Here's some fantastic footage from the turn of the last century (I tend to forget we're in the 21st century!). You may have received this via e-mail already, I'm sure it's gone global. If not... enjoy! Very clean film and/or very good restoration. Interesting to watch the interaction of pedestrian traffic, equine traffic, vehicular traffic, and rail traffic all in the same street with no traffic signals or cross walks! You'll notice people gawking at the camera and a lot of the cars go by more than once to get in the picture. About seven minutes long, worth watching a "living" record of history. Read the e-mail message I pasted below first, then go to the link. It is almost hypnotic to watch.
Subject: OVER 100 YEAR OLD MOTION PICTURE of SanFrancisco just before major earthquake
1906 San Francisco Street Car film
This is well worth viewing and filmed 4 days before the '06 earthquake. You'll appreciate the research that it took to date this film so be sure to read this first.....
Here's a neat opportunity to enjoy some time travel. The film is from a streetcar traveling down Market Street in San Francisco, four days before the big earthquake/fire that destroyed the area. You can clearly see the clocktower at the end of the street at the Embarcadero wharf that's still there. The quality & detail are great, so be sure to view it full screen.
The film was originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot. From New York trade papers announcing the film showing the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!).
It was filmed only four days before the quake and shipped by train to NY for processing. Amazing but true!
Click on, or copy/paste to your browser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NINOxRxze9k
Thanks, Chris! It demonstrates how alluring "cruising" is and how it greatly helped to fuel the desire to own an automobile! Imagine how citizens became increasingly mobile as vehicular travel increased. This was really entertaining! ;D
Pretty interesting, most people seem oblivious to the trolley and just cross the street without even looking.
I wonder if anyone can spot any Cadillac's in film.
Fabulous historical record. Thanks for sharing the link.