San Francisco in the 1930s: The WPA Guide to the City by the Bay (WPA Guides)

“San Francisco has no single landmark by which the world may identify it,” according to __San Francisco in the 1930s__, originally published in 1940. This would surely come as a surprise to the millions who know and love the Golden Gate Bridge or recognize the Transamerica Building’s pyramid. This invaluable Depression-era guide to San Francisco relates the city’s history from the vantage point of the 1930s, describing its culture and highlighting the important tourist attractions of the time. David Kipen’s lively introduction revisits the city’s literary heritage—from Bret Harte to Kenneth Rexroth, Jade Snow Wong, and Allen Ginsberg—as well as its most famous landmarks and historic buildings. This rich and evocative volume, resonant with portraits of neighborhoods and districts, allows us a unique opportunity to travel back in time and savor the City by the Bay as it used to be. "San Francisco has no single landmark by which the world may identify it," according to San Francisco in the 1930s, originally published in 1940. This would surely come as a surprise to the millions who know and love the Golden Gate Bridge or recognize the Transamerica Building's pyramid. This invaluable Depression-era guide to San Francisco relates the city's history from the vantage point of the 1930s, describing its culture and highlighting the important tourist attractions of the time. David Kipen's lively introduction revisits the city's literary heritage--from Bret Harte to Kenneth Rexroth, Jade Snow Wong, and Allen Ginsberg--as well as its most famous landmarks and historic buildings. This rich and evocative volume, resonant with portraits of neighborhoods and districts, allows us a unique opportunity to travel back in time and savor the City by the Bay as it used to be. Contents List of Illustrations List of Maps The San Francisco Seven. By David Kipen Preface 1940 I. Gateway to the West The Bay and the Land A Frontier to Conquer Emporium of a New World Golden Era Calendar of Annual Events II. "The City" General Information The City's Growth San Franciscans at Work Social Heritage III. Around the World in San Francisco Civic Center Metropolitan Scene Landmarks of the Old Town Chinatown Latin Quarter: Telegraph Hill and North Beach Lords of the Hilltops Embarcadero South of Market Western Addition Rim of the Golden Gate Golden Gate Park IV. Around the Bay The Harbor and its Islands East Bay: Cities and Back Country North Bay Down the Peninsula San Jose V . Appendices A Chronology of the San Francisco Bay Region A Selected Reading List Index