SALE!!!! FIRE SALE!!! I cannot believe "This Old Firehouse" hehehe is for Sale. Noooooooooo…read more http://outsidelands.org/firehouse/ The firehouse of Engine Company 33, was built in 1896. It is located in the Historic San Francisco Neighborhood of Oceanview. On "Church Row" my term AKA Broad Street 94112. Oceanview is my hood 'member?? O.M.I Fool!! I told you. I live in "Ingleside" but the entire neighborhood is chiama... what OMI. Oceanview is also known as Lakeview. I could spend days "Yelping" about this neighborhood. I am going to be doing walking tours of my hood in "Spring 2008" when it heats up a bit. Back in the day...and thanks to Outsidelands.org and the Western Neighborhood Project for the History. All Props due. I love them. The Ocean View, as a village, was self-contained. It had its own police station, a post office, fire station, bakery, school and not a few saloons. Ocean View Branch Library was the 15th branch established in the San Francisco Public Library system. On January 2, 1902, the first "library deposit station" was opened in the Ocean View district. The Ocean View Branch Library opened in 1903 on Broad Street near the corner of Capitol Avenue. But the Firehouse ya'll....dam!! I want it. Where is my benefactor?? Victorian style Engine Co.33 was built on property purchased in 1895 from Delia and Albert Hall for the price of $350.00. Designed by Charles R. Wilson and constructed entirely of redwood, the firehouse has 20 foot ceilings on two floors. The building facade incorporates Classical Revival architectural influences with symmetrical and geometric embellishments. The hose drying tower is three stories tall, rising over sixty feet above the street. Located in the Southwest corner of San Francisco in the Ocean View district, this firehouse was originally built to protect a woman's college planned for the neighborhood, but was never built. Ten years later, after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, this area famous for its wild flowers and frog ponds, started being developed as residential neighborhood. In 1896 there was a fire in a munitions factory in Colma, and Engine 33 was dispatched to assist in fighting the blaze. This was the first San Francisco act of mutual aid to a neighboring fire department. When the Department was converting to motorized apparatus between 1912 and 1922, Engine 33 was one of the last two companies to bid farewell to their horse-drawn apparatus. In 1974 the firehouse was deactivated and Engine 33 was moved to new quarters nearby at 8 Capitol Street. Since 1977, this firehouse has been privately owned by Robert and Marilyn Katzman, SFFD Historical Society members and two of San Francisco's most flamboyant fire buffs. The Katzman's open their 110 year old firehouse, which is a "living museum of San Francisco history" to the public by appointment. The couple also provides a unique way to tour the City - in their beautifully restored 1955 Mack Fire Engine. Their famous Golden Gate Bridge tour includes authentic fire gear to keep you warm on San Francisco's foggy days. I am not as Crazy as Lillian Coit "Coit Tower" Firemen Chasing Woman....well if I had her Millions.....hmmm? I do like knowing the History of San Francisco Neighborhoods... especially West of Twin Peaks. It is a Multi-Ethnic hood. People for the most part are friendly...like old time San Francisco...before the Dot.Commies and The New Yorkers and other Transplants.... The old "Tower of Power" San Francisco Vibe.... Wear Flowers in your hair.... I am such a Hippy Chick. 94132 Yelpin' about what she knows.... The OMI.

We took the Fire Engine Tour with Capt. Bob and Co-Captain Marilyn and had a blast!!! Even though…read morewe couldn't see the Golden Gate for the fog, they gave us a trip to remember - singing along, taking pictures and just generally having a great time. When they found out my husband had been stationed at the Presidio, they even took a spin around the Parade Ground so he could see his old barracks! What a great treat! These are people who care about giving their customers the best time - and they succeed beautifully!

This is a review of the neighborhood in San Francisco called Lone Mountain, which includes the…read moreeponymous peak within its boundaries. Most people in San Francisco probably think of Lone Mountain as the actual hill, with USF's Lone Mountain Campus atop it. This is true, but only partially. You see, USF also differentiates between its "lower" main campus and its Lone Mountain Campus, but in reality, they're only a block apart. The historical separation comes from the fact that Lone Mountain College was a separate Catholic (originally women's) college until USF acquired it in 1978. The original building with the omnivisible spire is, unhelpfully, called Lone Mountain, which shouldn't be confused with either Lone Mountain North, the later-constructed high-rise dorm connected to Lone Mountain via an internal bridge; or Lone Mountain East, the most recently constructed student housing. In short, the entirety of USF's campus is within the neighborhood--including the law school--if you believe the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services. The WNES boundaries are Arguello Boulevard, Anza Street, Masonic Avenue, and Fulton Street--with a spur that goes south of Fulton to include both USF Law School and UCSF Health Stanyan Hospital (formerly St. Mary's). The neighborhood is much more than USF. It's Rossi Playground and the Geary Mel's Drive-In and Ewing Terrace, one of my favorite San Francisco one-way streets for its unusual layout. It's also the location of Lone Mountain Terrace, which is a bona-fide public city street in San Francisco, even though it's too narrow to drive on. No, it's more of an alley walkway between buildings, but it's all public land. (Just don't be a creepy lurker.) It begins at Parker Avenue and continues all the way to Rossi Avenue. The neighborhood also contains, probably counterintuitively, House of Hummus and those other businesses located right on that strangely unnamed (but very expensive) public space at the southwest corner of Geary Boulevard and Masonic Avenue. And there are the Lone Mountain Steps--not to be confused with Lone Mountain Terrace--which give the most direct access from Turk Boulevard to USF's Lone Mountain Campus. That should serve as an invitation to you. As an urban campus, USF is open to the public, both physically and de facto. Yes, I'm sure they can kick you off campus if you do something against their rules, but the point is that like UC Berkeley and unlike many Catholic and other private colleges, USF doesn't prevent you from coming on campus, so you should enjoy it, especially near the peak of Lone Mountain. You can't get into the Lone Mountain Building itself without a keycard, but you can definitely walk around most of the building and admire the spectacular views. Another well known feature of Lone Mountain is St. Ignatius Church, which can be seen from many areas all over San Francisco. The church itself is huge and beautiful, and even if you're not Catholic or religious, you should go inside and check it out, if only for the architecture. Just remember to keep it a prayerful space by keeping your voice down, not dressing like you're going to the beach or the club or to bed, and not disturbing services or standing too close to people who are praying. I love this neighborhood and have spent many hours here, as a USF grad student first and foremost, but also as a law-exam proctor and now as a St. Ignatius parishioner. I'm a map nerd, so I really love the spurs of major streets that continue west of USF's campus, if only for short blocks. And then there's North Willard Street, near which lived dear, lovely, and completely unrelated Willard (RIP?). Fulton is the boundary where many of the north-south Haight-Ashbury District streets begin (Ashbury, Clayton, and Cole). Fulton is also where Parker Avenue jogs and turns into Shrader Street, and this always makes me happy, because Parker just feels like it needs to cross Geary (it does), while Shrader would seem out of place that far north. Similarly, I can't imagine anything other than Shrader in the Upper Haight; Parker just sounds too posh. The neighborhood has pretty good bus access, with the 5-Fulton, 31-Balboa, 33-Ashbury/18th Street, 38-Geary, and 43-Masonic (and their Rapid lines, where applicable) currently serving it. (Alas, the 21-Hayes [RIP] used to provide access as well.) The views are nice from many places, especially rooftops, and it's close to Target, Trader Joe's, and Lucky (for the time being). It's also across Fulton from the northeast corner of Golden Gate Park, which is a fun, wooded, and hilly area that very few people visit, relative to other parts of the park. Warning: There's no free parking either on the driveway to or at the parking lot atop Lone Mountain. USF will ticket you. It's better to take the bus, give your legs a workout on the Lone Mountain Steps, and reward yourself with the view.

What's that squiggly brass line, imbedded in the sidewalk along King Street? Answers here:…read moreLike parts of the Financial District, if you keep your eyes off your cell phone, you might notice these indicators of pre-landfill city edges. That means the Oracle Park Stadium, Ferry Building, & Transamerica Pyramid sit upon abandoned ships, dilapidated buildings, & assorted junk. Why? Because during the 1849 Gold Rush, hordes of new settlers working at the waterfront needed accommodations. There's a quote on the historical marker from the 1926 South of Market Journal: "Oh you Saints look don (sic) on the new made town. And tell me, pray, which way to go? Oh the shoreline's deranged and everything's changed. Tell me, pray, which way to go?"

That medical history mural is not just any mural. It's by Bernard Zackheim, painted in 1938, at the…read moreheight of the arts boom and "socialist realism" phase in America. Zackheim was the first local to get a mural commission in SF in a public setting (a 1933 mural called "The Jewish Wedding" at the Jewish Community Center, now restored in a--sadly--hidden stairwell there). Zackheim studied under Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. In 1934, Zackheim was the subject of a smear campaign by the city's papers for his Library mural in Coit tower, which showed many books from a wide political spectrum, but was lampooned as showing communist books. The 27 muralists there were locked out as a result! I love this stuff, and I even give a tour of murals and mural political history under the name Thinkwalks. The Toland Hall mural isn't on my usual tour, but it's a fantastic piece, very representative of the times.

This is a hidden gem of SF history! Built in the 1920's, it's an old theatre-style lecture hall…read morewith an ornate celiing and a fresco of California medical history covering every onch of wall, from natives being operated on by Christian surgeons to Alfred Sutro signing over the land for what would become UCSF medical center. The seats have been replaced, but the feeling is truly vintage medicine.

Such a lovely morning stroll in the alley way and admiring the colorful murals and cactus plants…read morealong the way. The Murals are ever changing on the garage doors and you never know what to expect each time you visit. If you're lucky, you may see the artist repainting over an older mural. The colors and the vibes of the paintings reflects the community in the area. Definitely worth a visit, if you are in the neighborhood for lunch or dinner as there are plenty of eateries in the area.

Wow, talk about an engineering site to see in Walnut Creek! If you so happen to be running,…read morewalking, biking, or hiking through the Contra Costa Iron Horse Trail, then you've probably been stopped by this clam-shaped suspension bridge upon first sight. As you cross it, you'll start to notice the steel side towers that basically look like an outer shell of a clam. Attached from tower to tower are the hanging support cables. From the top, the hanging cables loop once, hold up, and essentially suspend the walkway. The walkway is only about 10 feet wide, but the length of the bridge extends across the busy eight lanes of Treat Blvd. To me, this landmark really represents the good people that live in this city. This is one modern bridge that I feel people should really (for once) stop, analyze, and appreciate the geometry of this structure. Although this bridge isn't historic or has the popularity of the Golden Gate or Oakland-Bay Bridge, the gems of San Francisco; This architectural beauty truly is the pearl of Walnut Creek.

BRIDGE TROLL The…read moreonly trolls that pass under this bridge are the ones driving up and down Treat. I'm sure lots of motorists fall into that category, especially around commute times. But you can safely cross over Treat Blvd. using this pedestrian/cyclist bridge, and you don't even have to wait for the light to turn green. The walking trails and canal trails lead all around town. Intersections with cool bridges for the exercise enthusiasts make these trails even more enjoyable. I love walking over streets and not making cars stop while I try to get across.

Bordering the Embarcadero, there's a nice fountain that uses recycled water and offers CUSHIONS to…read moresit on! Sweet! Home of several businesses and firms and very close to the temporary transbay terminal.

The residential units here are one of my favourite in the city. Close to everywhere. Great hoa…read moremanagement. Neighbors are friendly and low key. Like other residential communities, getaway building, 101 lombard, etc., you have easy access to crunch gym, fine dining places, downtown, fidi, shopping mall etc. the only downside is the traffic. Difficult to get out if there is a game day. Other than, it s a wonderful place to live/ or invest.

This site is located just off the dipsea trail. It's only a 10 or 15 minutes walk from dipsea. This…read morewas a artillery insulation during World War II, but of course it is long since dismantled. There's not a whole lot to see, but there are still some underground bunkers that you can walk into. They're pretty much covered with graffiti, some of which is actually quite artistic. The big facial photos that you see here are right at the entrance to the bunkers. There are some excellent online videos that give you a good history of this location.