Unique Historical Prints San Francisco Collectors Prefer

By Susan King


Millions of tourists visit Northern California every year. Most of them buy mementos of their time in its City By the Bay to take home with them. It is not unusual for these visitors to purchase affordable artwork of some iconic landmarks that distinguish the city. Many choose views depicting the Golden Gate Bridge while others opt for the more unusual, but equally distinctive historical prints San Francisco collectors prefer.

Many have had the good fortune to dine at the Cliff House and take in the breathtaking views of the Pacific. A photo the restaurant as it originally appeared, and before its numerous reconstructions and remodeling project, might be a great souvenir. The restaurant's significance as a city landmark is well established.

The Sutro Baths no longer exist, but you can visit the remains just north of Cliff House. The mining engineer and one time mayor of San Francisco, Adolph Sutro, had a vision for a bathhouse where the public could come to exercise and socialize in style. The product of this vision became the biggest indoor swimming facility in the world. In its heyday, there were seven heated pools, paintings, history exhibits, and Egyptian mummies. The only way to enjoy it today is in a photograph.

Market Street is a favorite of tourists and residents as well. If you enjoyed your time strolling among the stalls located in the amazing Farmer's Market, you might want to take home a print showing the way the street appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century. Most depict a busy intersection bustling with trolleys and horse drawn carriages.

Nob Hill was the height of sophistication and conspicuous wealth and nothing epitomized that as much as the Hopkins Mansion. San Franciscans of the time either loved it or hated it, and when it burned to the ground as a result of one of the fires created by the 1906 earthquake, people were said to have stood on the beach and applauded. Today it is a luxury hotel and a great reminder of past grandeur. It is a popular print in local shops.

Emperor Norton was one of this city's most colorful characters, and people still seem fascinated with him today. Upon proclaiming himself the Emperor of the United States, this beloved character ate at the finest restaurants and enjoyed the best theater seats all for free. He issued curious decrees and proclamations throughout his twenty-one year reign.

There are numerous prints depicting the aftermath of the horrific earthquake of 1906 and the many fires that raged through the streets afterward. It may not be what San Franciscans want tourists to take away with them, but the photos are interesting and sobering. The Call Building and City Hall scenes are particularly striking.

There is no city in the world that remotely resembles the City By the Bay. It has a unique and colorful personality that has thankfully been preserved in print. Landmarks, local characters, and cataclysmic events are all carefully recorded for future generations.




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