Golden Gate Park

Savannah Armer

September 26, 2012

Art 195

Stacy Asher

Golden Gate Park Thought Paper

            Golden Gate Park is the third most visited park in the United States.[1] People from all over the world come to see the beauties the park has to offer and all of the attractions inside. Hidden within the park there are hundreds of different areas with historical symbolism and interesting back-stories. Around ever corner there is something new to explore. Golden Gate Park has many historical monuments that tell the story of the park and frame the history.

            Prayerbook cross is one of the beautiful features of Golden Gate Park that has a very historical background.  It was located between John F. Kennedy drive and the Park Presidio drive. The was given to the city of San Francisco from the Church of England, and sits on one of the highest hills of the park gave the cross to San Francisco in 1894. The cross commemorates the Book of Common Prayer in California by Sir Francis Drake’s chaplain on June 24, 1579. [2] This sandstone cross tells us the history of San Francisco. It lets the visitors know what an effect San Francisco has had on the global population. Although getting to the cross is a hike, the beauty of the cross is unmatched, it is perfectly balanced with the nature. This signage reveals a bond between the Church of England and San Francisco and the importance they placed on the Book of Common Prayer. It is such an interesting historical token of what San Francisco was like in the past.

           

            Another feature of the park with a rich historical backstory is the Dutch Windmill.  It was built in 1902 for the total cost of 16,000 to build. It was built to bring in more water to the city, and is able to pump 30,000 gallons of fresh water per hour via the underground reservoir on Strawberry hill.[3] Even through the windmill was successful; in 1913 electric pumps were introduced which made the windmill outdated. In 1976 the US navy reserve started to restore the windmill, which was completed by 1981. At the base of the mill they laid a garden for Queen Wilhelmina, which started the false story that the windmill was actually a gift for Holland.  This windmill at first was for the benefit of the city but as it as grown in infrastructure, the windmill wasn’t needed anymore but the city kept in anyway. They understood the importance of history and the beauty of the windmill. It adds so much history to the park and makes it even more of a place whether than a space.

           

            The reason Golden Gate Park is a place instead of a space is the historical significance of the park.  The Park has so many features which weren’t just put there for aesthetics, but with purpose. They capture a moment in time, keeping the park timeless forever.

           

Works Cited

Berry, Mark. "Windmills of California." Windmill World. N.p., 24 May 2011. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. <http://www.windmillworld.com/world/california.htm>.

SFcitizen. "San Francisco Citizen." The Quasi-Unconstitutional Prayer Book Cross of Golden Gate Park. Wordpress, 13 July 2009. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. <http://sfcitizen.com/blog/2009/07/13/the-quasi-unconstitutional-prayer-book-cross-of-golden-gate-park/>.

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[1] Stacy Asher Presentation

[2] SFcitizen

[3] Windmill world

Golden Gate Park

Haight

Savannah Armer

September 20,2012

Art 195

Stacy Asher

Haight and Ashbury

            “Haight Ashbury was a ghetto of bohemians who wanted to do anything—and we did but I don't think it has happened since. Yes there was LSD. But Haight Ashbury was not about drugs. It was about exploration, finding new ways of expression, being aware of one's existence” – Bob Weir. Haight street was home to the biggest social revolution of the 1960s, the summer of love.  People from all over the world came to be a part of this peace-seeking mission and to experience the magic of the street. In the 90s, Haight took a turn and became gentrified due to the dotcom boom, rent went up and only the people with money were able to stay in the area.  Although Haight street has been able to maintain its identity of counterculture, the street is in a social clash between the 60s era and the dotcom boom era.

            Haight street started as a poor street with people searching for social liberation and equality in the 1960s. The residents pushed off the idea of commercialism and enjoyed the local shelters and free clinics in the area, they pushed for counterculture, opposition to mainstream society’s views. In 1967, the council of the summer of love announced the event to the world, which got a response of 100,000 young people flocking to the area in search of utopia. There was overcrowding, drug use, starvation, homelessness, and crime. After the end of the summer, many left but their left their mark with the signage of the area. Today, when walking through Haight, the signage has constant drug references and stores of counterculture. One store called Land of the Sun, has a sign out front that says the store name and beneath “A Long Strange Trip” which is a reference to LSD, as if going into the store is comparable to doing drugs. Also the clothing stores are almost all vintage or costume going against the dorms of society today. Walking down Haight, the signage reveals how much of an influence the Summer of Love made on it.

            Throughout the years, Haight remained a hub of drugs and crimes until the dotcom boom of the 90s occurred. In the early 90s, Haight became a scary place, with murders and crimes happening frequently. Once the dotcom boom hit, many educated young people came to the Haight, to live in the hip area. While this was good for the reputation and the businesses on the street, it wasn’t good for everyone. The classic stores had to start competiting with the new hip coffee houses, and the new attitude in the area. The bums started to be pushed out by the residents bothered by their presence. The area took a major turn, but it couldn’t erase the past. A Gap even opened on the street, which sent many into commercial hating frenzies and made many notice the gentrification happening the area. 1960s Haight struggled but was kept alive by the influx of tourism now reaching the area.

            Today, when walking down Haight the signage will reflect two very different times. One a free love and hippie attitude, the other a hipster modern personality but even with these two clashes Haight hasn’t lost its individuality. The summer of love in 1967 left its mark on the street, changing the attitude forever. 

Adventure 2 photos