San Francisco History Expo #6 - March 6, 2016

Today we attended the sixth annual San Francisco History Expo at the Old Mint. There was a very good crowd and more groups exhibiting.

Market Street Railway had a nice exhibit.  It was so crowded, I didn't get to talk to anyone.  Across the aisle was the SFMTA Photo Archive exhibit.  I complimented the docent on their nice work.

The Bay Area Electric Railway Association had a table for the first time.  I spoke to Grant Ute.  The Swanton Pacific Railroad was there for the first time.

 The Friends of the Cable Car Museum had an extensive exhibit. I got to talk Mike Phipps, Jose Godoy and Mike Holmgren.  Here is a model of a model Geary Street Park and Ocean Railway grip and trailer train.

The Bernal Heights History group had a skeletal, actual-size model of an earthquake shack.  The rooms with the neighborhood groups were the most crowded.

The Pacifica Historical Society was there, too. 

Site of First US Branch Mint -- April 21, 2014

The first United States Branch Mint in San Francisco opened in a building on Commercial Street near Montgomery in 1854.  The building was too small and operations moved to what is now known as the Old Mint at Fifth and Mission in 1874.  The current mint, on Duboce, went into operation in 1937. 

A new building on the Commercial Street site later served as the San Francisco branch of the United States Sub-treasury. 

I remember when a bank wanted to tear down the building to put up a skyscraper.  Somehow they were persuaded to save part of the façade of the sub-treasury and some of the vaults.  The building now houses the Pacific Heritage Museum, which has some displays about the mint and sub-treasury on the bottom floor.  The rest of the museum has rotating art exhibits. 

San Francisco History Expo #3 -- March 2, 2013

Today I attended the third annual San Francisco History Expo at the Old Mint. There was a good crowd. There were some new exhibitors this year, including ThinkWalks.  It was nice to meet with Joel Pomerantz in person.

At the Cable Car Museum display, I had nice chats with José Godoy and with Don Holmgren and Mike Phipps, co-authors of the excellent book Watermusic in the Track. I took this photo of Don and Mike posing in front of the world's largest cable car bell, created by José 's dad, Gilberto Godoy.  I heard Mike Phipps talk about "The Geary Street, Park and Ocean Cable Car Company, 1880-1912: The Premier Line of the New Municipal Railway."

At the Western Neighborhoods Project display, I talked to Woody LaBounty and got to meet David Gallagher.  I'm looking forward to Woody's new book about Ingleside Terrace.

The Market Street Railway had a huge exhibit where I met retired Muni inspector Art Curtis, whom I have corresponded with for years.

Wells Fargo, which sponsored the expo, had a nice exhibit.  

I met my wife, who had been proctoring at the Junior High Academic Decathalon, and we had sandwiches at Latte Express.  Good Shepherd placed fourth in the Super Quiz, missing third by one point, and one kid won the literature section. 

We went to 5 o'clock mass at Good Shepherd.  It was the teen mass.  A nice group helped take the collection. 

San Francisco History Expo #2 -- March 3, 2012

Today I attended the second annual San Francisco History Expo at the Old Mint. There was a line of people on the steps waiting to get in before it opened. There were more exhibitors this year, including the Friends of the Cable Car Museum. I had nice chats with José Godoy and Don Holmgren and got to meet Mike Phipps, who has written a new book about cable cars, which should be out soon. I heard Woody LaBounty talk about Carville, and had a nice chat with him later. Here is a photo of Woody giving his talk.  Then Don Holmgren spoke about San Francisco's cable car lines in 1890.

After that, I met my daughter, who had been out shopping, and we had sandwiches at Latte Express.

The weather was clear and relatively warm today.

San Francisco History Expo -- February 13, 2011

Yesterday we attended a San Francisco History Expo at the Old Mint. I was shocked at the size of the turnout. A guy at the Made in the Potrero table said the organizers had to turn away exhibitors. Woody LaBounty at the Western Neighborhoods Project (good to meet him in person) said visitors were beating down the door before it opened at 11am. The Market Street Railway had a large exhibit in a front office. Guardians of the City, the new combination of the Fire Department Museum and the Police and Sheriff's collections, had lots of items, and parked out front they had Truck 12, a 1937 Mack with a 1921 trailer. When we left, Engine 1 pulled up next to it and the firefighters had a nice chat with the museum volunteers. I took the photo looking down the hallway at the Mint.

After leaving the Mint, we had Vietnamese sandwiches at Latte Express on the Mint Plaza. Then we had gelati across the street at the San Francisco Center. Then we walked down Market to the Sees Candy at Sutter and made some purchases for Saint Valentine's Day.

Pitchers and catchers report tomorrow.