Aquatic Park and Maritime Museum – FoundSF

Photo: Chris Carlsson Black Point train and tunnel, 1918, when the military would send goods to Fort Mason for shipment to military bases in the Pacific, including Hawaii and the Philippines (a U.S. territory from 1898 to 1946). Photo: National Maritime Museum Bayshore and Fort Point Road gate, 1864, curving around Black Point (later Fort Mason) Photo: Lawrence and Houseworth
Pioneer Woolen Mills with Black Point behind, c. 1890s Photo: OpenSFHistory.org wnp71.1498 Black Point at the beginning of the Pioneer Woolen Mill. Photo: Online Archive of California I0012453A Aquatic Park shoreline, c. 1865, long before the landfilling that extended the shoreline to today’s beach shoreline. Photo: OpenSFHistory.org wnp71.2154 View SE from Fort Mason circa 1867; tall smokestack is Spring Valley Water Company pump station at foot of Van Ness. Photo: OpenSFhistory.org wnp37.02357 Pioneer Woolen Mills, 1860 (Black Point in foreground) Photo: San Francisco History Center, SF Public Library View southeast to Russian Hill from pier at tip of Black Point (today’s Fort Mason) towards San Francisco Woolen Factory and pumping station with twin stacks for reservoirs on Russian Hill. Water flume from Lobos Creek at right. Photo: OpenSFHistory.org wnp33.00622 In 1867 the Pioneer Woolen Mill dominated the landscape near the area we call today Aquatic Park. In 1895 the Dolphin Club moved to the sphere. It was founded by Germans but by the end of the hundred the Irish and Italians had become members. The San Francisco Bay had been a dumping crunch as the city expanded towards the bay. much of today ’ s shoreline properties are composed of fill/debris from the many fires, earthquakes, and early catastrophes. Black Point in middle distance, with hills of Marin County in distance, at right. The beached ship is visible on the shore of Black Point, where it served as an insane asylum.

Photo: Bancroft Library via the Online Archive of California Black Point with Selby smelter at Larkin and Polk Streets, c. 1865. Photo: Online Archive of California I0012494A’ Similar view, 1997 Photo: Chris Carlsson What we know as Aquatic Park was called Black Point Cove back in those days. Whether the dump had anything to with that mention I don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate know but the waters became indeed murky most wouldn ’ thyroxine swim in it. many efforts were made to have the area declared a park so the plunge would stop but all efforts failed. Ironically it took the ’ 30s depression and the WPA Federal Arts Project to get the area protected and the Art Deco-style Maritime Museum built. many of the same people who were involved with the WPA Federal Art Projects citywide did the art at the museum. May 18, 1938, painting interior murals at the Aquatic Park building. Photo: San Francisco Maritime National Park, P88-035.147p
March 2, 1938, working on mosaic floors in Aquatic Park building. Photo: San Francisco Maritime National Park, P88-035.117p
Maritime Museum turtle mosaic on floor. Photo: Dick Boyd
Hilaire Hiler was the main mural couturier but besides had a contribution in designing the many fixtures. His designs sought to enhance the murals. He was a serviceman of many talents and lived and worked in Europe as an artist and wind musician. He last had to leave Europe as anti-semitism was raising its surly head. In 1934 he arrived in San Francisco and began his work. The nautical shape of the build allowed him to best manipulation his expressionist ideas and then the composition for the murals was “ Mu and Atlantis. ” Many substantial and fabulous fish and organisms are seen swimming in a green ocean. He was assisted by San Francisco artist Sargent “ Claude ” Johnson. Johnson was a man of mix inheritance who had lived and worked in Washington DC. His beget was White and his beget was Black/Cherokee. He could have passed for White or native American as some of his kin did. He chose to live his biography as a total darkness serviceman. He had come to San Francisco during the 1915 Pan Pacific Exposition and stayed. From 1926 to 1935 he was world-renowned for his Black subject topic. He resided here until his death in 1967 and lived and worked for a number of years in the 1500 block of Grant Avenue. He favored black portraits, masks and mother child images. Coincidentally I lived in that lapp block at the like clock time and remember seeing some of the displays in his shop windows. Was I smart enough to buy any ? Of course not. If you are a city native or long time house physician you may have seen some of Johnson ’ s bring at George Washington High School, the Beach Chalet or Coit Tower. Aquatic Park mural painting, May 18, 1938. Photo: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, P88-035.148p Ghirardelli Square and the Maritime Museum adjacent to the lawn of Maritime National Park. Photo: Chris Carlsson San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park sign at corner of Beach and Jones Streets.

Photo: Chris Carlsson
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