on the west coast of the United States, San Francisco was a major production and supply channel during World War II, and a major port of re-entry afterwards.
Following the war, many made it home and participated in post-war boom, while a much smaller number focused on the hear-and-now of personal experience, ultimately known as the Beatnik movement. In particular, the sexual and chemical explorations of the Beats inspired the now-famous 1960's Hippie movement (literally, "little hipster") centered around the Haight-Ashbury district (to this day), and as the drugs got harder, many of the more erotically-inclined participants moved east (to the nearby Castro and relatively family-free SOMA districts) which shortly became bastions of sexual and personal liberation, particularly for gay men. At the same time, UC Berkeley developed a culture of political resistance, especially for free speech against the Vietnam War, further establishing the Bay Area (especially in the mind of outsiders) as a place to resist convention. Burning Man (1986), Critical Mass (1992), same-sex marriage legalization (2004) will not have national and global impact for decades, but their birthplace is probably not accidental.
The 1970's and 80's brought huge buildings (eg, Transamerica Pyramid) and a huge virus, AIDS. Downtown is a living testament to the massive building spree, and the more-sex/less-relationship oriented gay population in SOMA is signficantly less visible (the Folsom Street Fair and Mister S are notable reminders). Even 10 years ago in the more-relationship oriented and more-political Castro (eg, Harvey Milk), it was common to see suffers of full-blown AIDS. As the drugs and awareness have improved, the HIV/AIDS situation is less apparent, but very real - according to the CDC, 1/4 of San Francisco men who have sex with men are HIV positive (be careful!)
Following the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 (during the trans-bay Giants vs. A's World Series), the construction boom of the previous decade continued especially in SOMA and along the Embarcadero. And the late 1990's created one of the biggest economic and technology booms in history to SF, and the area still dances to its quirky beat (virtual goods►?!). The current batch of super-hot SF companies revolve around the local, real and mobile - eg, Twitter, Yelp, Airbnb, Instagram, etc (... and Zynga) - cultural trends that play out well beyond the tech industry with food trucks, street art, and massively increased bicycling, both in ridership and political power.
Otherwise, the Giants won the 2010 World Series (their first since leaving New York in 1957!), Kelly Slater won his 11th World Surfing Championship at Ocean Beach in 2011 and even the 49ers are showing signs of life :)
Tagged for History...
Loosely affiliated pre-Columbian Native American tribes, now known as Ohlone (formerly Costanoan), were primarily hunter/gatherers subsisting on a large bounty of animal and plant life in the area.
The Spanish colonization of California combined territorial expansion and (involuntary) Catholic conversion - in San Francisco, founding the Presidio and Mission Dolores in 1776. In less than 60 years, the various Ohlone cultures and populations were destroyed even as the Spanish Empire itself was distintegrating.
The Catholic missions were secularized/decommissioned in 1833, and 13 years later the United States claimed California during the Mexican-American War - which was primarily a battle over Texas, with Mexico ceding Alta California (including the small 500-ish population settlement of Yerba Buena, later San Francisco) not the least because, there wasn't much here...
... except, gold :)
In 1848, James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma (outside Sacramento) triggering a worldwide rush to the Sierra Nevada. With one of the world's finest natural harbors (undiscovered by early explorers, probably owing to the fog), San Francisco became a primary gateway for both miners and minerals (and coffee!), and the SF population grew from 1,000 to 25,000 people in less than a year, and far beyond that, quickly.
... and then, silver!
San Francisco's first two booms put it on the maritime map and spurred the third boom, the transcontinental railroad.
In aggregate, these movements generated massive wealth for local entrepreneurs and businesses (including Levi Strauss, Wells Fargo, James Fair, James Flood, Mark Hopkins and Leland Stanford), created one of the largest Chinese populations outside Asia, started the iconic Victorian architectural tradition, inspired the invention of Cable Cars (to spare horses!), forged Golden Gate Park (in the spirit of New York's Central Park) all the way out to the ocean and the playful Sutro Baths - and literally blasted San Francisco into the world as both a frontier land of opportunity and a cultured "Paris of the West".
Following this initial triple boom and owing both to rapid construction and the use of coastal redwoods, fires were a constant threat (and firefighters a topic of active adoration), culminating in a (nearly) all-consuming blaze in the 1906 earthquake, after which the city was almost entirely rebuilt, bigger and better organized than ever (with a 10+ million gallon water reservoir under Twin Peaks). The post-fire/1906 20th century brought the boom back with the opening of the Panama Canal (vastly improving SF shipping channels with the east) and the related Panama-Pacific Exposition along what is now Crissy Field (of which the Palace of Fine Arts remains). The Great Depression didn't hit San Francisco as hard as other places, and both the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges were completed (within 6 months of each other). In 1939, Bill Hewlett and David Packard tossed a coin and named their Palo Alto (one car!) garage company "Hewlett-Packard" - starting a local tradition of technological entrepreneurship that continues to boom and bust, invent and morph its way into the future.
Owing to both it's excellent port and relative prominence on the west coast of the United States, San Francisco was a major production and supply channel during World War II, and a major port of re-entry afterwards.
Following the war, many made it home and participated in post-war boom, while a much smaller number focused on the hear-and-now of personal experience, ultimately known as the Beatnik movement. In particular, the sexual and chemical explorations of the Beats inspired the now-famous 1960's Hippie movement (literally, "little hipster") centered around the Haight-Ashbury district (to this day), and as the drugs got harder, many of the more erotically-inclined participants moved east (to the nearby Castro and relatively family-free SOMA districts) which shortly became bastions of sexual and personal liberation, particularly for gay men. At the same time, UC Berkeley developed a culture of political resistance, especially for free speech against the Vietnam War, further establishing the Bay Area (especially in the mind of outsiders) as a place to resist convention. Burning Man (1986), Critical Mass (1992), same-sex marriage legalization (2004) will not have national and global impact for decades, but their birthplace is probably not accidental.
The 1970's and 80's brought huge buildings (eg, Transamerica Pyramid) and a huge virus, AIDS. Downtown is a living testament to the massive building spree, and the more-sex/less-relationship oriented gay population in SOMA is signficantly less visible (the Folsom Street Fair and Mister S are notable reminders). Even 10 years ago in the more-relationship oriented and more-political Castro (eg, Harvey Milk), it was common to see suffers of full-blown AIDS. As the drugs and awareness have improved, the HIV/AIDS situation is less apparent, but very real - according to the CDC, 1/4 of San Francisco men who have sex with men are HIV positive (be careful!)
Following the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 (during the trans-bay Giants vs. A's World Series), the construction boom of the previous decade continued especially in SOMA and along the Embarcadero. And the late 1990's created one of the biggest economic and technology booms in history to SF, and the area still dances to its quirky beat (virtual goods►?!). The current batch of super-hot SF companies revolve around the local, real and mobile - eg, Twitter, Yelp, Airbnb, Instagram, etc (... and Zynga) - cultural trends that play out well beyond the tech industry with food trucks, street art, and massively increased bicycling, both in ridership and political power.
Otherwise, the Giants won the 2010 World Series (their first since leaving New York in 1957!), Kelly Slater won his 11th World Surfing Championship at Ocean Beach in 2011 and even the 49ers are showing signs of life :)
Tagged for History...
1906 Earthquake and Fire
The Big One
At 5:12 AM on April 18, 1906, Edwardian-era San Francisco was rocked by an estimated 7.9 earthquake - one of the worst natural disasters in United States history.
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Alcatraz
Commune with the inner Capone
Notorious beyond it's size and penitential impact (Alcatraz was only a prison for 19 years►), "The Rock" is an exciting afternoon - especially on a nice day. The complex is nicely restored with lots of information and many photographs. The "prison yard" has phenomenal views of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.
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American Conservatory TheaterMashing up classic and contemporary performances in a intimately vertical (and historic) theater beside Union Square, the ACT can be great!
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Angel Island
Escape from Alcatraz
Alcatraz's bigger and less-developed sibling, Angel Island provides unbelievable views on 14 miles of trails - truly a hidden gem! Hiking and biking are recommended, and for those with sea legs kayaking! Tram and a Segway tours are also available. Camping is an unforgettable experience, but fills up quickly - the group sites are regularly booked a year in advance.
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Asian Art Museum
A lot older than you...
The last 6,000 years has netted about 17,000 artifacts for the Asian Art Museum, it will be exciting to see what treasures the next 6,000 years bring!
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Ballet
Beyond belief
The first professional ballet company in the United States, San Francisco Ballet is possibly the most highly regarded performance group in the area.
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Bay Model
How does the bay model model itself?
The US Army Corp of Engineers created the Bay Model in 1958 to understand the effects of new structures built in or by the bay. The meticulously constructed scale model of the bay area (complete with tides!) is more than 1.5 acres itself and spans from the Pacific to Stockton and Sacramento.
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Beat Museum
The original hipsters...
Transcending the "Beaten" down post-Depression/War generation, Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady and Allen Ginsberg (among others) explored, wrote about, and advocated an experience-first life which came to inspire (and frighten) the world during the iconic and notorious 1960's.
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Berkeley
Berzerkeley
Voted a "nuclear free zone" in 1986, the rest of us can breathe a little easier while in Berkeley!
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Cable Car Museum
Steampunker's Delight
Those interested in the mechanics and history of the Cable Cars will not be disappointed!
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Cable Cars
Walk Like a Victorian
Originally invented to spare horses dying (literally!) on the steep hills of San Francisco, the city's now-iconic transportation► is worth a ride if it's easy - waiting for an hour or more makes the decision harder.
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Caffé Trieste
Bopping to the Beat
Purportedly the first espresso house on the west coast, Caffé Trieste has famously caffeinated the Beats and Francis Ford Coppola while writing The Godfather screenplay - Coppola's studio, American Zoetrope, is just down Columbus at the intersection of Kearny.
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Caselli Mansion
Improbably monstrous
Built in 1892 by an eccentric policeman on 17 acres, the Caselli mansion has been an apartment building for most its otherwise majestic history.
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Castro
Rainbows guaranteed
The gay center► of San Francisco (and arguably the US) with a historical role that's been widely recognized by the 2008 film Milk chronicling Harvey Milk and the gay rights movement, the Castro also offers food, drinks and shopping *and* some of the hottest and best-dressed men anywhere! The neighborhood is reliably festive, and never more-so than Pride weekend :)
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Castro Theater
Delightful theater, excellent films
An organist plays the pipes► before most shows at this Spanish Colonial theater. Most runs are classic or independent films.
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Cavallo Point
Perfect Spot for a Post-Headlands Drink or Three
Providing stunning city views, spooky military ruins (which you're "not supposed to" explore), fishing, and one of the better frisbee/picnicking fields you'll find - Cavallo Point delights.
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Chinatown
More China than town
The oldest Chinatown in North America, the largest Chinese population outside Asia - and a bold break from the foggy pastels of San Francisco... epitomized by the colorful Chinese New Years parade►
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Cliff House
Stunning views, historic building, government owned restaurant
An enduring city celebrity (since 1858), the Cliff House rewards a closer look despite some wear for the years. Seated near Lands End, the Sutro Baths, and the north end of Ocean Beach - the Cliff House is a historic building with freshly baked meals :)
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Coit Tower
A visual stimulator
The namesake tower gets the attention - but the hike and the views► are the main attraction!
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Conservatory of Flowers
Living Victoriana
Located just inside Golden Gate Park from the Panhandle, the oldest surviving flower conservatory in the western hemisphere (1878) and consists of 25 tons of glass - and after a 2003 restoration, it seems likely to hold the title for a while longer yet :)
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Embarcadero
No hills!
Running along the bay from AT&T Park up to Fisherman's Wharf, the Embarcadero provides a break from the city's steep inclinations. As such, it's widely enjoyed by locals and visitors on foot, bicycle, skateboard, rollerskate, etc... although traffic can be an issue both on the sidewalk and off.
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F Market Streetcar
Cablefree cars
One of the most reliably slow and entertaining► ways to get around the city!
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Ferry Building
Historic outsides, brand new interior
Matching historical resilience (eg, surviving both the 1906 Earthquake and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake's destruction of the adjoining Embarcadero freeway) and persistent visibility along the Market Street corridor up to Twin Peaks - the Ferry Building enjoys iconic status in the city, and has exploded onto the food scene since its latest renovation in 2003.
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Fire Department Museum
Fight + Flight
A can't-miss visit for fire geeks, history buffs, and those who seeking to unlock the secret color-coding of SF fire hydrants (!!!) - the "San Francisco Fire Department Museum" packs an impressive amount of Victorian era firefighting equipment, relics, photographs and information into a relatively small firehouse (with an operating fire station adjoining)
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Fisherman's Wharf
San Francisco's Archetype of Itself
San Francisco's biggest tourist destination is visually stunning, entertaining, and offers a starting point for a variety of activities: bay tours/ferries (including Alcatraz), Cable Cars, Ghirardelli's chocolate, a variety of seafood, and one of the nation's best Maritime Museums (including the USS Pampanito submarine).
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Glide Memorial Church
Salvation through music
A heavyhitter in San Francisco's progressive political arena - Glide builds on a foundation of gospel singing►!
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Golden Fire Hydrant
The little fire hydrant that could
When all the other hydrants were broken or dry, this celebrity valve spared the western half of the city from the raging fire of 1906. For the effort it is ceremoniously rewarded with a fresh coat of gold paint every year on April 18th.
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Golden Gate Bridge
Icon of the Golden Gate
The Golden Gate Bridge is not to be missed! It's best up close and personal. The bridge is a bit less than 2 miles across - an excellent hike or bike ride. Be sure to wear warm clothes, as it is often windy and/or cold►.
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Googleplex
Feeling lucky?
No searching for free gourmet food, massaging toilets, vintage arcade games, and countless other worldly delights on this kindergarten (college►??) colored campus!
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Grace Cathedral
Holy Cathedral, Batman! Gothic is bigger than you
Nob Hill's heavyweight hood ornament is a must-visit for those intrigued by cathedrals and architecture. In addition to stunning stained glass, there are two meditation labyrinths► (outside and in), and three massive organs.
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Great American Music Hall
Party like a Victorian!
Built from the ashes of the legendary 1906 fire, GAMH is the oldest nightclub in San Francisco and hosts a full calendar of modern shows in a wildly ornate interior.
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Haas-Lilienthal House
Dating a painted lady
Lace up your corset and ride the cable car (California Line) over to Pacific Heights for a trip back to the late 1800's!
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Haight-Ashbury
A visual adventure for your inner child
A historical icon of 1960's sex drugs and rock-n-roll, the Haight remains vibrant through a concoction of great clothes, assorted and lively street-folk, and some of the hottest hippie girls human eyes have seen.
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Herbst Theatre
Beaux Arts
Adjoining the Symphony, Opera and Ballet, Herbst hosts (typically) more modern musical performances and lectures in a beautiful Beaux-Arts building (the signing place of the UN charter in 1945), across the street from City Hall - check the calendar.
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Japantown
A very little bit of Japan in SF
The largest and oldest Japantown in the United States. With excellent sushi restaurants, a Japanese mall, a supermarket, and the delightful Kabuki Springs & Spa and more packed into about six blocks "J-Town" makes a great visit. It adjoins the Fillmore District, Pacific Heights, Western Addition, and annually hosts the Cherry Blossom Festival.
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Lands End
Best hike in San Francisco - easy!
Beautiful hikes up to 5 miles can be started at the Sutro Baths parking lot (also accessible from the Muni 38 Geary line) and continued until it's time to turn around. The Legion of Honor and golf course sit at the end of the trail. For those willing to walk through Seacliff, Baker Beach and the Presidio are relatively accessible and offer similarly beautiful outdoor recreation.
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Lombard Street
Get your wiggle on
Iconic of San Francisco, the Lombard street hairpins are a quick hit of fun. If the weather is bad, or the location inconvenient - feel free to skip it. It's relatively close to the Maritime Museum and Aquatic park.
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Maritime Museum
Lifeblood of early San Francisco
With one of the world's best natural ports, San Francisco owes much of its prominence to oceanic travel and Maritime Museum is a great visit for history and maritime buffs. The Balclutha►, a tall sailing ship from 1886, is the crown jewel of the bunch (7 total). The USS Pampanito submarine/museum is run by the same organization, but a few blocks away on Pier 45.
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Mavericks
Will the real maverick please stand up
A secret until Surfer Magazine published it in 1990, Mavericks hosts California's only big-wave surf► competition :)
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Mission District
Home of the hipster
Spanish Colonialism, Latin American immigration, future-forward/backward hipsters, innovative humanitarianism (Kiva, 826 Valencia & Mission Murals), boutique coffee (Philz, Ritual & Four Barrel), gourmet eats (Tartine Bakery, Pizzeria Delfina & Dynamo Donuts), not to mention burritos (Taqueria Cancun, Puerto Alegre & Farolito)... the Mission rides fearlessly along the cutting edge.
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Mission Dolores
The original missionary position
The oldest building in San Francisco, Mission Dolores de Asis still holds mass and provides visitors► a window into the native Ohlone culture (at least, the end of it), and Spanish colonization of San Francisco, with still-working bells►.
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Nob Hill
Great views, rich history + exercise :)
World renowned from it's wealthy history originally flowing from Gold Rush, Comstock Lode and Transcontinental Railroad, Nob Hill provides great views with a dose of perspiration :)
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North Beach
No beach - but a great party!
The aroma of Italy still wafts through this old quartiere... now infused with teams of hard partying "youngsters" :)
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Oakland Museum of California
Going back to Cali
Renovated► and re-opened as of May 1, 2010!
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Painted Ladies
Not just a bad tranny joke...
Post-industrial skyscrapers juxtaposed behind sparkling Victorian gingerbread!
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Palace of Fine Arts
A little bit of Rome in SF
Originally built in 1915 for the Panama-Pacific Exposition, the Palace of Fine Arts today houses the Exploratorium and a theater.
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People's Park
Not enough people in your life?
An urban artifact of the 1960's counter-culture movement, People's Park is used daily by the homeless (no camping) and basketballers.
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Piedmont Boutique
Shiny happy glitter
Piedmont has pushed the boundaries of petroleum for 30+ years► with a wild collection of shiny, shimmery, sexy - and synthetic - clothing!
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Presidio
Military preservation
With stunning views over an area 40 percent larger than Golden Gate Park, the Presidio is sometimes overlooked for outdoor adventures. An army base from 1776 (by the Spaniards, the same year as the Mission Dolores) to 1994, and now operated by the National Park Service, the area is not especially developed for recreation, but provides it nonetheless.
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Red's Java House
Simple building, simple pleasures
In the shadow of modernity and the Bay Bridge, Red's Java House serves cheap burgers on the bay and enjoys an avid following among Downtown refugees.
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SF City GuidesWith more walking tours covering most of the city, SF City Guides provide a phenomenal resource for anyone interested in the cultural history of SF and/or exploring by foot.
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St Ignatius
Prominent Catholicism
Sitting on "The Hilltop" (University of San Francisco), Saint Ignatius throws two massive spires onto the cityscape.
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Stanford University
Summer camp for achievers
An ever growing collection of illustrious students and faculty, a short list of mega-successful companies, great weather (little/no fog!), and a beautiful sprawling campus ("the farm") combine for an inspiring educational setting.
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Sutro Baths
Victorian communal bathing
The largest indoor swimming complex at its opening in 1896, the baths burned down in 1966 generating accusations of insurance-related arson at the time, and much reminiscing► since then.
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Swensen's Ice Cream
Parlor up cowboy
The first Swensen's Ice Cream parlour opened in 1948 and is still rocking Russian Hill.
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Tech Boom, Bust... Repeat :)
One list to rule them all...
Open-bars, all-night-parties, superbowl commercials► (Don't believe that one?! How about cat herding►?), bagel guys, sock puppets, Craig's list, and a little company called Google - the dotcom euphoria of the late-1990s hit San Francisco as hard as anywhere, both on the way up and the way down.
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The Fillmore
The Dead, the Doors, the Who... and you?
The city's illustrious concert venue has hosted most of the best-known bands► since the mid-1960's and thousands of others►. It's prominence continues to this day. Live-music enthusiasts are well advised to check the schedule. The only larger live music venues in SF are the Warfield and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.
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UC Berkeley
Go Bears!
Consistently ranked the number one public university in the country, Cal may be best known for it's historical role in the free-speech and antiwar movements both spearheading and defining the 1960s.
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University of San Francisco
Schoolgirls for Jesus
Elevated and prominently visible, San Francisco's first university makes a clean break from the Western Addition.
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USS Pampanito
More fun than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick?
If being in the middle of the ocean, in the middle of a war, under water, in overheated cramped quarters floats your boat - definitely check out the USS Pampanito!
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Vesuvio Cafe
At the corner of Columbus and Jack Kerouac Alley...
A delightfully open split level structure, and colorful insides covered in original Beatnik party pics (just 50 years ahead of the game) combine for an excellent pint, or six :)
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Wells Fargo History Museum
Back when banking was cool... or at least colorful
Located inside Wells Fargo's first office, this museum-within-a-bank maintains the best collection of California gold rush artifacts in the city.
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