Albert Bierstadt -- Entrance into Monterey -- April 23, 2023

United States House of Representatives

Albert Bierstadt painted "Expedition under Vizcaino Landing at Monterey 1601" in 187t. It shows a priest saying mass for the members of Sebastián Vizcaíno's expedition to map the shoreline of Alta California and find suitable ports. It is in the collection of the United States House of Representatives.

Statues and RIPs -- June 22, 2020

OpenSFHistory / wnp37.03339.jpg

The protests inspired by the death of George Floyd and too many others has evolved into protests against America's historic racism.  In the south, people are pulling down Confederate statues. In Golden Gate Park, protestors pulled down the statue of Francis Scott Key, Key was an objectionable man, but the monument was paid for by James Lick and has stood in the park since the 1880s.  They went on to pull down a statue of Saint Junipero Serra near the DeYoung and a bust of Ulysses S Grant.  Why Grant?  His credentials as a practical abolitionist are unquestioned, but he did push the Indian Wars.

Art Curtiss, retired Muni Chief Inspector and longtime Coast Guard reservist, died this week after getting told he would live three more months in 2018.  He led a life dedicated to service and he was very good about sharing what he knew with transit fans.

David Perlman wrote for the Chronicle from 1940 to 2017. He was the science reporter for many years. He died at 101.

Vera Lynn, who was an icon of World War Two, died this week at 103.

Saint Junipero Serra -- September 23, 2015

Saint Junipero Serra was born on the island of Mallorca on 24-November-1713.  People accuse him of genocide, of murdering California native Americans.  I am pretty sure that he was not aware of germ theory, which was developed long after he died.  He thought he was doing the right thing. 

Today Pope Francis visited Washington DC.  During a mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, he canonized Junipero Serra.  This was the first canonization performed in the United States. 

Junipero Serra 300 -- November 24, 2013

Blessed Junipero Serra was born on the island of Mallorca on 24-November-1713.  People accuse him of genocide, of murdering California native Americans.  I am pretty sure that he was not aware of germ theory, which was developed long after he died.  He thought he was doing the right thing.