I was 7 years old back then, living in Oakland and traveling to "Frisco" for fun and entertainment. The Bay Area was a much better place then. Less people, less traffic, less crime, etc. Pity that most of you could not have experienced SF back in the "good ol days".
This vid is too cool! In the 1950's I lived in Oakland. Playland, the place to go, was just a two block walk to the Key System train, over the bridge to San Francisco. Grab a street car to the beach. After that it was fun, fun, fun for the day and then back over the Bay Bridge to home in what I now consider (having moved to The City in 1964) the Far East. We also went up the hill to the Cliff House and watched the seals on the rocks beyond the shore. :>}
Thank you for this fine treat of history! It made my night! I come from a 5th Generation Central Cal Family who spoke much of the Old San Francisco and Stockton that now only exists in a few and ever fewer fading memories!
@Jeffredo729 San Francisco was a way better city back in the 1940's when it was known as the Paris of America or the New York City of the west coast. Also, it was a strong middle class town. Now the only type of people living in San Francisco are either single professionals making over 6 figures a year or the working poor making minimum wages. San Francisco has taken a turn for the worse.
0:50 The seven hills of the City? There are thirty-nine hill in the city of San Francisco; what is he talking about? . 1:07 High on a hill, you can see the John Hopkins hotel tower and the adjacent Fairmont, with no tower annex. .
The pretty flower stand have been replaced with portable toilets for the homeless. Pretty Market street is now a out door mental institution littered with human feces, and used needles. I was born and raised in San Francisco, now I can't wait to retire so I can leave.
It was the standard accent of the US in the since before WW1 to after the 1970’s, after which it was replaced by today’s valley girl accent. It sounded more sophisticated.
"The soft-spoken people" of Chinatown - plainly the narrator has never heard spoken Cantonese (the dominant language of SF Chinatown). Soft sounding it's not.
@@1974dormouse we were HIGHLY isolationist. we were AGAINST war. we were in DENIAL about the severity of the axis. do you no know your own history you MURICAN?
Well, there were the Mafia, who still exist in SF today, mainly branches of the Chicago Outfit, as well as the Lanza Crime Family, who ruled with an iron fist at the time. The Irish Mafia had also existed in San Francisco as well at the time. Now there are the Chinese Triad Dragons and Yakuza in charge, the Italians and Mexicans are less prominent these days, but still present, and the Russians have a lot of power.
Love this video, truly one of the greatest cities on earth, if not THE greatest.........
I was 7 years old back then, living in Oakland and traveling to "Frisco" for fun and entertainment.
The Bay Area was a much better place then. Less people, less traffic, less crime, etc.
Pity that most of you could not have experienced SF back in the "good ol days".
Wonderful video… before my time.
Spent a lot of time there in the 70s and 80s.
This is my wife’s parents era.
This vid is too cool! In the 1950's I lived in Oakland. Playland, the place to go, was just a two block walk to the Key System train, over the bridge to San Francisco. Grab a street car to the beach. After that it was fun, fun, fun for the day and then back over the Bay Bridge to home in what I now consider (having moved to The City in 1964) the Far East. We also went up the hill to the Cliff House and watched the seals on the rocks beyond the shore. :>}
I love your vintage travel videos.
Thank you.
George Vreeland Hill
Thank you for this fine treat of history! It made my night! I come from a 5th Generation Central Cal Family who spoke much of the Old San Francisco and Stockton that now only exists in a few and ever fewer fading memories!
Love the narration very educational
As I'm watching this today and the cliff house restaurant is closed
Ahhh, the good old days.
I was just in this city yesterday....nice place...kinda crowded, but kool place and tons of rain!
I think he was a professional newsreel and travelogue announcer. I've heard voices like that on many travel films.
Great video of times past, it would be much more pleasant though if the running timer did not show on the video.
@Jeffredo729 San Francisco was a way better city back in the 1940's when it was known as the Paris of America or the New York City of the west coast. Also, it was a strong middle class town. Now the only type of people living in San Francisco are either single professionals making over 6 figures a year or the working poor making minimum wages. San Francisco has taken a turn for the worse.
San Francisco is one of the best cities in the world.
.....was...now its a garbage can of filth.......
i love the cars
GREAT VID!
Wish I could find a time machine!
that was a really kool video.
0:50
The seven hills of the City? There are thirty-nine hill in the city of San Francisco; what is he talking about?
.
1:07
High on a hill, you can see the John Hopkins hotel tower and the adjacent Fairmont, with no tower annex.
.
The pretty flower stand have been replaced with portable toilets
for the homeless. Pretty Market street is now a out door mental institution littered with human feces, and used needles. I was born and raised in San Francisco, now I can't wait to retire so I can leave.
what kind of accent is this guy talking in? it sounds like some form of transatlantic, but i'm not sure.
It was the standard accent of the US in the since before WW1 to after the 1970’s, after which it was replaced by today’s valley girl accent. It sounded more sophisticated.
Dude. I'm teaching my girlfriend to learn how to drive a manual in SF right now. It is not fun here.
You have to have auto transmission in SF. Stick will no do on those hills. I know I lived there over 25 years!
do they still have sheep in the park?
kool i saw this on my dads bookmark kool
"The soft-spoken people" of Chinatown - plainly the narrator has never heard spoken Cantonese (the dominant language of SF Chinatown). Soft sounding it's not.
just before Pearl Harbour...America was in isolation in 1940...
fordlandau no it wasn't. Not being at war doesn't mean you are isolated you goof
@@1974dormouse we were HIGHLY isolationist. we were AGAINST war. we were in DENIAL about the severity of the axis. do you no know your own history you MURICAN?
WHERE THEIR GANGS BACK THEN..
Well, there were the Mafia, who still exist in SF today, mainly branches of the Chicago Outfit, as well as the Lanza Crime Family, who ruled with an iron fist at the time. The Irish Mafia had also existed in San Francisco as well at the time. Now there are the Chinese Triad Dragons and Yakuza in charge, the Italians and Mexicans are less prominent these days, but still present, and the Russians have a lot of power.
Go san jose
get out of the tenderloin
Nearly the whole city is the tenderloin now!