Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
Today we're going to spend a minute or two in San Francisco's "Fisherman's Wharf", a popular tourist attraction found at the northern waterfront area. Wikipedia sez that it "... gets its name and neighborhood characteristics from the city's early days during the Gold Rush when Italian fishermen settled in the area and fished for Dungeness crab. From then until the present day it remained the home base of San Francisco's fishing fleet".
This first great picture is undated, but probably from around 1950 (or perhaps even earlier?). I love the late afternoon light and the rows of beautiful vintage autos! "Alioto's" and "Fisherman's Grotto" are two restaurants that you can still eat at today. The area is considered kind of a tourist trap these days, and I haven't been there for years, but I still remember my simple but excellent meals of clam chowder and sourdough bread, and a glass of wine.
Here's another photo, focusing on Fisherman's Grotto circa 1954. The bright blue sky and spots of vivid color really bring this picture to life. And oh man, more cars! Two-tone paint jobs were the thing.
9 comments:
Major-
They're both wonderful pictures; but the second one: Wowie-!
Thanks.
Never been to San Francisco, but I would like to. look at all those lovelies. we can take our pick today :)
We have a place here in Pittsburgh that I liken to Fisherman's Wharf called The Strip District. it started out WAY back when as a wholesale meats and produce shipping yard right on the Allegheny River.
Today it is still that (tho trains dont run thru there anymore :( but is now a wonderful collection of shops where you can still buy wholesale produce and meats (some shops are still there!) with now many one of a kind shops and restaurants. Maybe someday I will visit the Wharf and see if for myself.
thanks for the very nice pictures today!
What is that awesome gray "half-convertible" parked in the first picture?? I can imagine Clark Gable arriving in that car for a quick lunch at the Grotto. Wow!!!
Bill in Denver
YAY! I've only been to SF once but it had a similar effect on me to Disneyland. I've wanted to return so badly ever since. You could say I left my heart there...
nope, too cheesy.
Nanook, yeah, the color in that one really makes the difference!
Nancy, sounds hard to believe that trains don't run through Pittsburgh anymore. How can that be? Sounds like a neat area.
Bill in Denver, somebody smarter than me is going to have to answer your question, but it IS a hard-to-ignore car!
PsySocDisney, I need to go back to SF, it's been a long time. My siblings used to live up in NoCal, but they have all moved away, so I don't have a reason to go like I used to.
I'm thinking the grey-green convertible coupe is a Duesenberg, probably mid-1930's.
The car is a great example of a 1938 Bentley 4 1/4 ltr Sedanca Coupe. The fender skirts are unusual, and most models came with wire wheels.
Major, I have some recent photos (last year) from almost the exact vantage points. Very little change.
Yell if you want them.
JG
BTW, the whole locale looks much cleaner in the photos than it is today.
JG
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