Palace Hotel shortly after its opening in 1876

This photograph shows Montgomery Street toward Market Street, c1880 Gas Lamps installed on Montgomery Street, viewing toward Market Street and the Palace Hotel on Montgomery Street, across the street from today's Charles Schwab Bld.

View down Montgomery Street in 1870s shows the newly completed Palace Hotel at the far end. Another leading hotel, the Lick House, at the corner of Montgomery and Sutter streets, is visible through the row of ornate street lamps.

The first street lamps in San Francisco were erected in Merchant street, by Mr. James B. M. Crooks, in October, 1850. They were lighted with oil, and to be paid for by private subscription. The same gentleman had also completed the erection of ninety lamps, on the 20th of February, 1852, on Montgomery, Clay, Washington and Commercial streets, to be paid for in a similar manner. These, with the exception of four posts, were all destroyed by the fire of the 4th of May following. In the autumn of 1852, the common council contracted with Mr. Crooks to light the city within the limits of Battery, Kearny, Jackson and California streets. This contract was carried out until the introduction of gas as above related, by a contract made with Mr. James Donahue for the “San Francisco Gas Company.”


Photograph Hand-tinted © Bennett Hall 2010

REFERENCE:
Slide Show of Palace Hotel photography - http://bit.ly/aIImKc

Story of our photographic exhibits for the Palace Hotel- case study

Web Galleries - Hand-tinted San Francisco Historical photographs

San Francisco Photography including Palace Hotel - Flickr

The Time is now: Treasure Island 1939 & under Construction

What a Fair it was...

My father waxed lyrically about how spectacular GGE was at night - excitement permeated the air, he had never seen anything like this before. Lights radiated in a rainbow of colors in every direction, excitement in the air... this was place to be. Later, he went on to help build Liberty Ships in Richmond.

Can't [we] create something like this today?

We have advanced technology, lighting and sound gear, far superior resource distribution systems.

What's Up? Are we going backwards?

Let' make Treasure Island a global beacon that metaphorically guides the world into this millennium properly.  The clock is ticking and we are all behind schedule.

Gentlemen, start your engines.

image above: San Francisco image collection; all rights reserved

The Time is NOW.

Treasure Island, 


gradually sinking into the Bay



the Pacific Ocean Rises

to new highs in 2100




Background: 
Treasure Island, site of the 1939 International Exposition, was built with dredged soil from the Bay. The island was to become San Francisco International Airport in 1941. However, the Navy seized the island in 1942, after World War II began, and it became Treasure Island Naval Station. Situated between the world's two largest bridges spanning San Francisco Bay, Treasure Island was the site of the 1939 International Exposition. Built of bay dredged dirt, the island was to become San Francisco International Airport in 1941. However, the Navy seized the island in 1942, shortly after World War II began, and it became Treasure Island Naval Station.  


Image Source: Digitally mastered from the collection of the Oakland Public Library,  all rights reserved

What is next for this gradually sinking properly in the headwind of rising sea levels projected for 2100?  


MORE INFORMATION: http://www.sfimages.com/history/GGE.html



Treasure Island Museum: http://www.treasureislandmuseum.org/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Island_%28California%29
Web Gallery
http://worldwidearchive.imagekind.com/store/imagedetail.aspx/553fd3f5-1793-4626-ac06-bdc6a2cd793a/Treasure_Island_Golden_Gate_Exposition_San_Franci

Alien Landing, McClaren Park San Francisco 1978,

Anyone out there recognize the spacecraft and the story?  Where you there?  Were the lighting effects caused by the alien craft? Could the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art have had something to do with this?


Hand-tinted black and white photograph © Bennett Hall
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bennetthall/1556820287/in/set-72157602596257025/

Sky Tram at the Cliff House 1960

The Cliff House Sky Tram from Richmond SF Blog on Vimeo.

Home movie footage of the Sky Tram by Ron Biagini in 1960. The Sky Tram ran next to the Cliff House over Ocean Beach in San Francisco's Richmond District. Video includes shots of the installed double waterfall and broken windows of the Sutro Baths building.

from the Richmond Blog:  http://vimeo.com/user1767351

North Beach from the top of the hill

Image made with an 8 x 10 view with a 1200mm lens - cropping in for this compacted view.  1984

Originally, the city's northeast shoreline extended only to what is today Taylor and Francisco streets. The area largely known today as North Beach was an actual beach, filled in with landfill around the late 19th century. Warehouses, fishing wharves, and docks were then built on the newly formed shoreline. Due to the proximity of the docks, the southern half of the neighborhood south of Broadway was home of the infamous Barbary Coast.

Due to its past legacy as the Barbary Coast, Broadway east of Columbus, grew to be the home of the city's red light district and striptease clubs. The Condor Club, on the corner of Columbus and Broadway, was opened in 1964 as America's first topless bar to which it still is as of today. The Lusty Lady, a peep-show establishment, is notable as the world's only worker cooperative strip club. The Broadway strip was also home to the Mabuhay Gardens, the Stone and On Broadway nightclubs, which were important venues in the punk rock scene of the late 1970s to mid-1980s...from Wikipedia

Let's Play Ball! View to the future location of "Splash Hits"

 Future home of San Francisco Giants c 1915
 collection of San Francisco Images

China Basin building and City Skyline in the background, viewing what will become McCovey Cove
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCovey_Cove

Update:  SF Gate photo gallery on the ATT "Pac Bell" Park construction for 10 year anniversary
http://bit.ly/a4UscO

wikipedia background:
Just beyond the wall is a public waterfront promenade, where fans can watch three innings of a game through the wall's archways, free of charge, albeit with a somewhat obstructed view. Across the cove from the ballpark is McCovey Point and China Basin Park, featuring a statue of McCovey at the mouth of the Cove. At his feet are small plaques commemorating the winners of the Willie Mac Award, named in McCovey's honor. Along the southern shore of the cove, between McCovey Point and the O'Doul Bridge, is a walkway featuring plaques showing the Opening Day Roster of every Giants team from 1958 through 1999. Just south of the statue is Barry Bonds Junior Giants Field, a t-ball sized baseball diamond. ^[2]

Splash Hits

Splash hits are officially recorded only as Giants players who have hit home runs that have landed in the cove on the fly. As of August 29, 2009, 50 "Splash Hits" ^[3] had been hit into the Bay by Giants players since the park opened; 35 of those were by Barry Bonds. The only Giants other than Bonds to have done it more than once are Felipe Crespo (in 2001), Michael Tucker, Ryan Klesko, and Pablo Sandoval. 7 other Giants' players have accomplished the feat just once.

San Francisco Flash Mobs - celebration of communal anarchy

Web Store features San Francisco History

High quality historical photographic images are available economically through our web galleries unframed and framed. Prints are made on a variety of media including giclees, canvas wraps, photographic style papers. the framing interface is easy to use and pre-visualize your design. Our hand-tinted collection is included. Orders are produced and shipped to anyone in the world from Washington State - normally tax free.