Library of Congress
Item 1 of 1
Panoramic view of the Golden Gate
View this film.
(AVI Format....15,121,782 bytes)...To download the film for
future viewing, be sure to set your browser to the "load to disk" or
"retrieve to disk" option.
United States : Thomas A. Edison, Inc., 1902.
NOTES
H13041 U.S. Copyright Office
Copyright:
Thomas A. Edison; 11Jan1902; H13041.
Duration: 2:39 at 15
fps.
Location: Mt. Tamalpais, Marin County, California.
This film,
photographed from the front of a moving steam engine, shows the scenic
portion of the Ferries and Cliff House Railroad route along the bluffs and
cliffs of Lands End (at the northwest corner of San Francisco) overlooking
the Golden Gate and the Marin headlands. The line gave access to the
famed Cliff House and Sutro Baths, previously accessed by the Point Lobos
toll road through the sand dunes and by a nearby inland railroad. The
Ferries and Cliff House line, the youngest and last of San Francisco's steam
railroads (five in all) was built between 1886 and 1888 under the direction
of owners W.H. Martin, John Ballard, W.J. Adams, Thomas Magee and
H.H. Lynch. The line was absorbed into the United Railroads of San
Francisco in 1894 (owned by the Southern Pacific Railroad) and was
served by six light and two heavy Baldwin steam engines, the latter used on
Sundays. The rails were of English steel. Hurt by competition from a rival
- and cheaper - inland line owned by former Mayor Adolph Sutro (owner
of the Cliff House and Sutro Baths and enemy of the Southern Pacific
Railroad) the line ceased operation shortly before the 1906 earthquake. The
locomotives were replaced with electric streetcars of the Sutter and
California Street Railroad's #1 line. The streetcars ceased operation after
the trackbed was eroded by landslides in 1925. Today the trackbed, partly
destroyed by landslides, is a trail in the Lands End unit of the Golden Gate
National Recreation Area. Monterey cypress trees and other plants were
subsequently introduced and have greatly altered the original coastal shrub
landscape. The film shows the first 1.5 miles of the 5.25 mile eastbound
return trip from the Cliff House and Sutro Baths to the train terminal at
California Street and Central Avenue (now Presidio Avenue). From the
terminal, passengers could continue by cable car to downtown or to various
outlying neighborhoods. The portion of the route not shown was along
California Street, through the thinly-developed sand dunes of the
Richmond district. The scenic portion was built at an elevation averaging
150 feet, affording superb views of the Golden Gate, the entrance strait to
San Francisco Bay. The following is a scene-by-scene
description of the film: [34544] The train heads just west of north from
the Sutro Baths Station, near the Cliff House. [34705] Swinging right
(northeast) the camera looks across the water to Marin County and Point
Bonita, the northwest entrance of the Golden Gate. Mount Tamalpais rises
in the background. The Marin headlands stretch to the right, along the
north shore of the Golden Gate. (They are now part of the Golden Gate
National Recreation Area.) [34797] The Narrows, the mile-wide
inner mouth of the Golden Gate, and the later site of the Golden Gate
Bridge are visible. The view is northeast. Beyond, in San Francisco Bay, is
Angel Island. [35000] The Presidio occupies the cliff-edged
peninsula extending north to the Narrows. Site of 1776 Spanish fort, or
presidio, the Presidio became a United States Army base (6th Army
Headquarters), and is scheduled to revert to the Golden Gate National
Recreation Area in 1995. Below, in the foreground, is the actual Lands
End Point. The small adjacent beach was a popular picnic site (and is now a
clothing optional beach). [35244] Rounding a corner, the trail down to
Lands End beach comes into view. The small station marks the upper end
of the beach trail. Note the advertisements papered on its walls, one touting
a popular liniment. [35779] A sign warns of the approaching entry into the
100 foot tunnel; another sign appears at left. The tunnel became an open
cut when the line was converted to streetcars. [35970] The train exits the
tunnel and provides a fine view of the Presidio cliffs and Baker Beach
(right). This portion of the trackbed was eroded in 1925, causing closure
of the line. [36000] Deadman's Point is in the foreground, named years
later by Coast Guard rescuers for foolhardy cliff climbers. [36264] In the
distance are white buildings of the Richmond district, south of the Presidio.
Partly behind the slope at right is Lone Mountain, then Laurel Hill
Cemetery, now part of the University of San Francisco campus. [36590]
Beyond the cut, on the rise at right, are a fence and row of cypress trees
marking the northeast corner of the 200-acre City Cemetery (1888-
1909, also called Golden Gate Cemetery - now Lincoln Park Golf Course).
[36722] Lone Mountain is again visible beyond the utility pole. [36812] The
camera views the central hills of San Francisco (from left to right): Mount
Sutro, Strawberry Hill (in middleground, in Golden Gate Park), Mount
Davidson, and Golden Gate Heights. [36839] A few dwellings are seen
along Point Lobos Avenue (now Geary Boulevard) in the left foreground.
Behind at right is a partly quarried hill now called Washington Heights
(site of Washington High School, 1936). [36920] Heading due south (in line
with today's 33rd Avenue, to the south) an abandoned windmill (left) and a
station inscribed "San Francisco City Cemetery" (right) can be
seen.Received: 1/11/1902; paper pos; copyright deposit Paper Print
Collection.
SUBJECTS
Mt.
Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railroad Co.
Railroads, Narrow-gage--California--Marin
County.
Tamalpais, Mount
(Calif.)
Marin County
(Calif.)
San Francisco Bay
(Calif.)
Shorts.
Actualities.
RELATED NAMES
Thomas A. Edison,
Inc.
Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) DLC
Panorama of the
Golden Gate.
MEDIUM
1 roll (173 ft) : si., b&w ; 35 mm. paper
pos.
CALL NUMBER
LC 2135 (paper pos)