Saturday 17 June 2017

Unusual And Historical Prints San Francisco Collectors Recommend

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.

One things a lot of visitors want to do is eat at the famous Cliff House. There a number of photos depicting the structure, that seems to teeter precariously above Ocean Beach. Adolph Sutro's renovation, which turned it into something reminiscent of a gingerbread house, is arguably the most famous. It would make a great memento of your time in this city.

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.

Food is one thing this city is rightly famous for. If you spent time at the local markets, you could purchase a print of Market Street bustling with trolley cars and horse drawn carriages circa 1900. The famous Flat Iron Building is front and center in many of these pictures.

You might have spent a night at the Mark Hopkins Hotel on Nob Hill and enjoyed the view from the Top of the Mark. If you did, you must have noticed the photography highlighting the original mansion that once stood in its place. Many believed it to be the gaudiest and most vulgar building ever built, but others admired the size and grandeur of the designer's endeavor. Although fire brought on by the 1906 earthquake destroyed it, the Mansion still lives on in print.

San Francisco is no stranger to colorful characters, and one that is still remembered fondly today is Emperor Norton. The local citizenry accepted his eccentricities and looked forward to his latest proclamations and decrees. His reign as self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States lasted almost a quarter of a century. During that time he was a welcome guest at theaters and restaurants throughout the city.

Of course one of San Francisco's most pivotal and historical moments was the devastating earthquake of 1906 and its aftermath. Photos showing the destruction caused to City Hall and the Call Building are remarkable. They are vivid reminders of the power of Mother Nature.

There is no city quite like San Francisco. Instead of burying and denying its past, it has embraced it and made it part of the culture. This is one of the reasons people love to visit the City By the Bay and return again and again.




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