16.11.06

F I R S TP R E V425NEXTLAST

Sunday Brunch, The Embarcadero
The Embarcadero today is a far cry from what it was during most of San Francisco's history. Prior to 1902 this area was a jumble of ragged piers extending from city streets into a dangerous dockyard. Along with the longshoremen and immigrant fishermen there were only ramshackle saloons, boarding houses, brothels, and gambling halls. An effort to clean up the area began and in 1931 this curving seawall was constructed. By 1958, when a two-story freeway was built here, the cargo ships were unloading their containers across the Bay in Oakland and the fisherman had moved down to the wharf. The earthquake of 1989 bought down the freeway and the vision of a civic shoreline promenade appeared. Palm trees were added in 1999, antique trolley cars were running on the Embarcadero by 2000, and the gloriously-restored Ferry Building completed the waterfront's transition to a scenic corniche for walking, biking, or jogging.
[ MAP F-16 ]


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