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August and September 2023 will mark the 150th anniversary (Sesquicentennial) of the birth of cable traction on the Clay Street Hill Railroad We see an image looking west on Clay Street at the terminal of the Clay Street Hill Railroad. One part of a stereoscope view.. (Image Source: OpenSFHistory / wnp24.224a.jpg). |
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- Celebrating the Centennial and Sesquicentennial of the Birth of the Cable Car
- Other Cable Car Anniversaries
- Cable Car Centennial News
- Cable Car Centennial Events
- Cable Car Centennial Collectibles
- Cable Car Centennial Ads
- Cable Car Sesquicentennial News
- Cable Car Sesquicentennial Events
- Cable Car Sesquicentennial Collectibles
- Cable Car Sesquicentennial Ads
Celebrating the Centennial and Sesquicentennial of the Birth of the Cable Car
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The opening day of the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Source: San Francisco Call, 29-December-1912). December, 2012 Picture of the Month. |
Between 1842 and 1870, San Francisco's population grew from about 190 to 149,973. The flat and filled-in areas around Yerba Buena Cove were filled quickly. People wanted to develop areas to the west, all the way to the ocean, but Nob Hill, Russian Hill and Pacific Heights stood in the way. Inventors and land speculators sought a way to climb the hills and reach the other side.
In 1870, attorney Benjamin H. Brooks received a franchise for a cable line, but he was not able to raise the capital to build it. Scottish immigrant Andrew S Hallidie, a wire cable manufacturer, was able to gather a group of investors and build the Clay Street Hill Railroad, the first cable car line, in 1873.
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Other Cable Anniversaries
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I searched hither and yon for newspaper references to the 25th (1898), 50th (1923) and 75th anniversaries of the cable cars. Here is the only newspaper reference I could find for any of those anniversaries (Source: Zion Community News, 1948-08-05, Page 6). |
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I found several newspaper references to the 125th (1998) birthday of the cable cars. (Source: Santa Maria Times, 1998-08-01, Page 17). |
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Cable Car Centennial News
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02-August-2023 is the 150th birthday of the cable car.
On the day of the centennial, the front page of the San Francisco Examiner featured a photo of the parade of decorated cable cars. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-02, Page 1). August 2023 Picture of the month. |
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"San Franciso's 100-Year-Old Folly." An item from the travel section of Newsday shows a drawing of a Clay Street Hill Railroad grip car and passenger dummy. (Source: Newsday (Suffolk Edition), 1973-07-29, Page 95). June, 2023 Picture of the month. |
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"San Francisco's Beloved Contraption." Another item from the travel section of Newsday. Powell Street car 506 reaches the crest of the Hyde Street Hill. (Source: Newsday (Suffolk Edition), 1973-07-29, Page 95). |
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I wish they wouldn't call it "Frisco." (Source: White Plains Journal News, 1973-08-02, Page 40). |
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| "The cable cars stagger up and down 10 miles of track on three lines, toting (sic - JT) some 10 million passengers at 25 cents a head. I may have mentioned this before, but I wish they wouldn't call it "Frisco." And what do they mean by "stagger?" (Source: Vancouver Sun, 1973-08-02, Page 40). |
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| The London Daily Telegraph reported on the Centennial. "The cable cars, it is generally agreed, are noisy, slow, impractical and inefficient, but they carry some 10 million passengers a year at 10p a head." Gee, thanks. (Source: London Daily Telegraph, 1973-08-03, Page 13). |
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Even a newspaper in far-off Yonkers reported on the anniversary. (Source: Yonkers Herald Statesman, 1973-08-02, Page 7). |
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"Coast oserves cable car's 100th." (Source: White Plains Reporter Dispatch, 1973-08-02, Page 9). |
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An item from the way faraway North Bay Ontario Nugget compares cable cars circa 1873 and 1973. (Source: North Bay Nugget, 1973-08-08, Page 25). |
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The same item as above from the Kingston, New York Daily Freeman. (Source: Kingston Daily Freeman, 1973-09-01, Page 28). |
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Mayor Joe Alioto presented Mrs Friedel Klussmann with an engraved silver tray from the Cable Car Centennial Committee for her long time service championing the "Save the Cable Cars" movement. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-02, Page 14). |
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A quote from cable car savior Mrs Friedel Klussmann. (Source: White Plains Journal News, 1973-08-13, Page 16). |
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Cable Car Centennial Events
- Centennial -- Ongoing Events.
- Centennial -- Bell Ringing Contest -- June 7, 1973.
- Centennial -- The One Spot, the Centennial Cable Car -- July 19, 1973.
- Centennial -- International Bell Ringing Contest -- July 30, 1973.
- Centennial -- Arthur Fiedler and Al Davison-- July 30, 1973.
- Centennial -- Cable Car Models --August 1, 1973.
- Centennial -- Clay Street Car 8 --August 2, 1973.
- Centennial -- Jim Lange at the Car Barn --August 2, 1973.
- Centennial -- Cable Car Birthday Party --August 4, 1973.
- Centennial -- Cable Car Birthday Party --August 4, 1973.
- Centennial -- Union Street Sidewalk Street Sale --August 4-5, 1973.
- Centennial -- Cable Car Walking Tour --August 5, 1973.
- Centennial -- Cable Car Civic Luncheon -- August 8, 1973.
- Centennial -- Polk Gulch Celebration -- August 11-12, 1973.
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The Cable Car Museum at Washington and Mason Streets hosted a series of events from July 31 through August 12. I used to love the Events columns of the Sunday Pink Section. I still read them. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-07-01, Pink Section Page 7). The San Francisco Main Library hosted an exhibit of cable car photos in August and September. 
I remember when the Cable Car Museum at Washington and Mason Streets had special lights that people could pay to turn on so they could photograph the winding machinery. It appears that, during the centennial celebration, they left the lights turned on. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-07-01, Pink Section Page 10). Go to top of the Centennial Events section.
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Centennial -- Bell Ringing Contest -- June 7, 1973.
Defending champ Al Davison won the Annual Bell Ringing Contest. Barbara Davies, Miss Cable Car 1971, was also Miss Cable Car 1973. (source: Trolley Topics, 07-June-1973)
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Centennial -- The One Spot, the Centennial Cable Car -- July 19, 1973.
The date is July 19, 1973, and Powell Street Cable Car No. 1 built as the "Centennial Car" has just been presented to the people of San Francisco. No. 1 was completed on May 2, 1973, with the roof and seats from first No. 506, a Carter Bros. car. In 1973 Powell Street cable cars were painted green and cream, the then standard Muni paint scheme. No. 1, however, was painted in the maroon and cream colors of the Powell Street Railway, the original operator in 1888 of the Powell Street cable cars. Pictured in front of No. 1 are Fred Stindt, Miss Garbo Wong "Miss Chinatown," Friedel Klussmann "The Cable Car Lady" and Miss Barbara Davies "Miss Cable Car 1973." Art Lloyd photograph. All rights reserved. Go to top of the Centennial Events section.
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Centennial -- International Bell Ringing Contest -- July 30, 1973.
The initial round of preliminaries of the first and so far only Interational Cable Car Bell-Ringing Masters Tourament were held at Union Square. The five people picked to proceed were Jim Blunt of Qantas Airline, representing Australia; Ulf Mockel who works at the Bank of California here, representing Germany; Sombout Sayasan, a student, representing Laos; and Petrina Berman, visitor, representing Switzerland. It was sponsored by the Junior League in cooperation with the Cable Car Centennial Committee.
Other rounds to be held on Tuesday, July 31 at the Bank of America Building plaza, Wednesday, August 1 at the Hyatt Regency and Thursday, August 2 at Acquatic Park. The finals were to be Monday, August 6 in Union Square.
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Centennial -- Arthur Fiedler and Al Davison -- July 30, 1973.
Arthur Fiedler and Al Davison (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-07-30, Page 2). Arthur Fiedler, famous conductor of the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops, at the War Memorial Opera House, led the San Francisco Symphony and cable car bell ringing champion Al Davison in "The Fire Bell Polka" by Josef Strauss.
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Centennial -- Cable Car Models --August 1, 1973.
The Pacific Coast Chapter, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society donated 57 models of San Francisco cable cars to the Cable Car Museum, which put them on display this day.
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Centennial -- Clay Street Car 8 --August 2, 1973.
Fred Stindt, chairman of the Pacific Coast Chapter, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society,dressed as Andrew S. Hallidie, is re-enacting the events of a century before. Stindt is at the grip, then a wheel, of Clay Street Hill Railroad grip car or dummy No. 8, as No. 8 journeys down the Clay Street hill toward Portsmouth's Square (Kearny Street), in the early morning hours of August 2, 1973. No. 8 had been removed from the Cable Car Museum for the trip and placed on the back of a flatbed truck. Today, No. 8 is part of the collection of the Friends of the Cable Car Museum and is on display at the Cable Car Museum. A celebration at Portsmouth Square followed. Art Lloyd photograph. All rights reserved. Go to top of the Centennial Events section.
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Centennial -- Jim Lange at the Car Barn --August 2, 1973.
Veteran San Francisco broadcaster Jim Lange worked live from the Cable Car Barn. Note that the Watergate Hearings were going on at the same time as the Centennial. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-01, Page 14).
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Centennial -- Cable Car Birthday Party --August 4, 1973.
A cable car birthday celebration in Union Square included a 1600 pound ice cream sundae from Farrel's and a 432 pound cake baked at the City of Paris.
Performers included:
- Vince Guaraldi Trio
- cast members of Oliver
- 49er Nuggets cheer leaders
- cable car bell ringing champ Al Davison
- Saint Mary's Drum and Bugle Corps
- 12th Naval District Band
- Black Raven Pipe Band
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Centennial -- Cable Car Band Concert --August 4, 1973.
The Artists' Guild San Francisco an organization which has set up outdoor art galleries since 1961, hosted a special concert at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park for the Cable Car Centennial (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-07-01, Pink Section Page 7). Go to top of the Centennial Events section.
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Centennial -- Union Street Sidewalk Street Sale --August 4-5, 1973.
The Union Street Centennial Sidewalk Street Sale was held west of Van Ness. If you needed a sidewalk, this was the place to go. Go to top of the Centennial Events section.
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Centennial -- Cable Car Walking Tour --August 5, 1973.
I loved Margot Patterson Doss' column San Francisco at Your Feet in the Sunday Chronicle-Examiner. I had two of her books and I took many of the walks that she described. For the anniversary of the cable cars, she offerred a walk from Golden Gate Park to Washington/Mason. Hills Brothers provided coffee for a nickel a cup. (Source: San Francisco Sunday Chronicle-Examiner, 1973-08-05, Sunday Punch Section Page 6). May, 2023 Picture of the Month.Go to top of the Centennial Events section.
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Centennial -- Civic Luncheon -- August 8, 1973.
Nearly 1,000 people attended a civic luncheon at the Garden Court of the Palace Hotel. Mayor Joe Alioto presented a large bouquet of roses to the savior of the cable cars, Mrs Friedel Klussmann. Go to top of the Centennial Events section.
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Centennial -- Polk Gulch Celebration -- August 11-12, 1973.
Polk Gulch held a celebration on Polk from Sutter to Union. Go to top of the Centennial Events section.
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Cable Car Centennial Collectibles
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A centennial sachet. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-02, Page 14). |
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The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society issued this coin in 1973 to celebrate the centennial of the cable car. The front shows a Clay Street Hill train. The back shows contemporary California Street and Powell Street cable cars. |
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The Pacific Coast Chapter Railway and Locomotive Historical Society issued a medal to commemorate the centennial. (Source: Glen Falls Post-Star, 1973-09-01, Page 28). |
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The coin became a collectible. (Source: Popular Mechanics, January, 1974, Page 201). |
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Cable Car Clothiers, a gentleman's store, offered a belt with a special buckle to commemorate the centennial. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-02, Page 13). |
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A Cable Car Clothiers centennial belt buckle. |
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Cable Car Centennial Ads
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I Magnin was a ritzy San Francisco department store that was founded in 1876. The business expanded into a chain. The last I Magnin store closed in 1995. In 1973, I Magnin ran this full page ad to commemorate the cable car centennial (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-07-31, Page 3). |
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Roos/Atkins was a San Francisco gentleman's store which traced its history back to 1860, before cable cars started. The store became a chain and the last one closed in the early 1990s. In 1973, Roos/Atkins ran this ad to commemorate the cable car centennial. It features San Francisco philanthropist Lois Pavlow. Notice that the ad mentions her dress size. Things have changed. Lois Pavlow was chair of the Cable Car Adoption Committee and led the group that decorated 19 cable cars (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-07-31, Page 9). |
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The Emporium, a classic San Francisco department store which is now gone, offered a varity of souvenirs in 1973 to commemorate the cable car centennial (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-01, Page 14). |
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A detail from the ad above notes that the Emporium was across Market Street from the Powell Street turntable (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-01, Page 14). April, 2023 Picture of the Month. |
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In 1973, Roos/Atkins ran this ad to commemorate the cable car centennial (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-01, Page 9). |
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A detail from the ad above notes that Roos/Atkins celebrated the cable car centennial with an extensive window display (I'd love to see a photo) and contests (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-01, Page 9). |
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I used to love going to B Dalton Bookseller at Sutter and Kearny. This ad announces an appearance by Christoper Swan, author of the excellent book Cable Car (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-02, Page 4). April, 2023 Picture of the Month. |
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Joseph Magnin was a ritzy department store near San Francisco's Union Square. The store was founded in 1913 by one of the sons of I Magnin. Like I Magnin, the business expanded into a chain. The J Magnin company went bankrupt in 1984. In 1973, J Magnin ran this full page ad to commemorate the cable car centennial (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-02, Page 19). |
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The Old SF Waterfront Fair, held at the Hyde Street Pier, tied in with the cable car centennial (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-02, Page 28). |
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This ad, for Estée Lauder cosmetics at the David Jones store in Sydney, does not mention the centennial, but offers ladies photographs taken on "our brand new cable car. (Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 1973-09-23, Page 28). |
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Cable Car Sesquicentennial News
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"San Francisco kicks off 150th cable car anniversary." An item from the Trains Magazine Newswire about the sesquicentennial (Source: Trains Magazine Newswire, 2023-05-05). |
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| "Historic S.F. cable car to go into regular service for first time in 70 years." An item from Sam Whiting in the San Francisco Chronicle rollout of Car Big 19 (Source: San Francisco Chronicle, 2023-06-11 -- Obfuscated behind a paywall). |
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"Celebrating 150 Years of Cable Cars." A commentary from Railway Age Magazine about the sesquicentennial. Written by Jeanne Brophy, Communications & Marketing Division, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Source: Railway Age Magazine, 2023-06-14). |
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Cable Car Sesquicentennial Events
- Sesquicentennial -- Ongoing Events.
- Sesquicentennial -- San Francisco Cable Car Video at the Four-Star Theater -- June 17, 2023.
- Sesquicentennial -- Kickoff Celebration -- June 13, 2023.
- Sesquicentennial -- Cable Car Sesquicentennial Carpentry Shop Tour -- July 7, 2023.
- Sesquicentennial -- Cable Car Sesquicentennial Celebration -- August 2, 2023.
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Sesquicentennial -- Ongoing Events.
Today's Market Street Railway is a railfan organization that has done many good things. Visit their web site for a page dedicated to the Cable Car Sesquicentennial.
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sfcablecars.org is a web site dedicated to the Cable Car Sesquicentennial.
The Friends of the Cable Car Museum, the organization that runs the museum at Washington/Mason, has an excellent web site, which was redesigned in late 2005.
Ongoing events include:
- For the first time ever: Public tours of the Cable Car Carpentry Shop in Dogpatch. Every first Friday from May through November. Free, but don't wait to reserve your tickets. They are going like a runaway cable car on the Hyde Street hill.
- Starting 06-May-2023: Historic car 19 (Sacramento/Clay line) will run on California Street on Saturdays until the end of October. Board the car when it pulls out of the barn at 11am and experience some rare mileage.
- Starting 07-May-2023: Historic car 42 (O'Farrell, Jones and Hyde line) will run on Hyde Street on the first Sunday of each month through October. You can also board the car when it pulls out of the barn at 11am.
- Starting in July, 2023:
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Ride Cal Cable all Day for $5.
A $5 daily pass for the California Street cable line. I don't know why it only covers Cal Cable. Muni offers an anything day pass for $13.
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A $5 daily pass for the California Street cable line. I don't know why it only covers Cal Cable.
Today's Market Street Railway is a railfan organization that has done many good things. Visit their web site for a page dedicated to the Cable Car Sesquicentennial.
- More to come...
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