Expedition 63:  49 Mile Scenic Drive Walk, #2

This is my second walk from the book Walking San Francisco’s 49 Mile Scenic Drive. The first one is recorded in Expedition 59. As with the first one, I didn’t complete this walk. I like to take my time and look around and in and under. 

I started at the Chinatown Dragon Gate. The inscription, from Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, reads “All under heaven is for the good of the people.” According to the book, the Chinatown we know today was constructed after the 1906 earthquake by a wealthy Chinese businessman to draw tourists! The earthquake had another positive effect on the Chinese population; many Chinese were able to become American citizens since their immigration records burned up in the fire. Ha! 

A few distractions on the way to stop #2; a space age looking Japanese style claw game parlor (I discovered these on Expedition 57) and a peek into one of several over-the-top glitzy gift shops where you can buy a 4 foot high geode or a life sized statue of Spiderman.

Old St. Mary’s is the oldest cathedral in California, built in 1854 by Chinese laborers. At the time, the neighborhood was full of bars and brothels. The quotation posted on the church tried to dissuade pleasure seekers with the Bible message “Son, observe the time and fly from evil.”  Most of the church survived the 1906 quake. It’s not very ornate inside, but has lovely stained glass windows. 

Next I schlepped up California Street where I found this Barbary Coast trail sidewalk plaque. The sea serpent gate detail is in front of the Pacific Union Club. This was formerly the Flood Mansion, built in 1888. Silver Baron James Flood died the following year. The mansion, made of brownstone, survived the 1960 earthquake as well. 

I walked through Huntington Park and past the goofy Fountain of the Tortoises. It’s a replica of one in Rome created in the 1500’s and features naked youths grasping for turtles that look like they’re struggling not to fall off the fountain. Sure, why not? It was a gift of the Crocker family. 

Grace Cathedral across the street is the next official stop but I balked at paying $14 to get in. Is this a thing now, to pay to get into a church?? I opted to take a photo from the entrance. The Masonic Auditorium on the other side of California Street caught my eye and it was a great digression (not sure why it’s not part of the walk!). I love the mid-century modern architecture and the frieze of military figures on the facade. Also these cool columns with globes on top. 

But inside is the stunner. Artist Emile Norman invented this massive “endo-mosaic” depicting California Freemason history. It consists of panels of colored crushed glass, along with shells, soil, vegetation and other materials (collected in each of California’s 58 counties), sandwiched between plastic sheets measuring 48 by 38 feet. It is just breathtaking!

Next I headed for the Cable Car Museum, which also houses the barn where the cars sleep at night (full of employee cars in the daytime). Museum is a bit of a misnomer since you can look down at the actual wheels turning the actual cables! On the lower level you can see still more turning machinery. The system was started in 1873 and originally had 23 lines. It’s down to three and is now the only manually operated cable car in the world. 

On the way to my last stop, I passed the narrowest street I’ve seen in San Francisco. I also walked down the more charming Waverly Place. My last stop was Portsmouth Square in Chinatown, the city’s oldest park. It was the center of Mexican Yerba Buena when the captain of the ship Portsmouth claimed it as part of the United States in 1846, during the Mexican American War.

I barely did one third of the official walk! Future expeditions will occur…