#sfmemory — Public Fediverse posts

SFMemory Update!
179 remarkable glass plates from Eureka Valley (the Castro to you) photographer DH Wulzen just uploaded. I am so honored the Wulzen Family allowed me to possess & scan these artifacts before donating them to the SF Public Library Take a look : https://sfmemory.org/Update/2026-08-18 #sfmemory #sfhistory #sanfrancisco

SF Airport, 1966
It was only a drill for the Fire Department that James Martin photographed one day, still I found these pretty dramatic. I don't think they do this sort of thing anymore. #sfmemory #sfhistory

Sam Crow Portraits, 1910s
Generally speaking, I prefer pictures of the built environment, buildings, and streets, but the Sam Crow negatives have so many fantastic portraits of people, some identifiable, some not, some places I know a lot I don't. I include them on SFMemory.org because despite not knowing much about them it seems wrong to keep them from you. #sfmemory #sfhistory

King & 4th Mar 1966
View east on King Street from 4th Street. Tracks and trains of the Southern Pacific railroad at left, the terminal at 3rd Street in the background. King Street was really in the middle of the passenger and freight yards.
In 1976 the 3rd Street Terminal was demolished a new smaller one was built at 4th street (would be out of frame to the left) Now large residential buildings dominate this view. #sfhistory #sfmemory #sanfrancisco #southernpacific

Bernal Cut, circa 1942
An elevated view southerly from the Highland bridge showing San Jose Ave & Southern Pacific's Old Main Line around the time that the tracks were about to be removed. last days of the old main line: https://sfmemory.org/maps/mapsearch.php?q=mcfarland%20main%20line #sfhistory #sfmemory

The Embarcadero, 1991
Embarcadero Freeway Demolition, view northerly, demolition in progress, the former stub end and second deck removed
John Holtzclaw photographed the demolition in detail over the months it took. more here : https://sfmemory.org/search/index.php?q=%22Embarcadero+Freeway+Demolition%22&_ds=1&bn=0&bs=50&so0=contains&so1=contains #sfmemory #sfhistory

Eureka Valley, June 1900
A view north from 21st and Castro, Corona Heights in the background left. A recent scan from a glass negative by DH Wulzen coming soon to SFMemory.org #sfmemory #sfhistory

Crystal Palace Market, 1940
The Crystal Palace Market was at 8th & Market, not sure what Orange Kremo was or how it was non-fattening #sfmemory #sfhistory

Market Street, Aug 23, 1949
One of the problems I face regularly is figuring out what I'm looking at and deciding, while looking at a negative if it's worth scanning, sometimes I don't know. I scanned these night time parade shots from news photog Aaron Rubino because I knew it was Market Street and identifiable. (he shot a lot of society page matrons, yawn)

Once they were on the scanner I was surprised to see all the units comprised of African-American marchers, majorettes, and marching bands. (people of color in these old collections are pretty rare)

The Warfield Marquee (The Great sinner with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner) gave me a month.

Sure enough I found that the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the world (Newspapers called them The "Colored Elks" in language of the time) had a convention and parade on August 23rd.

Here are the pictures seen for the first time in 77 years (hopefully I'll find some more in the stack) #sfhistory #sfmemory #SanFrancisco

SFMemory Update!
250 Glass Plates from photographer Sam Crow! Showing never seen early aviation, Panama-Pacific International Exposition, 1906 Earthquake, surprise celebrities, & more #sfmemory #sfhistory https://sfmemory.org/Update/2026-06-11

Still working on the Sam Crow glass negatives, thought you'd like to see a couple of the man himself. I expect to have another 200 or so online by the end of the week. keep checking back! #sfmemory #sfhistory https://sfmemory.org/Gallery/Sam_Crow_Negatives

Harry Bridges & The Hallinans, circa 1949
It Pays to Keep Looking Department. Revisiting a box of 4x5 negatives by news photographer Aaron Rubino. I came across this shot of Attorney Vincent Hallinan with harry Bridges and a couple of helpers. Terrence (Kayo) Hallinan at right. #sfmemory #sfhistory

SFMemory Update!
211 images 60's 70s protests, gatherings, 1960 Grant Avenue Fair, International Hotel, transit, a lot of stuff I've been sitting on. #sfhistory #sfmemory https://sfmemory.org/Update/2026-05-29

Golden Gate Park, Dec 1899
I've been head down scanning the last few days, working on amazing 9x6 glass negatives from DH Wulzen (look him up) given to me by his grandson. Many familiar scenes, but real joy is in the details. My white whale (look it up) is the Cider Press communal cup. When did it disappear? #sfmemory #sanfrancisco #sfhistory

27th & Dolores, 1942
Southern Pacific's old main line was built in the late 1860's partly through undeveloped land that became Noe Valley & the Mission District. The railroad crossed Dolores & 27th intersection on large bridge. The last train ran in 1941 & the steel was recycled in 1942 #sfmemory #sfhistory #sanfrancisco #railroad #noevalley

3 views of Embarcadero Plaza
1966, 1974, 2026
Vaillancourt Fountain #sfmemory #sfhistory

SFMemory Update!
179 color slides including the Last Days of Playland and Demolition... ok this set is sad. #sfhistory #sfmemory #sanfrancisco https://sfmemory.org/Update/2026-05-06

Last Days of Playland, 1972
Here’s a sneak peek at a wonderful and sad set of slides I just received. #sfmemory #sfhistory #sanfrancisco

Today is 120th Anniversary of the 1906 earthquake. The fire that followed burned three days and destroyed the central core of the city. Take a minute today & think about what it took to start over from scratch #sfmemory #sfhistory #1906earthquake

Working to identify the women swimmers in this recently acquired glass negative collection (~1200 plates) These are girls from the Young Ladies Institute & their instructor Myrtle Wright, who swam the Golden Gate and set a record around Seal Rocks #sfmemory #sfhistory https://sfmemory.org/search/index.php?q=sam+crow+swim&_ds=1&bn=0&bs=100&so0=contains&so1=contains

SFMemory Update!
257 Sam Crow glass plates 1910-1920. Many about the Red Cross, WWI, Golden Gate Park, but really striking here are the portraits both sassy and sweet. #sfmemory #sfhistory https://sfmemory.org/Update/2026-04-15

Seals Stadium Apr 15, 1958
16th & Bryant, First Giants game in San Francisco, pre-game festivities. Giants and Dodgers lined up on base lines Happy Opening Day! #sfhistory #sfmemory #sfgiants #baseball

Opinions Needed
On the left is pitcher Howard Ehmke circa 1928 for the American League Philadelphia Athletics. On the right unknown ballplayer for the 1914 Pacific Coast League Los Angeles Angels. Same Person? #sfhistory #sfmemory #baseball

Spring is here! (Sam Crow photo, 1915)
#sfmemory #sfhistory

How about this weather, huh
This is Santa Cruz around 1918
a recent scan from the Sam Crow negatives #sfhistory #sfmemory #santacruzbeach

Nice words from Woody LaBounty about my recent efforts with the amazing Sam Crow negatives #sfhistory #sfmemory https://www.sanfranciscostory.com/re-exposed/

Golden Gate Park, circa 1915
Horses were once a common sight in the Park, there's were 2 large stables nearby, The Park Riding Academy on Fulton & St. Francis Riding Academy on 7th Ave, Here Esther Crow shows off her horse in front of the memorial Museum and Dore Vase in the Music Concourse. #sfhistory #sfmemory #goldengatepark #sanfrancisco

RE: https://sfba.social/@DavidGallagher/116004582075744318

Sutro Baths around 1915
A lot more pics of your hottie grandmother are now online at https://sfmemory.org/Update/2026-03-12 (along with worlds fair, horses, demolished buildings, celebrities, and more) #sfmemory #sfhistory

PPIE, 1915
The Panama-Pacific International Exposition, which took place in what would become our Marina District, had 1000s of photos taken. The latest SFMemory update includes over 100 unusual views of the fair, including this officious front gate staff https://sfmemory.org/Update/2026-03-12 #sfhistory #sfmemory

SFMemory Update!
291 glass plate negatives from 1910-1920 by photographer Sam Crow. These were stored in a garage for decades until recently scanned. Some remarkable views like I've never seen #sfmemory #sfhistory https://sfmemory.org/Update/2026-03-12