Mission Dolores, our oldest remaining structure

Mission Dolores c1880 
from original Albumen photograph by Taber
Dolores and Sixteenth Streets

The sixth mission in California was established here by Padre Junipero Serra in 1776, and named Mission San Francisco de Asis a la Laguna de los Dolores (Saint Francis of Assisi at the Lagoon of Sorrows).

It is the oldest intact building (foreground) in the City, and one of the oldest Mission Churches in California.

The Wikipedia Story:

The Mission was founded on June 29, 1776, by Lieutenant José Joaquin Moraga and Father Francisco Palóu (a companion of Father Junipero Serra), both members of the de Anza Expedition, which had been charged with bringing Spanish settlers to Alta (upper) California, and evangelizing the local Natives, the Ohlone.

Presently there seems to be raging debate over who built the first structure of note in San Francisco, with some experts arguing against Andy Galvin, noted historian both for the Mission, as well as the Ohlone Indians who truly were HERE first.

READ the story on SF curbed here:
SFCurbed post on the history of Mission Dolores

PBS: San Francisco Exhibit Reunites Gertrude Stein's Remarkable Art Collection

Stein's development of a remarkable collection - tracing how she turns a modest inheritance, choosing to buy art over clothes, often purchasing the unpopular pieces, several by Matisse that later become among his most acclaimed, another provoking changes in Picasso's work. This collection at MOMA is must see - as is its companion show on Gertrude Stein's life at the nearby Contemporary Jewish Museum. Stein strove to be recognized beyond her status as a collector, an accomplished writer, she lived the uncommon life, partnered and lived with Alice B. Toklas, wrote operas in the 30's, and sat extensively in Paris for Picasso, where after 80-90 sittings another masterpiece was created, now bequeathed to the New Museum of Modern art.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwSuTnKRCcg&feature=youtu.be

Artifacts unearthed from whaling ship at Main and Folsom

The Candace was a three-masted whaling ship that ended its last voyage in the port of San Francisco in 1855. An exhibit of artifacts, recovered from the excavation, and stories of this Gold Rush ship were uncovered from the building site at Folsom and Main and are now on long term display in the lobby of the Infinity.

The exhibit was organized by the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society who is also leading the efforts to restore the San Francisco Mint.

Main Website: San Francisco History Society

MEDIA CONTACT
Kathleen Iudice: kiudice@comcast.net; 707-225-2354

The Candace Exhibition
The exhibition at the Infinity will display, on a rotating basis, selections from the more than 200 artifacts recovered from the site at Folsom and Main. In addition, the exhibit contains a photographic chronology of the excavation by Anne Bement. Primarily known for her impressionistic landscapes and digital abstract images, her photographs have been shown in galleries and museums around the country. Bement documented the unearthing of the Candace from her 18th floor terrace directly across the street from the future site of The Infinity. The exhibition has been made possible through a collaboration between the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society, which received both the artifacts and the remaining portions of the Candace, and the Infinity Owners Association.

Video on history of golden Gate Park by Glenn Robert Lym

HERE2-A History of Golden Gate Park from Glenn Robert Lym on Vimeo.

Wickipedia on Golden Gate Park

Found SF's article on Golden Gate Park and its history

Mclaren Lodge, Golden GAte Park

 

 Restored authochome print c1900

history as written by San Francisco Park's and Recreation:

http://sfrecpark.org/WhoWeAre.aspx

Cool Iris feed from Flickr - testing 1 2 3

this is really cool - let me know what you think...  you can add tags and specify which collection in Flickr will be display in the Cool Iris Application. 

Happy Chinese New Year ! A look back to the Gold Rush...

This amazing atmospheric view from our private collection transports me back to another era - it almost looks like a scene out of Deadwood, yet it is real. Can you hear the wagons wheel percussion as they traverse the cobblestone street of the booming young City by the Bay?
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"Chinaman" Carrying Supplies, San Francisco, c.1860

Gold Rush lured many Chinese to California who later migrated to urban areas in the 1860’s and ‘70’s. They became a dominant work force in industries of canning, cigars, woolen mills, shoes, and sewing, and in restaurants and laundries. They were such hard workers they were perceived as a labor threat which led to many conflicts and regretul incidents prejudice, violence and injustice.

For the Chinese women it was worse - often brought here in slavery or under a variety of false pretenses, foot-binding and prostitution were common, suffering by Chinese woman was the norm, as immigration problems, drugs, corruption intertwined with the times and the 'powers that be' made life difficult to say the best.

Digital remastered from vintage 'snap shot',
on permanent exhibit at the U.S. District Courts, San Francisco

Image available through our World Wide Archive web galleries

Children's Playground, Golden Gate Park c1887

Not far from these rather pastoral swings, with the air carrying the laughter of children were grizzly bears. Real, live bears in dark steel cages. Although safely, we all thought in these restraints, the sense of an exotic environment prevailed, rides on Elephants were popular, were  for a nickle you could take a grand ride, for a moment pretend you were India, and have experience remembered for a lifetime.  
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photographer unknown, possibly Taber from original albumen print
Collection of San Francisco Images / World Wide Archive.

references
Golden Gate Park's Children's Playground
http://www.outsidelands.org/swendsen3.php

Chinese in ceremonial costumes in Golden Gate Park c1880

One of my favorite views in our collection by famed San Francisco photographer

W.C. Billington - Palm Avenue runs to the gate on the left. The gate is now gone but the pair of lions that were in front of it are still there although they may be copies.   This is from an original Albumen print - also available in case you are interested in acquiring it on Ebay
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New Years sale today to Midnight - 25% OFF EVERYTHING

Everything in our Web galleries is on sale today - 25% reduction

discount Code: NewYear

Fort Point viewing to golden Gate and Marin Headland, c1890

Fort Point was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1853 and 1861 to prevent entrance of a hostile fleet into San Francisco Bay during the Civil War. Between 1933 and 1937 the Fort was used as a base of operations for the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

New Years Ball coming down, Hyatt Regency, San Francisco