Yet again, my goal to post more often has not come to pass! It’s been many months since my last entry. One reason is that my father passed away in December 2023, and I have been preoccupied with grief and busy with being the co-executor of his estate. In preparing our family home for sale, I have had to go through so many mementos and photos. Some of them bring back memories of my childhood and youth, and others are from before I was even born. It is a strange feeling to look at snapshots of the life of relatives you never knew, or those you only knew when they were older.
One thing that has been really interesting for me is an album that my maternal great grandparents on my grandfather, John Farr’s, side put together. I love looking at old photos, and it’s been very special seeing shots of my grandfather and his siblings as babies, children, teens, and young adults. I’d seen some of the photos of my grandfather before, but many of these photos are new to me. There are people I recognize, and there are others who remain a mystery, as some of the photos are not labeled, and all who knew those pictured in the oldest photos are long gone. I already had some gems from my maternal great grandparents on my grandmother, Sally Davis Farr’s, side and have loved looking through them.
I recently shared a few photos on social media of my great grandparents on their wedding day and around the time they got married. Several people commented that they were surprised to see my great grandparents being affectionate in the photos–perhaps they had only seen photos in which everyone looked serious, or even dour. It is sweet and somehow comforting to see displays of affection or silliness in historic photos. I will share a few of my family favorites here.
Late 1800s/early 1900s: My maternal great grandparents, Wally Davis (top center) and Mattie Davis (on steps behind man with arm raised) goofing around with friends, probably in Wilkes-Barre, PA.Late 1800s/early 1900s: My maternal great grandparents, Wally Davis (top center) and Mattie Davis (on steps facing camera) goofing around with friends, probably in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Late 1800s/early 1900s: My maternal great grandparents, Wally Davis (far right sitting in barrel) and Mattie Davis (front, center, facing camera) goofing around with friends, probably in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Late 1800s: An unknown woman with a child who may be my great aunt Jean with a puppy, probably in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
1902: My great grandfather, Edward Farr, kisses his new wife, Sara Rae Morris Farr, on the cheek. They are probably on the Farr family farm in Forkston, PA.1902: My great grandfather, Edward Farr, and his new wife, Sara Rae Morris Farr, holding hands. They are probably on the Farr family farm in Forkston, PA.
1910: My grandmother Sally Davis (Farr) with dog, probably in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Around 1912: My grandfather John Farr with friend Claire McKown. My grandfather looks pouty because he wanted a bicycle, not a tricycle! Tunkhannock, PA.
Around 1920: Grandmother Sally Davis (Farr) in a canoe on Lake Carey, PA.
I’ve been visiting the Morris Arboretum & Gardens in the bucolic Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia pretty often, having bought an annual membership. Not only is is a beautiful and historic arboretum, but the brother and sister who founded it, John Thompson Morris (1847-1915) and Lydia Thompson Morris (1849-1932), were first cousins to my great great grandfather, James Wilson Morris, so I have a family connection. The Morris Arboretum is also the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
My great great grandfather, James Morris, 1888
Lydia Morris on the porch of Compton (the Morris’ home) with dog, around 1890. Photo courtesy of the Morris Arboretum archives.
John Morris, around 1880. Photo courtesy of the Morris Arboretum archives.
The Morris Arboretum & Gardens began as Compton, the private estate of the siblings. John and Lydia had purchased farmland in the Chestnut Hill area of Philadelphia in 1887 and began planning a garden that would combine art and science and preserve various trees, flowers, and other flora.
Compton in the 1930s. Photo courtesy of the Morris Arboretum archives.
The land was initially barren, with many steep slopes. From the beginning, John and Lydia shared a vision for Compton to become a public garden and educational institution one day. Over time, the siblings bought adjacent parcels, including the farm across the street, improved the land, and planted collections of exotic and native trees and shrubs from across the temperate world. They also had walls and other features built and added statuary. They traveled a lot and often were inspired by gardens they visited. John was interested in growing plants from China, including those collected by British plant collector E. H. Wilson around 1900, and many of the plants currently in the arboretum date to Morris’ original plantings.
John Morris in Flower Walk Trellis, late 1880s. Photo courtesy of the Morris Arboretum archives.
John and Lydia Morris by the Love Temple on Swan Pond, 1908. Photo courtesy of the Morris Arboretum archives.
Swan Pond with Love Temple, 2023. Photo by Blair Davis.
In addition to all the plants, John added some outbuildings and several distinctive structures to the grounds, including the fernery (now the only remaining freestanding Victorian fernery in North America), a log cabin built as a private retreat for Lydia, and the Mercury Loggia, constructed in 1913 to commemorate the Morrises’ 25th anniversary at Compton. There was also an old springhouse that was there when John and Lydia had purchased the property.
Log Cabin, 1911. Photo courtesy of the Morris Arboretum archives.
The Log Cabin in 2023. Photo by Blair Davis.
Workmen laying rocks in Ravine Garden with the Loggia in the background, 1913. Photo courtesy of the Morris Arboretum archives.
The Mercury Loggia in 2023. Photo by Blair Davis.
Inside the fernery, 2023. Photo by Blair Davis.
John died in 1915, leaving the estate in trust to Lydia. The plan was for Compton to eventually become a botanical garden and school for horticulturists. Lydia continued to cultivate the grounds until her death in 1932, when she bequeathed the property to the University of Pennsylvania. From then on, it was known as the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. The Compton house was used as a research center for many years, but after it began to deteriorate, it was demolished in 1968.
The Morris contains more than 11,000 labeled plants from temperate regions of North America, Asia, and Europe, with a primary focus on Asia. The Morris has identified 17 trees in its collection as outstanding specimens, including a massive katsura tree and a grove of redwoods. Newer additions include a miniature railroad and the Tree Adventure exhibit, which includes the Tree Canopy Walk, a giant bird nest, and a net platform. In 2023, the arboretum changed its name to the Morris Arboretum & Gardens to honor its renewed focus on colorful flower gardens as well as trees. If you haven’t visited, you should!
My parents with a statue of Lydia Morris, 1990.
Me with statues of Lydia and John Morris, 2021.
John Tonkin (head gardener from 1913-1975), with his daughter, Margaret Tonkin Medlar, and wife, Margaret Williams Tonkin, by the Love Temple, 1919. Photo courtesy of the Morris Arboretum archives.
Swan seen through Love Temple, 2023. Photo by Blair Davis.
Spring is here. This is the first full East Coast spring I have experienced since I moved from Pennsylvania to California in 2005. As you may know if you know me or have followed by blog, after living in northern and central California for 17 years, I moved back to Pennsylvania in July 2022. It’s been a big adjustment in many ways, some of them difficult, but the spring has brought me a lot of happiness and hope, despite some tough personal and national events. The experience of the transition from winter to spring is something I had forgotten about. In the parts of California where I lived, it felt like perpetual spring–it rarely got below 50 during the day and was rarely above 75. There was often sunshine, and flowers bloomed everywhere. True, there was little rain, but in other ways, it was spring-like much of the time. I never took for granted the mild climate and natural beauty of California, but living there, I did lose touch with how wonderful the change from winter to spring can be.
Now that I am back in Pennsylvania and lived through winter, my least favorite season (although thankfully, it was not a very cold winter this year), I remember how amazing the spring feels. The shift from darker to lighter days, the soft rains, the sudden exuberance of forsythia bushes and daffodils and cherry blossoms, the golden-green haze of leaves starting to sprout on the trees–it’s so magical.
As a psychologist, I often work with people who get depressed in the winter. Even in California, the land of perpetual spring, a lot of the clients I treated would start to get more down when the time changed in fall and begin to feel better come March or April. There, it was mainly the daylight that played a role. But here, it’s not just the longer days that can give us a mood boost, it’s also the warmer weather and emergence of flowers and tree buds. I would not say I get depressed in winter, but I definitely feel lower, less energetic, and at times a little stir-crazy when it’s too dark or cold to enjoy the outdoors. Spring brings more comfort and safety to being outside after work hours. It allows for more enjoyment of getting out and about, being more active. The switch from the browns and grays of winter to the brighter colors of the season stimulates the eyes and the emotions.
Spring is a season of rebirth (especially here in the northeast and other places with four distinct seasons), with the plants coming back to life after the dormancy and death of winter. Many animals give birth. People begin planting flower gardens and getting ready to plant vegetables that will grow throughout the spring and summer. Throughout written history, humans have seen this time of year as one that brings feelings of hope. Christians observe Easter as the celebration of new life and resurrection. Jews celebrate Passover, which acknowledges liberation from oppression. Muslims participate in Ramadan, which calls for self-reflection and sacrifice, then Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates gratitude and blessings. There is an element of starting anew in all of these religious holidays.
It’s harder to feel hopeful at the moment with many of the things happening in the United States and the world. It’s painful to see more and more gun violence, more crime, and the erosion of rights for LGBTQ people. It’s difficult to be mired in this era of division and polarization. The past month has also brought some losses to me, friends and family, and therapy clients. But seeing the renewal of spring reminds me that change can happen, growth can happen, and life does go on.
Spring makes it easier for me to engage in one of my favorite self-care activities: walking and hiking in nature. I plan to make the most of the mild days and sunshine, as well as my boost in energy and mood. It’s easier to face the pain and challenges of life when the sun is out and the flowers are blooming.
Well, 2022 is over! In some ways it went quickly and in other ways not. It was a memorable year, in that I moved back to Philadelphia after 17 years living in California. There’s a lot to enjoy in Philly, and I made the move to be closer to family and old friends, but there have also been a lot of challenges. I am not the sort of person who quickly adapts to new situations, although I do always try to make the best of things when possible. So, even though it’s been 5 months since I moved, I am still getting used to my new life back in PA. With all the changes, I’ve felt optimistic and excited at times and sad, anxious, and homesick for California at other times.
One thing that usually helps me to cope when I am feeling down is to get outside. That has been more challenging for me in Philly (especially now, in the winter) than it was in CA, as I prefer my weather mild and gentle, which is not always the case here. Another thing that often lifts my spirits is taking photos and then editing and sharing them. I was feeling off this weekend, so I spent some of today walking in a beautiful nearby park and taking some shots. Lucky for me, it was 55 degrees and sunny!
Since it is New Year’s Day, I was reflecting on 2022, which made me want to look back on some of the photos I took over the year. So, I am sharing some of my favorites with you! I chose these based on aesthetics, not sentiment, but many of them do give me the warm feels. I hope you enjoy them.
January 2022: Lake Merced, San Francisco, CAJanuary 2022: Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Landing, CAJanuary 2022: Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Landing, CAJanuary 2022: Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Landing, CAFebruary 2022: Kayaking in Alameda, CAFebruary 2022: Kite-flying on the beach in Alameda, CAFebruary 2022: Sunset over the Bay Bridge, Oakland, CAFebruary 2022: On Fort Funston Beach, San Francisco, CAMarch 2022: Palm tree, Maui, HIMarch 2022: Hula dancer, Maui, HIMarch 2022: St. Patrick’s Day festival, Maui, HIMarch 2022: Sunrise on the beach, Maui, HIMarch 2022: Yellow flowers, Maui, HIMarch 2022: Maluaka Beach, Maui, HIApril 2022: Guo Pei exhibit at the Legion of Honor, San FranciscoApril 2022: Guo Pei exhibit at the Legion of Honor, San FranciscoMay 2022: Sunset in Oakland, CAJune 2022: Mural in Oakland, CAJune 2022: Yuka and Felicia at Sunday Streets dance performance, The Mission District, San FranciscoJuly 2022: Chinese lucky cats in window, Outer Sunset neighborhood, San Francisco August 2022: Lock and canal on Schuylkill River, PhiladelphiaAugust 2022: Forbidden Drive, Wissahickon Valley, PhiladelphiaAugust 2022: Henry Got Crops Farm, PhiladelphiaAugust 2022: Art in Manayunk, PhiladelphiaAugust 2022: Sunset over the Schuylkill River, PhiladelphiaAugust 2022: Chinese Lantern Festival, PhiladelphiaAugust 2022: Chinese Lantern Festival, PhiladelphiaAugust 2022: Bridge on Manayunk Canal Towpath, PhiladelphiaAugust 2022: Barnaby Greenwald Park, Cherry Hill, NJSeptember 29022: Mountain lion at Elmwood Park Zoo, Norristown, PASeptember 2022: Kite-flying at Cape May, NJOctober 2022: Gift shop in Albany, NYOctober 2022: Nippy statue in Albany, NYOctober 2022: Window detail in Albany, NYOctober 2022: Fall in Tunkhannock, PAOctober 2022: Ruby glass in Tunkhannock, PAOctober 2022: Fall at Lake Carey, PAOctober 2022: Valley Forge National Park, PAOctober 2022: Valley Forge National Park, PAOctober 2022: Lazybrook Park, Tunkhannock, PAOctober 2022: Day of the Dead festival at Fleisher Art Memorial, PhiladelphiaOctober 2022: Day of the Dead festival at Fleisher Art Memorial, PhiladelphiaOctober 2022: Day of the Dead festival at Fleisher Art Memorial, PhiladelphiaOctober 2022: Day of the Dead festival at Fleisher Art Memorial, PhiladelphiaOctober 2022: Day of the Dead procession, PhiladelphiaNovember: Holiday display at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PANovember: Hungry squirrel in Manayunk, PhiladelphiaNovember: Holiday display at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PADecember 2022: Plant shop cafe in Manayunk, PhiladelphiaDecember 2022: Art installaion in Manayunk, PhiladelphiaDecember 2022: Tiles in Chestnut Hill sidewalk, Philadelphia
I’ll be moving soon. Moving always brings up memories. (It’s also a royal pain, but that’s just how it is.) I’ve been looking at a lot of old photos in preparation for packing, as I’d just retrieved some boxes of photo albums I was storing at a friend’s place. I’ve been enjoying looking through the old pictures and thinking about past phases of my life.
June is a month that has brought a lot of good times, but it’s also brought some difficult ones. Two years ago, my mother was in the hospital for all of June (during COVID with no visitors allowed) after she’d collapsed due to her cancer progressing. That was a pretty miserable June for my family. In thinking about that difficult time, I wanted to also think about some of the good moments prior Junes have brought.
I know this kind of post is more personal and may not be that interesting to anyone but me, but I do hope you enjoy my trip down memory lane.
June 1979, “Fifth Grade Day.” This marked the end of the school year. Ah, remember that feeling of excitement and relief when the summer was about to start? Here are some friends playing “crack the whip.”
June 1981. I was on a vacation in Sandbridge, Virginia, with my cousin Megan. Good times on the beach!
Also June 1981. My family and I took a trip to Stone Harbor, New Jersey. Here I am crabbing. It was all fun and games until we ate the crabs for dinner and I got super sick!
OK, I can’t say for sure this was in June, but it was the summer of 1990, and my good friends Jules and Maureen and I were seeing Ziggy Marley and the B-52s at an outdoor show at Philadelphia’s Mann Music Center, which was a great time.
June 1991 on Mt. Rainier with my then-boyfriend, later husband, Geoff. We were visiting my brother and his wife, who lived in Seattle for a year. So cool to be in shorts in the snow!
Well, my marriage didn’t last, but it is still nice to think back on our wedding in June 1993.
June 1993, honeymoon on the coast of Spain. Again, the marriage didn’t last, but I do still have great memories of our trip.
A trip to Niagra Falls, Toronto, and a festival in the Ontario countryside in June 2001.
June 2004 at the Getty in Los Angeles. I was in California to scope out acupuncture schools. Before I decided to become a psychologist, I had considered becoming an acupuncturist. Either way, I knew I wanted to go to California for graduate school.
June 2005 at L’Etage bar and restaurant in Philadelphia. My dear friend Mia had thrown me a surprise going-away party, as I was moving to Oakland, California, that summer to start my psychology doctoral studies. That party was awesome!
June 2008. I went to Cincinnati to participate on a panel at a women’s studies conference, and I got to visit my good friend Laurie. Here she is on the bridge between Cincinnati and Kentucky. There was an art festival on the bridge.
My friend Maureen and her husband, Billy, visited the Bay Area in June 2008, and we went to the Pride Parade.
In June 2009 (or maybe it was July?), we had an engagement party for my cousin Jill at Lake Carey, PA.
In June 2009 (or maybe it was July?), we also had an engagement party for my friend Laurie at Lake Carey, PA.
My sweet Nala kitty in June 2012, when I was living in McKinleyville, CA (in Humboldt County). I had to put her down in July 2012 due to cancer, so these last times with her were special.
Cocktail hour at Lake Carey with my parents in June 2014.
A dance workshop with Kae Montgomery at Desert Dream studio in Santa Cruz, June 2015.
Burger Boogaloo music festival in Oakland with friends Syd and Majid, June 2016.
Performing with Shekinah dance troupe at Don Quixote’s in Felton, CA, June 2016.
Reunion of old friends: Rachel, me, and Mia in Philadelphia, June 2017.
Performing with La-Ti-Da in Marina, CA, June 2018. My first sword performance!
In Denver to see Michael Franté at Red Rocks with my dear friend Cathy, June 2019.
Taping an outdoor performance with Al-Hambra dance troupe in South San Francisco during the COVID pandemic, June 2020.
Celebrating my dad’s birthday at Lake Carey, June 2021.
Cheated a little with this one, as it’s May, not June, 2022! On the roof in Oakland with my dear friend Todd.
June 2022 has been pretty good so far. Here I am with friends in Santa Cruz for a BBQ.
It was about two years ago that we went into lockdown mode due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In San Francisco, where I have been living since August 2019, lockdown started on the afternoon of March 16th, 2020, and continued until mid May. In the past two years, so many of us have suffered due to fear, losses, illness, political and social unrest, discrimination and violence … The pandemic has been a time unlike any most of us have endured. Although I have not personally lost anyone close to me from COVID, I did lose my mother to cancer in September 2020, and the last few months of her illness were complicated by all the COVID restrictions–she was in the hospital for a month with no visitors allowed, and I had to cancel a trip I had planned in April 2020, which would have been the last time I could have seen her before her health really declined.
It’s easy sometimes to forget just how scary and strange things were two years ago. Somehow, last year’s one-year anniversary of the lockdown didn’t have as big an impact on me. Maybe it was because a year ago, people were starting to feel optimistic about things “getting more back to normal” with vaccines becoming more widely available to the general public. I know I was feeling much more hopeful last spring, when I was able to get fully vaccinated. For me, having kept my social contact pretty limited from March 2020 to spring 2021, vaccination meant feeling comfortable being around larger groups of people, feeling tentatively ready to eat in restaurants (although I mainly chose outdoor dining or takeout even then), and finally believing that the pandemic could get under control.
With the Delta and Omicron variants surging in late 2021 and early 2022, I felt discouraged and worried for my health and the health of those close to me who are more vulnerable; so, I went back to being more cautious. It’s been hard to go backwards. I’m starting to feel more optimistic again now. But, it’s been a long two years.
As I was thinking about this anniversary coming up and all the fear and turmoil I felt in 2020, I thought it would be nice to look through my photos and find some happy memories from mid March in various years “in the before time.” Yes, things were not always great before COVID in many ways–the political unrest, racism, and so many other issues were a part of our world. But I do like to think about some of the ways pre-pandemic life felt different and better. So, here are a few of my pre-COVID March memories.
A visit to Santa Cruz, CA, March 16, 2012. I was still living in Humboldt County at this time, but I had made a trip to Santa Cruz, maybe to visit my friend Steve? I had taken the national professional licensing exam to get my psychologist license a few days earlier in San Francisco, so I am assuming this was all on the same trip. I always loved seeing the sea lions under the Santa Cruz wharf.
Going to see a roller derby match in Santa Cruz. I had been living in Santa Cruz about 8 months, working at University of California, Santa Cruz. I can’t remember if I went solo to this bout or with my friend Patrice. I am sure I had fun either way!
My friend Martin visits from Los Angeles, March 15, 2014. A beach bonfire in Santa Cruz. Nice times! 🙂
March 17, 2015: The iconic surfer statue at sunset on Santa Cruz’s West Cliff Drive, a beautiful road with a popular walking path overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I miss my walks on West Cliff!
A very happy day–the wedding of my friends Todd and Leesh at Children’s Fairy Land in Oakland, March 21, 2016.
A walk on Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz with Steve, March 11, 2017.
Performing with Shekinah dance troupe, Vino Primo wine bar, Santa Cruz, March 19, 2017.
In Gilroy, CA, with my dear friend Samantha and her great uncle Ted, who is over 100 years old! This was March 11, 2018, when he was 101, going on 102!
Katherine and me performing with La Ti Da dance troupe at Pajaro Grill in Watsonville, CA, March 24, 2018.
Performing on March 16, 2019 with Shekinah dance troupe at the Crepe Place in Santa Cruz, one of our regular gigs. Photo by Daev Roehr.
Reflections in the Pacific Ocean at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach, CA, January 2022. Photo by Blair Davis.
As you may know if you know me IRL or follow my social media posts, I love photographs. I love taking them. I love looking at them. I love editing them. I love posting them. Today, in thinking about some photos I recently took and in looking at a book on Polaroid photography I just bought, I was wondering about the neuropsychology of photos: What happens in our brain when we look at pictures, and how does this impact how we feel and think about them?
According to a blog post by Scientific American, people all over the world, regardless of cultural differences on how they see the world, experience a similar neuropsychological process when viewing scenes, and when looking at photos. The brain has different areas for visual processing: At the middle of the back of the head is the most primitive visual processing center, which identifies simple forms like lines and the vertical, horizontal, and diagonal edges of contrasting shapes. Other brain regions put together the basic visual forms and also process motion and color. The brain’s orienting network selects important, behaviorally relevant information from all that we see, hear, and touch. This helps us to pay attention to some sights (and other stimuli) while ignoring or paying less attention to others (to adaptively see what may be important to our survival and well-being and to avoid sensory overload).
So, our brains are wired to pay more attention to some visual stimuli. Science tells us that we are visually drawn to scenes with dense lines; busy, criss-crossing lines; and bold, bright, or contrasting colors. From an aesthetic perspective, we often enjoy images containing symmetry, as well as those with a triangular composition of lines and elements. This is one reason why some photographs appear “good,” and others don’t. There are other reasons, of course. But there are certain patterns and colors that are more pleasing to the eye, and this is largely based on neuroscience.
Few would argue that Ansel Adams’ photos are considered beautiful! “The Tetons and the Snake River,” 1942. Notice the flowing triangular composition in this shot.
On the most basic level, photography is a way to document a sight. But many amateur and most professional photographers hope to capture more than simple documentation: Many wish to create something beautiful, memorable, or thought provoking. From an artistic standpoint, how “good” a picture is depends on factors such as technical perfection (e.g., color, sharpness, exposure), composition (e.g., pleasing layout, adheres to conventional rules of composition), and impact (e.g., novelty, beauty, shock value). The emotional and psychological impact of a photo may come from the subject but can also come from our brain’s reaction to beauty (or to horror, pathos, etc.).
A stylized and orderly portrait of a factory worker meant to convey the power and dignity of the working person. Photo, “Power House Mechanic,” by Lewis Hine, 1920.
This famous photo, “Migrant Mother,” by Dorothea Lange in 1936, is a good example of how a skilled photographer can capture beauty in a scene that is meant to call attention to a social problem (in this case, the poverty of migrants during the Great Depression).
An image with ghostly beauty: Imogen Cunningham’s “Forrest in France,” 1960, Fenimore Art Museum Archive.
Probably the most famous National Geographic photo of all time, and with good reason. Steve McCurry’s “Afghan Girl,” 1984.
Mosaic stairs at 16th Avenue, with view of the Sunset District, San Francisco, and the Pacific Ocean, October 2019
Today, my thoughts are on the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, where I have been living since August 2019, after living in Humboldt County from 2010 to 2012 and in Santa Cruz from 2012 to 2019. Unfortunately, I moved to San Francisco less than a year before the COVID pandemic hit, so I haven’t been able to enjoy it as much as I would have otherwise. But, even so, there are so many things to love and appreciate about this gorgeous and unique place, and as Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I am trying to cultivate thought of gratitude for the good things.
I lived in the Bay Area previously, from 2005 to 2010. I had moved to Oakland from Philadelphia to start graduate school when I was in my mid-30s and full of hopes and dreams. Some of those dreams came true, and some did not. But after a period of adjustment to the many ways the Bay Area is different from the East Coast, I came to love my new home city.
It’s been interesting to be back in the Bay Area after I had been away for 9 years and living in SF instead of my more familiar stomping grounds in Oakland. San Francisco is a lot different than Oakland, even though they are only about 10 miles apart. It’s hard to sum up all the differences, but a few include that Oakland is more spread out, with many neighborhoods, some with a suburban feel, connected by freeways, and San Francisco is more dense; Oakland is more racially and ethnically diverse than SF (although SF is also very diverse); Oakland has about half the population of SF; Oakland is warmer and sunnier (especially in the summer); Oakland is slightly less crazy expensive than SF (although, both are not cheap!); and SF has more widely known tourist attractions and sights.
I miss living in Oakland! But I have come to love San Francisco for its beautiful beaches and parks, all the amazing views from the many hills, the culture, the history, and the relative ease of getting around by transit or Lyft compared with Oakland.
View of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Legion of Honor, October 2019.
So, a few things I love …
The light–there is something about the way the sky lights up when the sun is out that is unlike the light any place else I have been.
The museums: The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the DeYoung Museum are my favorites, but there are many others.
The hidden staircases all over the city. It’s a city of hills, so the fact that there are lot of staircases makes sense. And some of them have been decorated with gorgeous mosaic tiles!
The Pacific Ocean and Ocean Beach. I love the ocean! I love the beach! However, I didn’t realize how much I love these things when I lived on the East Coast. Even though there are many beautiful East Coast beaches, those beaches don’t have the mild Bay Area weather that makes it pleasant to walk on the beach most of the year without being hot and sticky or freezing.
The plethora of fabulous Asian food. The Bay Area, home to many Asian Americans and Asian immigrants, has hundreds of restaurants serving delicious Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Korean, Burmese, and Indian food (and probably other cuisines I have forgotten). I could probably eat dim sum every day without getting tired of it!
The politics. I am a liberal, and San Francisco is one of the most liberal cities in the United States. The politics here and their impact are not perfect, but I do value the liberal beliefs and attitudes of SF.
Being able to get to a gorgeous park, forest, beach, or trail within minutes.
The Mediterranean climate. I don’t love the summer fog along the coast, but I will take that when we also get warm and sunny falls, winters, and springs.
The creativity. From art to tech to food to fashion to dance, the Bay Area has a lot of creative types. True, many of the artists have been priced out due to the super high rents and insanely high prices to buy property, but there is still a wealth of creative thinkers here.
There is a lot more, but this list sums up some of my favorite things. I may not be here forever, so I will reflect on all that I love and enjoy it while I can. Life is short.
Ocean Beach dunes, March 2020.The Legion of Honor museum, October, 2019.Windmill in Golden Gate Park, March 2020.In front of a Warhol painting at the SF MoMa, September 2019.
Surfers and friends on the seawall bleacher steps of Ocean Beach, 1960s. Photo from Mickey Friedman.
This is probably my last post on the history of Ocean Beach–at least for now. As I said in my most recent post, I found so much information and so many photos, it was hard to narrow it all down. I have a hard time editing myself when it comes to history and pictures! So, this post covers the 1960s to 1980s in San Francisco’s western-most part of town, the Ocean Beach area of the Outer Sunset neighborhood. I imagine only diehard history buffs like me will find this interesting!
The 1960s Things were changing around Ocean Beach in the ’60s. The amusement park Playland was still operating, but it was going downhill. After owner George Whitney had died in 1958, his son, George Jr., took over. George Jr. struggled to make improvements and keep the park going after some of the property was sold to a developer, who had minimal interest in keeping Playland up-to-date. It didn’t help that a ride collapsed in 1963! Nearby Sutro Baths had also lost much of their appeal.
Collapse of a ride at Playland, 1963. Photo from SF Public Library.
Sutro Baths and Skating Rink exterior, early 1960s. Photo from SF Public Library.
Surfing and general beach-going were still very popular, however. Famous wetsuit and surfboard maker Jack O’Neill had opened his first shop in the Outer Sunset neighborhood in the ’50s; the shop moved to a site on the Great Highway, just off Ocean Beach, in 1960 and was there until ’66.
Jack O’Neill’s surf shop on Great Highway, early 1960s. Photo from SF Public Library.
People and surfboards at Kelly’s Cove, the northern part of Ocean Beach near the Cliff House, early 1960s. Photo from Western Neighborhoods Project.
Playland at Great Highway and Fulton Street, early 1960s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp25.2944.
View of Ocean Beach from Sutro Heights in 1963 (left) and 2021 (right). In the 1963 photo, the bleacher steps of the Ocean Beach seawall are visible–now buried in sand. Lurline Pier is still there, but not for long. You can see that the Dutch windmill at the north end of Golden Gate Park is in disrepair. 1963 photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp25.2891. In the 2021 photo, you can see how much wider the beach is–currents result in sand migrating from the south end of the beach to the north end. 2021 photo by Blair J. Davis.
Two 1964 photos: Left, a view south showing the seawall and Playland; photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp25.0145. Right, surfers by a bonfire, with the Cliff House in the background; photo from OpenSFHistory/_wnp25.6441.
In 1964, developers with plans to replace Sutro Baths with high-rise apartments bought the site and began demolition. In 1966, a fire destroyed what was left of the Baths; the city did not pursue the high-rise plans.
Sutro Baths on fire, 1966. Photo from Golden Gate Park Archives.
Sutro Baths after the 1966 fire. Photo from SF Public Library.
Demolition begins on the remnants of Sutro Baths, 1966. Photo from SF Public Library.
Surfers and friends by the Ocean Beach seawall at Kelly’s Cove, 1965. Photo from Western Neighborhoods Project.
Cliff House, late 1960s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp25.2360.
Crane lifts a dead whale off Ocean Beach, late 1960s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp4.0904.
Hippie kids on Ocean Beach, 1969. Photo from David Rubenstein Library.
The 1970s The 1970s were a gritty time in most cities, including San Francisco. San Francisco had gained a reputation in the late ’60s as a haven for hippies and politically radical people. The city was heavily affected by drugs, prostitution, and crime. People who were marginalized elsewhere were attracted to the city by a greater tolerance and acceptance of diverse cultures and lifestyles.
Playland midway, around 1970. Photo from Western Neighborhoods Project.
Ocean Beach bleacher steps in the early 1970s.
A warm 1970s day on the esplanade.
Then and now: Men relaxing on the seawall by Ocean Beach in 1973 (left) and friends by the seawall on a foggy day in 2011 (right). Left photo from Western Neighborhoods Project. Right photo by Blair J. Davis.
After the remains of Sutro Baths were demolished, the area fell into ruins. The ruins are quite picturesque and have attracted visitors for decades. Some scenes of the 1971 film Harold and Maude were filmed there. The former Sutro Baths site became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1973.
Then and now: Left, a still from the 1971 film Harold and Maude on stairs amidst the ruins of Sutro Baths. Right, the same stairs in December 2020; photo by Blair J. Davis.
Oil spill cleanup on Ocean Beach, 1971. Photo from SF Public Library.
Woman by Cliff House, with view of Ocean Beach, around 1971. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp25.1851.
Another local attraction was gone in the early ’70s: Playland was sold to developers in 1971 and torn down in 1972. Condominiums were later built on the former site.
Playland after being shut down, 1971. The back slope of Sutro Heights can be seen in the background. Photo by Denis Englander.
The roller-skating rink at Playland after it was shut down, around 1971. The back slope of Sutro Heights can be seen in the background.
Closed attraction at Playland, 1972.
Man and kids in the rubble of the closed Playland, 1972.
Playland partially demolished, with transit turnaround in foreground, 1972. The Safeway at left is still there today.
1972 beach scenes. Left, volleyball at Kelly’s Cove; photo from Western Neighborhoods Project. Right, people on the Ocean Beach seawall bleacher seats.
Surfer with broken board at Kelly’s Cove, 1970s; photo from Western Neighborhoods Project.
Graffiti on the seawall, with the decrepit Dutch windmill behind, 1974. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp25.4765.
Drumming and wrestling (or dancing?) by the seawall at the beach, 1975.
People looking at tombstones and other rubble on the beach at Rivera Street, late ’70s. After San Francisco’s graveyards were relocated decades ago, old tombstones, bricks, and pieces of stone were used as a seawall at Ocean Beach. While much of this rubble is covered in sand, at times it emerges. Photo from SF Chronicle.
Surfers and friends by the seawall, 1978. Photo from SF Chronicle.
A crowded 1979 day at Kelly’s Cove, with the Cliff House in the background. Photo from SF Chronicle.
The 1980s The ’80s were a tough time in San Francisco, between the AIDS epidemic and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Luckily for those living near Ocean Beach, the area did not sustain as much damage in the earthquake as other parts of San Francisco.
Without Playland and Sutro Baths, the area around Ocean Beach became more sleepy. Surfing continued to be popular, but it would never be as popular as it was in Southern California, due to the cold water and inconsistent surf. People continued to come to the beach, but there was less to do nearby.
Condos being constructed on former Playland site, early 1980s. Photo from SF Public Library.
Motorcyclist in the parking lot by Ocean Beach, 1980. Photo from Ralf K.
Football by Ocean Beach, 1981. Photo from SF Chronicle.
Trolley on Judah Street at Sunset, with a view to the ocean, 1980s. Photo by Peter Ehrlich.
Australian tourists Diana Sotts and Ned Trippe, 1982. Photo by Gary Fong, SF Chronicle.
Teen on a scooter by the beach, 1980s.
Wreckage of the King Phillip on Ocean Beach, 1984. Every so often, a shipweck emerges from the sand. Photo from SF Chronicle.
People dancing in costume in a storm drain structure on Ocean Beach, 1980s. Photo by Frederic Larson, SF Chronicle.
Wrapping Up Well, I hope you have enjoyed this little series of blog posts about Ocean Beach. As someone living near the beach, I have found it very interesting learning about the area’s history.
People on Ocean Beach in front of Playland, 1930s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp70.0936.
Earlier in January, I wrote a post on the early history of San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. I found so many amazing photos and so much interesting history that my post ran too long, so I ended it with the early 1930s. I realized that to share more of the pictures and info I discovered, I would need to do several posts. So, today, we look at the 1930s to the 1950s.
Playland and Nearby Attractions In the 1930s, people continued to flock to the beach and Playland-at-the-Beach from around San Francisco, other parts of the Bay Area, and beyond, despite the hard times of the Great Depression. In fact, Playland continued to expand in the ’20s and ’30s.
Playland Midway in the 1930s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp4.0947.
Cars on the Great Highway by Playland in the late 1930s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp32.0165.
Looking south at Playland and the streetcar terminal, 1937. Golden Gate Park and the Dutch windmill are in the background at left. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp4.0942.
Women (models?) on Ocean Beach in the late 1930s, with the Cliff House in the background. Photo from SF Public Library.
Women frolicking on the beach, 1930s. Photo from SF Public Library.
Family picnic on Ocean Beach, 1930s. Photo from SF Public Library.
George and Leo Whitney, the owners of Playland, had opened Topsy’s Roost in the former Ocean Beach Pavilion building in 1929. This restaurant and nightclub boasted live orchestras and even had slides for patrons to ride down onto the dance floor from the balcony! Unfortunately (but not surprisingly, given the era), Topsy’s decor and advertising included racist stereotypes of Black people. I’ll spare you by not including any photos here. The Whitneys also took over the Cliff House from the Sutro family in 1936.
View of Ocean Beach and Playland from Sutro Heights, 1930s.
In the 1930s, Sutro Baths struggled due to the Depression and changes in public health codes. As the baths became less popular, part of the complex was converted into a skating rink. Swimming continued, but the pools were no longer the gigantic attraction they had been in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when thousands would swim on many days.
Sutro skating rink, 1940s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp37.02156wnp37.02156.
Sutro Baths streetcar depot and exterior of Sutro Baths, 1940s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp14.1472.
Young woman on the beach by Playland, 1940s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp14.4785.
EarlySurfing The late ’30s and ’40s saw some brave people getting into surfing at Ocean Beach. The northern end of the beach near Playland was dubbed “Kelly’s Cove” and was a popular surf spot. According to an article in Surfline, the roots of surfing at Ocean Beach were planted when a handful of lifeguards from Fleishhacker Swimming Pool at Sloat Boulevard and the Great Highway were inspired by their Hawaiian colleagues, Cliff Kamaka and Eddie Eukini, to start bodysurfing and mat surfing. Apparently, surfboards were not used as much at first because most couldn’t withstand Ocean Beach’s harsh shore break and would end up damaged.
Fleishhacker Pool lifeguards, including early surfers Charlie Grimm (far left), Cliff Kamaka (center), and Eddie Eukini (far right). Photo by Anita Kamaka.
Surfers pose at Fort Kelly’s Cove, 1943. Photo from Western Neighborhoods Project.
The ’40s and ’50s Ocean Beach and Playland continued to be popular in the World War II era and the early 1950s. Playland offered service people and their friends a cheap and relatively respectable place to have a good time and was open from noon to midnight.
An Ocean Beach picnic in the 1940s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp26.1274.
View from the Cliff House to Playland, 1940s. Golden Gate Park is in the background. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp25.3024.
Kids on Ocean Beach by Playland, 1940s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp27.2047.
Three images from the 1940s. Left, women lounging on Ocean Beach; photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp26.1267. Center, Bathing Beauties at Playland; photo from SF Public Library. Right, young women by a beach bonfire; photo from SF Chronicle.
Sailors and women, 1945. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp28.1474.
1940s or 1950s, two women on Ocean Beach. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp27.6461.
Ocean Beach in the 1940s. Left, child with dog and woman; photo from SF Public Library. Right, teens relaxing on the beach; photo from SF Chronicle.
View south of Ocean Beach from Sutro Heights Park. On the left, the view from the patio, with statues, in the 1940s; photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp4.0144. Right, same view from the road just below the patio, January 2021; photo by Blair J. Davis.
As I said in my prior post, a makeshift development of retired streetcars, Carville, had popped up along Ocean Beach in the late 1800s. Mainly occupied by poor and working-class residents and Bohemians, it was mostly gone by the 1920s; as property values went up, the city forced the residents out and got rid of most of the streetcar structures. By the ’30s and ’40s, just a few remained, and others became unrecognizable as additions built on covered up the inner streetcar structure.
Woman shows interior of streetcar house near Ocean Beach in 1947; the former “Carville” once occupied the Outer Sunset near what became Playland. Photo from SF Public Library.
1948 aerial view of Ocean Beach and Playland, looking north to Sutro Heights. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp4.0940.
Women on the beach in the 1940s, with the Cliff House in the background. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp70.1116.
Surfing gained more popularity through the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s, and actual surfboards became the norm, although many got destroyed in the rough waters. Famous surfboard and wetsuit maker Jack O’Neill opened his first shop in the early to mid-1950’s near the Great Highway.
Surfing photos from the 1950s. Left, three men with a board; photo from Western Neighborhoods Project. Center, surfers and friends at Kelly’s Cove; photo from Carol Schuldt. Right, surfing before wetsuits were popular.
Sutro Baths continued to operate in the ’40s and ’50s but never regained its former acclaim. George Whitney bought Sutro Baths in 1952. A Sky Tram was built in the ’50s that took visitors across the Baths basin from Point Lobos to the outer balcony of the Cliff House. There also was an artificial waterfall.
Left, Sutro Baths exterior and view of ocean, 1952. Center, Sutro Baths entrance. Fun for the Day event at Sutro Baths, 1953. All photos from SF Chronicle.
Left, children swimming at Sutro Baths, 1953; photo from SF Chronicle. Right, Sutro Baths Sky Tram in the mid-50s or early ’60s; photo by Ed Bierman.
Playland’s Big Dipper was torn down over safety code concerns and maintenance issues in 1955. Playland owner George Whitney died in 1958, and the park gradually became faded and dingy as families in the city chose suburban destinations for recreation. People continued to trek out to Ocean Beach and the surfing culture grew, but many of the local attractions were becoming less popular and were not kept up in the same way.
Fun on Ocean Beach in the 1950s. Left, a woman in underwear, stockings, and fancy hat; photo from UC Santa Cruz. Right, women frolicking in the surf; photo from UC Santa Cruz.
Left, Vietnamese Delegation of Peace Conference eating on the Ocean Beach seawall, 1951; photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp12.0122. Center, people enjoying the beach, 1952; photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp27.2061. Right, parents and child on a cold day by the Ocean Beach seawall, 1955; photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp28.3045.
Sutro Heights stone patio in the 1950s (at left) and in 2019 (center) and 2021 (right). Left photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp4.0147. Center and right photos by Blair J. Davis.
Toddler on Ocean Beach, with Cliff House in background; photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp12.0108. Family bonfire on the beach; photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp12.0112. Both photos from 1957.
Fisherman trespassing on Lurline Pier, 1958. Lurline Pier protected the intake pipe for the downtown Lurline Baths, which operated from 1894 to 1936. It was removed in the 1960s. Photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp28.3628.
Lincoln Street storm drain on Ocean Beach in 1958 (left) and 2020 (right). It’s now covered with colorful graffiti. Left photo from OpenSFHistory/wnp25.6451. Right photo by Blair J. Davis.
People digging for treasure on Ocean Beach during the Emperor Norton Treasure Hunt. Photo, 1959, by SF Chronicle.
High tide at Ocean Beach, with view of the Lurline Pier, 1959. The seawall used to have bleacher-like steps, which are now buried in sand. Photo from SF Public Library.
Enjoying this trip into the past? Check out my next Ocean Beach history post, which looks at the 1960s through 1980s.
