San Francisco FAQ
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Frequently Asked Questions about San Francisco, CA
Edited by Robert W. Summers, San Mateo, California
Created: November 21, 1997 / Last updated: December 30, 1998
Posted here by permission of author
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C O N T E N T S
[A] ALCATRAZ [H] PEOPLE
[B] CABLE CAR [I] ATTRACTIONS
[C] BRIDGES [J] BUILDINGS
[D] GOLD RUSH [K] HOLLYWOODLAND
[E] THE SUMMER OF LOVE [L] BIBLIOGRAPHY
[F] 1906 EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE [M] NOTES
[G] GENERAL HISTORY & INFO
#=Modified ##=New Addition
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ALCATRAZ
[A-1] Where is Alcatraz?
Just north of San Francisco (about a mile) between the
City and Angel Island. The island is clearly visible
from San Francisco, closer than people often expect.
[A-2] What is its (short) history?
In 1853 the island, Isla de los Alcatraces (Pelican
Island) was used for defense of the bay, garrisoned
with troops and cannons. In 1861 Fort Point took over
those duties and Alcatraz was turned into a military
prison. Then in 1933, the "Rock" became a federal
penitentiary for hardened criminals and was home to
such notables as Alvin "Public Enemy" Karpis, Robert
Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz, Al Capone and George
"Machine Gun" Kelly. Abandoned in 1963, the island was
inhabited by Native Americans from 1969-1971. Since
1972, Alcatraz has been maintained by the GGNRA and
attracts many thousands of tourists annually.
[A-3] Were there ever any escapes? #
Despite Hollywood's depiction, official records state
that of fourteen attempted escapes, not one was succ-
essful. With one guard for every three to five con-
victs, thirteen roll-calls a day, metal detectors, body
searches, and other controls, there would not have been
much of an opportunity for escape.
A number of people made it off the island, but those
whose bodies were never recovered jumped into the bay
from the west side of Alcatraz, where the currents are
strongest. Guards who witnessed prisoners escaping saw
the men pulled under very quickly, never to be seen
again...unless they shot the men first. Some bodies
turned up around the Farallone Islands, thirty-two
miles west of the Golden Gate. Only one man ever made
it to San Francisco, but he was so exhausted, he was
easily apprehended as he lay on the beach at Fort
Point.
Incidentally, lots of people have made the swim from
Alcatraz to the City, but they usually leave from the
east side of the Rock where currents aren't as strong
and they have trained for the swim and are much more
physically fit than the idle prisoners would have been.
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CABLE CAR
[B-1] Who invented the cable car? #
Andrew Smith Hallidie, a wire-rope manufacturer by
trade, witnessed an accident involving a street car
drawn by five horses one morning in 1869. While pulling
the car up Jackson Street, between DuPont (now Grant)
and Stockton, one of the horses slipped and the street
car began rolling backward down the hill, dragging the
horses with it, killing them all.
This prompted Mr. Hallidie to design a system to pull
the street cars safely up the steep hills, using an
endless ropeway and gripping mechanism.
[B-2] How does it work?
Beneath the surface of the street is a cable which is
kept constantly in motion by a large motorized wheel
located in the cable car barn at Washington and Mason.
A slot between the tracks allows a rod with gripping
dies to reach down and grab the cable causing the car
to be pulled forward. Here's how it's done:
The conductor pulls back on the grip lever which, due
to the off-center arrangement of the quadrant (the bar
on the floor that the grip locks onto holding it in
place) causes the center plate to move down towards the
cable. As the center plate comes into contact with the
cable, the jaws, containing steel gripping dies, clamp
onto the cable. The harder the grip is pulled, the
tighter the dies will clamp. This allows the gripman to
pull back gently, at first, so that the cable is grip-
ped loosely, enabling a smooth start. Once the car is
in motion, the grip lever is pulled back tightly and
the car is at full speed.
On lines where two cars will cross, such as at Powell
and California streets, the grip is moved all the way
forward, retracting the center plate to a position
above the cable, and the car relies on its forward,
downhill motion to carry it past the crossing line.
Another lever, next to the grip, is used for braking.
Pulling back on this lever, pushes a block down onto
the rail, similar to many modern light rail vehicles.
At the back of the car is another brakeman who operates
the rear brake by turning a handle in a circular
direction.
Sometimes, when it rains, the tracks can become slip-
pery and, if necessary, an emergency rod can be
lowered which will cause quite an abrupt stop.
Considering the alternative, this may seem preferable.
Just remember to hold on tightly at all times.
[B-3] How fast does the cable car travel?
Nine miles per hour (the speed of the cable), although
I have seen cars cruising at about 30 mph or so down
Mason on Russian Hill, before whipping around onto
Columbus. Wasn't it worth the wait?
[B-4] When did the first cable car go into operation?
The cable car was first tested on August 2, 1873 at
about 4 o'clock in the morning using a dummy car. By
the afternoon of the same day, a passenger car had been
attached to the conductors car and large crowds had
gathered. Surprisingly, no fees were charged for the
first two days of operation. People were, apparently,
apprehensive about climbing aboard. -L10
[B-5] Where was the first line?
Clay Street, between Kearny and Jones.
[B-6] How many lines are there?
Three.
Two of the lines start at Powell and Market; the
Powell-Hyde line which terminates at Beach and Hyde and
the Powell-Mason line which ends at Bay and Taylor (in
the middle of a low income housing project). The third
one, the California line, begins at California and
Drumm and finishes at California and Van Ness. This
line does not utilize turnarounds. It is a two headed
car that can be operated in either direction.
[B-7] What is the weight of the cable cars?
12,180 pounds for the single-end cars and 11,500 pounds
for the double-end cars.
[B-8] Where is the steepest grade?
Hyde Street between Bay and Chestnut is 21.3 degrees.
California between Stockton and Grant is 18.2 degrees.
Powell between Pine and Bush is 17.5 degrees.
[B-9] Where is the powerhouse located?
Washington and Mason. This building also houses a cable
car museum which is free to the public. Visitors can
see historic cars and watch the actual wheels which
keep the cable moving.
[B10] How many turntables are there?
Four.
These are located at Powell and Market, Bay and
Taylor, Beach and Hyde, and Washington and Mason, in
the Car Barn, where the powerhouse is located.
[B11] Did you know?
President Johnson's daughter Lynda was ordered off a
cable car for eating an ice cream cone? It happened on
March 22, 1968.
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BRIDGES
[C-1] When was the Golden Gate Bridge built?
Construction began January 5, 1933 and the last rivet
(made of gold) was placed on May 27, 1937, pedestrian
day. Vehicular traffic commenced the following day.
[C-2] What color is the Golden Gate Bridge?
International Orange.
[C-3] How long is it?
By itself, the bridge is 6,450 feet. If you add the
approaches, the total length is seven miles.
[C-4] How wide is it?
90 feet from the center of the cables.
[C-5] What is the height of the towers?
746 feet above the water.
[C-6] How much steel was used to build the bridge?
Over 100,000 tons.
[C-7] How much cable was used?
80,000 miles, weighing 22,000 tons.
[C-8] Were any lives lost during construction?
Eleven men died during the construction of the Golden
Gate Bridge, ten of those when a netting broke loose
beneath the bridge, near the completion date. In that
incident, twelve men "went into the hole" and only two
came back.
[C-9] How long is the Bay Bridge?
The Bay Bridge actually consists of two suspension
spans, one cantilever, 5 truss and 14 deck spans. All
in all, the bridge is 43,500 feet (8.5 miles) with 4.5
miles over water. The main structure is 22,720 feet.
[C10] When was it built?
Senate Bill 1762 was introduced December 15, 1927. Con-
struction began July 9, 1933 and was completed in three
years, four months and three days. The bridge opened on
November 12, 1936, fifteen days after being blessed by
Pope Pius XII.
[C11] How many lives were lost during construction of the Bay
Bridge?
Twenty-four.
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GOLD RUSH
[D-1] When was the gold rush?
Gold was first discovered in the Sacramento Valley on
January 24, 1848 by James Marshall in the millrace of
the sawmill he was building for Johann Sutter in the
town of Coloma. The first clipper ship to arrive in San
Francisco was the Memnon, on July 28, 1849. It took 120
days to travel from New York. During the first three
years of the Gold Rush, over 200,000 people flocked to
California.
[D-2] Who were the Forty-Niners?
The first wave of fortune-seeking people who arrived in
San Francisco in 1849 were known as the Forty-Niners.
Most of the men were disinherited sons, adventurers or
political undesirables.
[D-3] How many men arrived in 1849?
Thirty-eight thousand came by sea while forty-two
thousand arrived by land.
[D-4] What happened to their ships?
The majority of them were simply abandoned in the bay
as men were anxious to get to the Gold Country. Much
of the materials from these ships would eventually be
used for landfill, while some of them were docked and
converted to hotels and stores.
[D-5] Where were the gold mines?
Mostly in the foothills of the California Sierra in the
Sacramento/Stockton area.
[D-6] How did they get to the mines from the City?
The Sacramento River was very useful in getting men
from San Francisco into Gold Country. Ferries shuttled
them to the Sacramento area and from there, the men had
to walk or ride horses to the mining camps.
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THE SUMMER OF LOVE
[E-1] When did the Summer of Love take place?
From November 1965 to January 1967.
[E-2] What was it all about?
It was a period of fantasy, a brief time where an
idealism that isolated the flower children from the
realities of the world until they were forced to face
the harsh reality of the Vietnam War. During the Summer
of Love, there were Be-Ins, Love-Ins, the Mime Troupe,
Winterland, the Magic Bus, the Love Pageant Rally, the
Trips Festival, the Fillmore, the Free Store, the
Avalon Ballroom, the Street, and Bill Graham. People
from all across the country flocked to San Francisco
to celebrate free love and lots of drugs. LSD and
Marijuana were the most common drugs of choice, as were
Magic-Mushrooms, Ludes, and Heroin.
[E-3] Where was it?
The center was located at the corner of Haight and
Ashbury Streets, known as the Hashbury, near the east
end of Golden Gate Park.
[E-4] Who were some of the artists who played during that
time?
Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, Ken Kessey and The
Merry Pranksters, Janis Joplin, George Harrison, Grace
Slick, Allen Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, Timothy Leary and
Lenny Bruce.
[E-5] Where was the famous Grateful Dead headquarters?
710 Ashbury, just one block south of Haight.
[E-6] Do you know the poem by Michael McClure?
AND it is all perfect, this is really it
and IT is all perfect, this is really it
and it IS all perfect, this is really it
and it is ALL perfect, this is really it
and it is all PERFECT, this is really it
and it is all perfect, THIS is really it
and it is all perfect, this IS really it
and it is all perfect, this is REALLY it
and it is all perfect, this is really IT
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1906 EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE
[F-1] When did the earthquake occur?
April 18, 1906, 5:12:05 AM
[F-2] How strong was it?
Had the richter scale been in use at the time, the 1906
quake would have measured 8.25 (The 1989 Loma Prieta
earthquake which occurred on October 17, 1989 measured
7.1).
[F-3] Which fault was it?
The San Andreas Fault, which was named, just eleven
years prior to the earthquake, after a reservoir a few
miles south of San Francisco.
[F-4] How long did the initial temblor last?
Forty-eight seconds. Many descriptions of the account
indicate the ground moved in a swirling motion.
[F-5] Were there any major aftershocks?
There were, in fact, some twenty-six significant after-
shocks that day. The first occurred at 5:18 AM and
lasted a few seconds. Two more hit at 5:25 and 5:42 AM.
Then at 8:14:28 AM, the second biggest temblor of the
day happened, lasting about five seconds. Other after-
shocks occurred at 9:13, 9:25, 10:49, and 11:05 AM and
12:03, 12:10, 2:23, 2:27, 4:50, 6:49, and 7:00 PM. As
you can see, it was quite an eventful day.
[F-6] How many buildings were destroyed?
28,000.
[F-7] How many people died? #
674 is the official figure. However, according to re-
search done by Gladys Hansen, curator of the Museum of
the City of San Francisco, deaths resulting from causes
other than those killed outright or shot were not
counted. This list includes casualties from fallen
structures and other objects, burns and explosions
within one year of the earthquake, and suicides and
heart attacks due to the trauma of suffering this most
overwhelming event. If you include all of these figures
the total death count is more than 3,000.
[F-8] Why is this event referred to as the "Earthquake and
Fire?"
Several major fires broke out that morning, and for
three days, the City burned. As much damage as there
was due to the earthquake, fire probably destroyed far
more property, allowing survivors to collect insurance
money for their losses. Most of the City was destroyed
by the conflagration, since the water system was all
but wiped out from the earthquake.
[F-9] What was the "Ham and Eggs" fire? #
A woman was reportedly cooking breakfast in a building
at 395 Hayes Street that had an earthquake-damaged
chimney, allowing gas to accumulate in the walls of the
house. The fire from the stove ignited the gas and
sparked a fire which destroyed much of the Hayes Valley
and Western Addition, plus a large section of the Van
Ness corridor.
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GENERAL HISTORY & INFO
[G-1] When was San Francisco discovered?
June 17, 1579
[G-2] Who discovered the City? #
In a nutshell, Portola. But his was not the first group
to visit the area. The following description doesn't
take into account the indian tribes that were already
here...I'll try to add more info on that later.
Sir Francis Drake, on an exploration for Elizabeth
Regina of England sailed the Golden Hind to a location
just outside the entrance to San Francisco Bay (after
accomplishing his mission in the Pacific seizing Span-
ish treasure). He landed here at Drakes Bay near Point
Reyes to clean and repair his vessels. Much speculation
has existed as to whether Drake actually found San
Francisco Bay, but in the 1930's, a brass plate was
discovered on a hillside near Greenbrae, just south of
San Raphael, which proclaimed the discovery of the bay
and its annexation to the crown of England. This plate
provides physical proof that Drake, or at least, some-
one in his expedition, did discover the bay. Extensive
metallurgy and chemistry testing verified the plates'
authenticity.
The first mention of the actual entrance to the bay is
from the 1769 Spanish expedition (by land) of Gaspar de
Portola, which set out from San Diego in June. On
November 1, Sgt. Jose Ortega, a pathfinder for Portola,
discovered the entrance and called it La Boca del
Puerto, meaning The Mouth of the Port. Father Juan
Crespi, the party's diarist, writes: "This is not an
estuary proper, but a large arm of the sea which enters
the land for at least ten leagues. At narrowest point
it must be about three leagues, and at the widest
expanse it must be four. It is a very large and fine
harbor, such that not only all the navy of our Most
Catholic Majesty but those of all Europe could take
shelter in it." By contrast, Sir Francis Drake called
the bay merely a "convenient and fit harborough" lead-
ing many people to believe that it was actually Portola
who discovered San Francisco.
The first known ship to have entered the bay was the
San Carlos on August 5, 1775. It was commanded by Span-
ish Navy Lieutenant Juan Manuel de Ayala.
[G-3] What was the original name of the City?
Nova Albion, as christened by Sir Francis Drake, was
the name of the San Francisco region. On June 29, 1776
the Presidio was established by the Spaniards, followed
on October 9 by the Mission Dolores. The first American
flag to be raised was on July 9, 1846 at Portsmouth
Square. The "City" was named Yerba Buena and, following
the gold rush of 1849, quickly grew into the metropolis
of the west. Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco on
January 30, 1847.
[G-4] How many people live in San Francisco?
739,600 as of 1993.
[G-5] How big is the City?
49.2 square miles land area.
[G-6] What is the highest hill in the City?
Mt. Davidson is 938 feet. Closely following is Mt.
Sutro at 918 feet, and Twin Peaks 910'5" and 903'8". As
a point of reference, Nob hill is just 376 feet.
Russian Hill is 294 feet while Telegraph Hill tops out
at 284 feet.
[G-7] What was the first street in San Francisco?
Grant Street, formerly DuPont, was originally called
Calle De La Fundacion (Street of the Founding). The
Chinese community referred to it as DuPont Gai.
[G-8] Where is the Crookedest Street?
Lombard, between Hyde and Leavenworth. There are eight
turns on the street, originally designed to make it
easier for horses to climb up Russian Hill. If you want
to get an idea of what it must have looked like before
they made it crooked, check out Filbert Street, two
blocks south of Lombard. It, like Lombard, is a one-way
street from Hyde to Leavenworth. If you are driving,
don't make the mistake most tourists make and try to
drive up Lombard Street from Van Ness to get to the
Crooked part. If you do, you will likely find yourself
in a backup extending several blocks. Instead, follow
the Cable Car northbound on Hyde and turn right onto
Lombard. You'll almost always have an unobstructed path
(an old cab driver trick). BTW, on southbound Hyde at
Lombard, you cannot make a left turn onto Lombard.
[G-9] Where is the Second Crookedest Street?
Vermont Street, between 20th and 22nd Streets (seven
turns, five full and two half turns). This is just a
neighborhood street on Potrero Hill with no fanfare,
or tourists. It isn't paved with bricks and has no
fancy landscaping, but it's still a fun drive if you
happen to be in the area.
[G10] What is the steepest street?
Filbert Street, between Hyde and Leavenworth, has a
31.5 degree grade. Better check your brakes before
heading down this one-way roller coaster of a street.
[G11] What is the longest street?
Mission Street is 7.29 miles long, from the Embarcadero
to Daly City where it becomes El Camino Real.
[G12] What is the widest street?
Sloat Blvd. is 135 feet wide, followed by Van Ness Ave.
which is 125 feet wide.
[G13] What was the first street number?
One Montgomery was the first known house number in San
Francisco, following a survey in 1845 by Jasper
O'Farrell.
[G14] What was the first paved street?
Kearny, between Clay and Washington, in 1854.
[G15] What is the longest tunnel in San Francisco?
Twin Peaks Tunnel, from MUNI's Castro Street Station to
the West Portal Station, is 2.25 miles long. The long-
est vehicular tunnel is the Broadway Tunnel, from Pow-
ell Street to Polk, and is 1,616 feet through its twin
bores, 3,300 feet including the approaches. The General
Douglas MacArthur Tunnel from Funston Ave. to the Gold-
en Gate Bridge is 1,270 feet long while the Stockton
tunnel is 911 feet between Bush and Sacramento. It was
the first tunnel in the City to accommodate vehicular
and pedestrian traffic.
[G16] What is the oldest restaurant in the City?
Tadich's Grill was founded in 1849.
[G17] What was the original name for San Francisco Internat-
ional Airport?
Mills Field, after the estate which once occupied the
site.
[G18] What is the official City Song?
I Left My Heart In San Francisco.
[G19] What are the lyrics?
The loveliness of Paris
Seems somehow sadly gay
The glory that was Rome
Is of another day
I've been terribly alone
And forgotten in Manhattan
I'm going home
To my city by the bay
I left my heart in San Francisco
High on a hill, it calls to me
To be where little cable cars
Climb halfway to the stars
The morning fog may chill the air
I don't care
My love waits there
In San Francisco
Above the blue and windy sea
When I come home to you
San Francisco
Your golden sun will shine for me
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PEOPLE
[H-1] Brannan, Sam
Sam Brannan came to San Francisco (then Yerba Buena) in
1846 with some two hundred fifty Latter-day Saints in
an effort to create a great Mormon empire on the shores
of San Francisco Bay. He sailed around the Horn to the
Sandwich Islands, and then to the Golden Gate, while
Brigham Young led a much larger army of Latter-day
Saints across the Rockies toward Salt Lake City. He
sailed into the bay on the Brooklyn and spotted a small
group of houses on Telegraph Hill, with an American
flag flying overhead.
He performed the first non-Catholic wedding in Calif-
ornia and the first wedding under the American flag in
San Francisco. He also delivered the first sermon in
the English language and the first non-Catholic sermon
and was the first defendant in a court of law under the
American flag, having been charged of misuse of funds
by the Mormon association. A hung jury led to his re-
lease and ended the power of the Mormons in the City.
In the meantime, Brannan had collected a fairly large
sum of money and used some of it to set up his flower
mill (the first in California) which he had brought
with him on the Brooklyn. He also started San Francis-
co's first newspaper, The California Star which pro-
claimed the need for a public school, which was then
built. Brannan made the first contribution to it.
When Brannan reported the discovery of gold in January
of 1848 at Sutter's mill (against Sutter's pleading)
the rush was on. Many of the people who came to seek
their fortunes were lawbreakers, flocking to the Bay
Area like rats on a spree. In 1851, Sam Brannan, in his
office, organized the First Vigilance Committee to
oversee the duties of upholding the law.
Brannan lost his fortune on a project in Napa Valley at
the foot of Mt. Helena when hot springs were discovered
there. Brannan became a dispirited alcoholic, throwing
all of his money at the Calistoga project until there
was nothing left. He retired to San Diego, married a
Mexican woman and died penniless at the age of seventy.
[H-2] Emperor Norton
Born Joshua A. Norton, he tried to corner the rice mar-
ket in 1853 and went bankrupt, then disappeared until
1859, when he showed up on the streets of the City. He
had apparently lost more than his money, as his sanity
appeared to be questionable. He proclaimed himself
Norton the First, Emperor of the United States and Pro-
tector of Mexico. For the next twenty years, he ruled
his imaginary world from his throne in San Francisco,
where his popularity remained strong. He even printed
his own money, which many local merchants gladly
accepted in good faith.
[H-3] Lucky Baldwin
Elias J. Baldwin, taking his enormous Comstock fortune,
built a grand Hotel and Theatre to rival the Palace
Hotel down the street. Baldwin's Hotel was touted as
the finest hotel west of New York City, and in nearly
every way, it was. Unfortunately, the property was un-
insured when fire struck on November 23, 1898, destroy-
ing the entire structure. The financial loss to Baldwin
was nearly insurmountable.
The Flood building, a Flatiron, now occupies the site
at the foot of Powell Street where the Baldwin hotel
once stood.
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ATTRACTIONS
[I-1] What are some of the better hotels in the City?
The Ritz Carlton, Fairmont, Mark Hopkins, St. Francis,
Clift, Marriott Downtown, Hyatt Regency, Pan Pacific,
and Palace Hotel are some of the best. Other good est-
ablishments are the Mansions Hotel, The Hilton, Sir
Francis Drake, Campton Place, Stanford Court and ANA.
[I-2] Where is the major commercial area of the City?
Union Square, at Geary and Powell, is the premier real
estate when it comes to shopping in San Francisco. Sax
Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Gumps, Nieman-Marcus, and soon,
Bloomingdales, not to mention, the San Francisco Centre
which houses Nordstroms, and lots of other fine stores.
The circular escalator in the Centre is a must see.
[I-3] What are the normal hours of these stores?
In general, the hours are 10am to 5pm Mon-Sat and Noon
to 5pm on Sunday. The shops on Pier 39 stay open much
later, as do many establishments on Fisherman's Wharf.
[I-4] What about local culture?
The Geary and Curran Theater's near Union Square along
with several other production houses in the area make
Geary and Mason the right place to be when you want to
see a play. The American Conservatory Theater is here,
as well. Civic Center is home to Davies Symphony Hall,
War Memorial Opera House, and the San Francisco Ballet.
Museums include the MOMA near Yerba Buena Ctr. and the
Palace of the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park. Also,
the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Mexican
Museum on Lower Fort Mason. At the Palace of Fine Arts,
you'll find the Exploratorium, and in Golden Gate Park,
the Academy of Sciences.
Great music halls include the Warfield, the Orpheum,
Bill Graham Memorial Civic Auditorium, the Fillmore,
and the Great American Music Hall, which used to be a
gambling house and brothel.
As far as movie theater's go, San Francisco has some of
the best. The Alhambra is perhaps my favorite, followed
by the Presidio, the Coronet, the Metro, the Royal, and
the Regency I & II (the latter formerly known as the
Avalon Ballroom). Each is an old-style, single movie
theater. It doesn't even matter if the movie is any
good...just being there is a San Francisco experience.
Note:
I was saddened to discover that the Alhambra closed its
doors recently. Word is the building is being consid-
ered for use as a jazz club. If this theater doesn't
reopen for business, the City will have truly lost one
of its great landmarks.
Second Note:
I now find that the Royal has closed and is rumoured to
be under consideration for use as a health club. Mean-
while, down Van Ness a few blocks, a movie complex is
currently being built that will house seventeen thea-
ter's (or so I've heard). Progress marches on...at any
cost.
[I-5] Where is Golden Gate Park?
Golden Gate Park extends from Stanyan Street on the
east to Great Highway at the beach, about three miles
long. It is about one-half mile wide from Fulton Street
on the north to Lincoln Blvd. on the south. The Haight-
Ashbury is adjacent to the park, just south of the Pan-
handle.
By comparison, Central Park in NYC is a half-mile wide
and two-and-a-half miles long.
Some of the attractions in the park are the Arboretum,
the Japanese Tea Garden, the DeYoung Museum, the Acad-
emy of Sciences and Steinhart Aquarium, and the Beach
Chalet.
[I-6] When was the park created?
Legislation for the building of a large public park was
approved by the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors on
January 14, 1868 following a clamor by the residents of
the City. The park was officially established on April
4, 1870. On May 6, 1870 the sale of $100,000 in bonds
for the construction of the park was announced. Maps
and plans for the early work were prepared and adopted
on February 15, 1871. Most of the major work on the
park was finished by the end of 1871.
[I-7] What is the oldest building in the park?
The Conservatory of Flowers.
Designed to be identical to the one in London's Kew
Gardens, James Lick ordered the Conservatory in 1875
for his property in San José. He died the following
year and the huge greenhouse was purchased by a group
of San Franciscans, including Leland Stanford, and pre-
sented to the new Golden Gate Park.
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BUILDINGS
[J-1] What is the oldest building in the City?
Mission Dolores, established in June 1776 was origin-
ally a brush shelter located at about 18th and Church
until the present structure on Dolores and 16th was
completed in 1791. The church was built entirely by
Indians and is 114 feet long, 22 feet wide with adobe
walls about four feet thick.
[J-2] What is the tallest building?
The TransAmerica Pyramid, located at 600 Montgomery is
853 feet high, housing 48 floors. The Bank of America
Building has 52 floors, but rises to just 779 feet. 345
California is 724 feet, with 42 floors and 101 Calif-
ornia is 600 feet, with 48 floors. Number 5 Fremont is
also 600 feet, with 43 floors.
[J-3] Where is Postcard Row?
Steiner Street, between Hayes and Fulton across from
Alamo Square. Walk up the hill to about Pierce and
Hayes for the best view. Wanna cool picture? Try going
to this spot early in the morning for a nice sunrise
surprise.
[J-4] What qualifies a house as a Painted Lady?
It must be a Victorian and have a felicitous blend of
color and architecture; the house must be painted in
three or more contrasting colors; the color shall be
used to bring out the decorative ruffles and flourishes
of the building.
[J-5] Where are some must see Painted Ladies?
My absolute favorite is 1198 Fulton, at Scott. Built in
1882, this Stick/Italianate villa, the Westerfield
Mansion (San Francisco Landmark No. 135) has housed
such notables as Ken Kesey, Kenneth Anger and Charles
Manson.
Perhaps the most beautiful example of the Queen Ann/
French Revival style house is located at 1057 Steiner.
The attention to detail is exquisite. Another beau-
tiful Queen Anne is at 573 South Van Ness between 16th
and 17th.
Broderick Row is a must see, consisting of fourteen
Queen Annes between McAllister and Fulton Streets. 701
Broderick is fantastic.
Another great Colonial at 2000 Pacific at Octavia is
worth mentioning as are 2026 California, 1807 Octavia
and 2733-35 California. Don't overlook 415 Fillmore,
between Page and Oak, either.
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HOLLYWOODLAND
[K-1] What are some famous movies filmed in/about San Fran-
cisco?
Here's a short list:
The Maltese Falcon, Wells Fargo, All About Eve, The
Caine Mutiny, The High And The Mighty, 20,000 Leagues
Under The Sea, Vertigo, How The West Was Won, Guess
Who's Coming To Dinner, Point Blank, The Graduate,
Bullitt, The Love Bug, Dirty Harry, Magnum Force,
Towering Inferno, High Anxiety, California Suite, Foul
Play, Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Escape From Al-
catraz, 48 Hours, Sudden Impact, The Right Stuff, The
Woman In Red, Big Trouble In Little China, Peggy Sue
Got Married, Star Trek IV, The Dead Pool, The Presidio,
True Believer, Another 48 Hours, Pacific Heights, Class
Action, The Doors, Basic Instinct, Sister Act, So I
Married An Axe Murderer, Fearless, Homeward Bound, Mrs.
Doubtfire, Unforgiven, The Rock, Metro.
[K-2] Where was Mrs. Doubtfire filmed?
2640 Steiner Street, corner of Broadway, in Pacific
Heights.
[K-3] Where was Pacific Heights filmed?
1243 Nineteenth Street, corner of Texas, on Potrero
Hill, not Pacific Heights. The view from this location
was just too good for Hollywood to pass up.
[K-4] Where was that famous car chase from Bullitt?
I haven't seen this movie in some time so I'm recalling
the route from memory:
From Nob Hill at California Street, follow Taylor
Street north towards the bay. At Broadway, you'll climb
to the top of Russian Hill (the peak is Vallejo Street)
and travel down the other side. You won't make the
jumps at Green Street and Union Street like they did,
I hope, but you can always use your imagination. Turn
left on Chestnut Street and cross Hyde (watch out for
cable cars and other traffic since they have no stop
sign) then make a right turn onto Larkin. The curve on
Larkin is where Steve McQueen scrapes the wall as he
rounds the bend.
From this point, as is often the case, Hollywood takes
a few liberties with City streets. The chase is contin-
ued on Marina Blvd. quite a ways from Russian Hill and
then ends up on San Bruno Mountain, in San Mateo Coun-
ty.
One word of caution; Taylor Street is heavily travelled
by taxi drivers who use the road to get from the Wharf
to Union Square, so if you drive too slowly along this
route, expect to incur their wrath.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
[L-1] Cable Car Days in San Francisco
Edgar M. Kahn
Stanford University Press, 1946
[L-2] Denial of Disaster, The Untold Story and Photographs of
the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906
Gladys Hansen and Emmett Condon
Cameron and Company, 1989
[L-3] Fifteen Seconds, The Great California Earthquake of
1989
David Cohen, Doug Menuez, Ron Grant Tussy
Island Press, 1989
[L-4] Good Life in Hard Times, San Francisco's '20s and '30s
Jerry Flamm
Chronicle Books, 1978
[L-5] International Port of Call, An Illustrated Maritime
History of the Golden Gate
Robert J. Schwendinger
Windsor Publications, 1984
[L-6] Knopf Guides, San Francisco
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1993
[L-7] Mirror of the Dream, An Illustrated History of S. F.
T. H. Watkins and R. R. Olmsted
The Scrimshaw Press, 1976
[L-8] San Francisco, A Sunset Pictorial
Edited by Jack McDowell
Sunset Books and Sunset Magazine, 1969
[L-9] San Francisco: Adventurers and Visionaries
Richard H. Dillon
Continental Heritage Press, 1983
[L10] San Francisco Almanac, Everything You Want to Know
About Everyone's Favorite City
Gladys Hansen, S. F. City Archivist
Chronicle Books, 1995
[L11] San Francisco As It Is, As It Was
Paul C. Johnson and Richard Reinhart
Doubleday, 1979
[L12] San Francisco Bay, A Pictorial Maritime History
John Haskell Kemble
Bonanza, 1978
[L13] San Francisco's Golden Era
Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg
Howell-North, 1960
[L14] San Francisco's Mayors (1850-1880)
William F. Heintz and Gladys C. Hansen
Gilbert Richards Publications, 1975
[L15] San Francisco, Mission to Metropolis
Oscar Lewis
Howell-North, 1980
[L16] Spanning The Gate, A Photo Documentary
Stephen Cassady
Squarebooks, 1979
[L17] The Cable Car Book
Charles Smallwood, Warren Edward Miller, Don DeNevi
Celestial Arts, 1980
[L18] The Earth Shook, The Sky Burned
William Bronson
Doubleday, 1959
[L19] The Golden Gazette, News from newspapers of 1848-1857
Edited by Dudley T. Ross
Valley Publishers, 1978
[L20] The Making of Golden Gate Park, The Early Years
(1865-1906)
Raymond H. Clary
A California Living Book, 1980
[L21] The Natural World of San Francisco
Harold Gilliam and Michael Bry
Doubleday, 1967
[L22] The San Francisco Earthquake
Gordon Thomas, Max Morgan Witts
Stein and Day, 1971
[L23] The Suburbs of San Francisco
William Chapin, Alvin D. Hyman, Jonathan Carroll
Chronicle Books, 1969
[L24] The Summer of Love, Haight-Ashbury at its Highest
Gene Anthony
Celestial Arts, 1980
[L25] The Ultimate Guide, San Francisco
Randolph Delehanty
Chronicle Books, 1989
[L26] Treasure Island, San Francisco's Exposition Years
Richard Reinhardt
Scrimshaw Press, 1973
[L27] and, of course,
WWW.SFMUSEUM.ORG, Gladys Hansen
If you are visiting San Francisco, be sure to stop by
the museum located on the third floor of the Cannery
on Fisherman's Wharf. Admission is free, but dona-
tions are appreciated.
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NOTES
[M-1] Why was this FAQ created? #
As a cab driver in the City, I meet people from all
walks of life, including locals who have been around
for fifty years and wide-eyed tourists visiting for the
first time. The locals often fill me in on various tid-
bits about San Francisco while the tourists ask me so
many questions it makes my head spin. That's quite all
right, however, since I love the City with a passion
and welcome any opportunity to demonstrate my knowledge
of its history. After awhile, I began to hear many of
the same questions over and over, so I thought it would
be a good idea to create a FAQ that dealt with the sub-
ject of San Francisco, a city that has beguiled me for
more than a decade.
Though there are several websites that cover the hist-
ory of San Francisco, they often encompass many volumes
of pages and can be quite difficult to navigate. Some-
times all you want is a simple answer to a fairly ob-
vious question, and that is where this document comes
into play.
Written in true FAQ form, you may view it in any number
of programs, including your web browser, word processor
or even a simple text editor. And since it consists of
just one page, it is easy to download to your computer
for future reference. You can attach it to an e-mail to
send to a friend, as it is rather small in size. Best
of all, it's completely FREE!
If you know of something that should be included, or
you find something which you believe to be in error,
please don't hesitate to e-mail me at the address list-
ed below. I want this FAQ to be as accurate and inclus-
ive as I can make it.
Check back occasionally and you'll probably find an up-
dated version of this FAQ.
-RWS
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URL for Robert Summers: http://www.summerstime.com