Cable Car Turnaround
San Francisco’s cable car system is the last manually operated system in the country. It started in 1873 and is one of only two moving landmarks in the U.S. (St Charles line in New Orleans is the other). The very popular turnaround at Powell and Market is seen here in a photo dated in the 1930s.
Golden Gate Bridge
Another internationally recognized symbol of San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge. After four years of construction, it opened in 1937 at a cost of $76m (1.7b today) and was under budget and ahead of schedule. The first photo shows opening day.
Lombard Street
Another quintessential San Francisco landmark is Lombard Street. It is one block long yet has eight hairpin turns. Every year, over 2 million people visit it, with up to 17,000 per day in summer. The first photo is dated 1920 and the third is 1922 when it first opened. Note the layered building right of center in the third and fourth photos–the very same curve.
The Presidio
The Presidio was established in 1776 by Spain, then passed to Mexico in 1820, and then became part of the U.S. in 1848. It ceased military operations in 1994 and now is administered by the National Park Service. On its 1,480 acres are 800 buildings ranging from the very historic to the present, e.g. the $300m Lucas Films Corp. headquarters. The first photo shows the Light Battery Full Dress Inspection in 1902. The third photo (courtesy of The Presidio) shows Pershing Hall (formerly bachelor officers quarters) in 1913. It is now a boutique hotel.
