Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This book is part of a fine semi-standardized, affordable series on the history of neighborhoods of San Francisco. The books have a number of chapters with a very brief essay on a time period, followed by many photographs with descriptive captions. These books are quite informative and have few substitutes.
The Marina District edition by Dr. William Lipsky is nicely done and gives a good idea of the development of this neighborhood on the north-central coast of the City. As someone who was raised in the Marina District, I took a special interest.
The area started as a sandy beach and lagoon area, little developed and used originally as a place to wash the clothes of the soldiers at the Presidio and to Gold Rush-era inhabitants. In 1864 the Harbor View resort became the most prominent development, although there were a number of industrial developments too in the 19th century. In 1915 San Francisco's Panama Pacific Exposition took up essentially the whole neighborhood after filling in much of the land. After the exposition was cleared away, the modern neighborhood sprung up. The architectural style continues, even after the devestation of the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989.
The first section, "Sand Dunes and Salt Marshes," discusses the pre-Exposition area (31 pages). The second section, "Tragedy and Triumph," deals with the 1906 Earthquake and construction of the exposition (26 pages). The third, "The City of Two Domes," covers the exposition (38 pages). The fourth, "A New Neighborhood," takes the reader from 1920 through the present (25 pages). I spotted no errors.
The book series is of relatively standardized size; so some choices should be made. The exposition story is the most spectacular and gets by far the most space. This book does a very fine job of it. The offset is that the modern neighborhood gets too short a shrift.
I would have liked a few additions. First, comparative detailed maps of the roads and streets and landmarks of the pre-exposition, exposition, and modern district. Not everyone recognizes the local names. Second, there should have been a note on how Lobos Square changed to Funston Field and then to Moscone Park; this is the main park outside of the Marina Greens and the Palace of Fine Arts. Third, the current San Francisco ballot mentions the fieldhouse in this park as a monument deserving of preservation. If so, the book should say something. Having a photo and caption of the Marina Branch of the library, the former Winfield Scott Elementary School, the yacht clubs, and the lighthouse area at the yacht harbor would have added understanding of the major current landmarks.
Still, for the early history and the exposition, the book is very concise and good.
Click Here to see more reviews about: San Francisco's Marina District (Images of America)
When driving into San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge, the sweeping vistas and greenery gradually give way to the city's charming and inviting Marina District. This area is undoubtedly one of San Francisco's most picturesque and best-known neighborhoods and is famous for its aesthetic and historic appeal. Adjacent to the Presidio, the Golden Gate, and Chrissy Field, the Marina hosts a large number of Art Deco structures and the famed Palace of Fine Arts, a resplendent collection of buildings originally designed for the Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915. The exposition was held to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal, but also to show the world that San Francisco had recovered and rebuilt from the 1906 earthquake. The Marina rose from the site of the Pan Pacific to become one of the city's most desirable and recognizable districts, known for its architecture, culture, and dramatic waterfront setting.
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