For anybody interested in the history of San Francisco, this is fascinating material. It is a collection of found, archival footage of San Francisco, dating back as far as 1905. Three particular treats are are this 1905 trip down Market Street, streetscapes and cable car scenes from the mid-60s, and footage of the construction of the Bay Bridge.
Seeing these old landscapes made me think back to my childhood visits to SF in the early and mid 80s: the Embarcadero Freeway, a massive double decker knot of concrete and asphalt above Justin Herman Plaza; or the colorful locals that populated the waterfront, the huge drum circle that would form there on weekend evenings. When I compare those memories to the city as it is today - so much has changed. Mostly for the better: the freeway removals that came as a consequence of Loma Prieta. The Embarcadero, once dominated by a massive, cold, concrete barrier between the city and the bay, today is a thriving plaza of people, restaurants, parks and gorgeous views.
Yet, with the progress and improvements, the city now can feel processed, packaged and disney-like. The artistic hippies and free spirits that once roamed the wharf are all gone now, replaced by affluent European tourists, cookie-cutter memorabilia stores, and the the street-vendor-as-small-business. Old, run-down warehouses are now post-modern condo buildings. The Mission is chic. Union Square sparkles. I mean, it's great and all, but the character is blander by far.
Looking at the old video, many things remain the same - Market street is the throbbing, vibrant heart of San Francisco; the streets are terrible; trolleys, street cars, and buses rule the roads; and crystal blue skies greet us day after day. But even now, the city is still growing up, filling in, and evolving. The way it looks and feels today... well, it won't be this way for long.
