Came across this file randomly while browsing the Prelinger Archive, which I haven’t done in a while. The footage of longshoremen jockeying cargo on and off ships is a swift check on romanticism and a concrete reminder that, even long ago, industry on a mass scale was what drove almost all of our activity.
I logged a few of the bits that really stood out to me:
- 3:00 – Steam locomotives
navigating Market Street, andcruising along the Embarcardero. - 5:00 – Cool aerial footage; Ferry Building with street cars on a circular track in front and a heavy rail locomotive waiting (loading?) on the left; Golden Gate Ferries.
- 6:50 – I believe this is a quick shot of Dolores Street.
- 7:40 – Funky, animated relief maps of the area and trade routes, points of interest.
- 8:55 – Aerial footage of downtown, City Hall and Golden Gate Park.
- 10:45 – Aerial of the western side of the city; Golden Gate Park, including the bandshell area.
Related book: Historic Photos of San Francisco
From Amazon
From Powell’s
As someone who lives in an area of San Francisco that has been completely rebuilt in the last 20 years or so (South Beach) it is a real treat to see this old footage.
this is really awesome