The San Francisco Bay Area

[hijodecordoba 74]

great update. the museum looks really great and the house transitions on the slopes are good. it's hard to built a city on hills

EDIT: WELCOME  IN SF ON PAGE 6

[jim5917 1]

Originally posted by: hijodecordoba great update. the museum looks really great and the house transitions on the slopes are good. it's hard to built a city on hills

EDIT: WELCOME  IN SF ON PAGE 6quote>

Nice - you are the perfect person to welcome page 6.  I'm glad you are here to keep me wanting to make a quality cj.

oh and spectrumtech i'll get to you in the replies.  along with the rest of you.

[jacqulina 162]

looking out for more my friend,wonderfull work so far.

[nottheboss 1]

I missed some great updates well done

[GreyStreak 0]

Yay! Is there going to be an update with Fremont/Union City/Newark? Also... did you include Lake Elizabeth in Fremont? [can't tell from region view]

[hijodecordoba 74]

Hi jim5917

thank you for your kind words. but i only say what i see and thats really good work

[jim5917 1]

The Presidio of San Francisco (B-5)

Early in 1776 Lt. Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza and a group of explorers arrived with the purpose of establishing a Spanish presence near the San Francisco Bay.  Upon reaching the northernmost part of the peninsula de Anza selected a spot for the presidio by planting a cross near the edge of the bay.  Later that day Father Pedro Font wrote “that if it could be well settled like Europe there would not be anything more beautiful in all the world”.  Later that year a group of priests and settlers returned to the area to begin work on the presidio as well as a mission, which was 3 miles to the south.  Lt. Moraga decided to move the location of the presidio back up the hill to a more secluded area.  Although it was shielded from the elements this site was not in as good of location for a fort as the previous spot was.  However, a rudimentary structure made of oak and mud was dedicated on September 17, 1776.  Two years later the structure was washed away in a rainstorm, which led to the completion of more permanent structures.  In 1794 a fort, Castillo de San Joaquin, was built at the site de Anza had selected a few years earlier.  By the time US forces assumed control in 1846 the structures were crumbling and in much need of repair.  In 1850 President Fillmore appropriated the lands for military use.  In 1994 the Presidio of San Francisco officially became property of the US National Park Service; ending over 200 years of military service.  The Presidio includes Fort Point, Crissy Field and the San Francisco National Cemetery as well as many other museums and places of interest.  The Presidio Trust has been established to oversee the park becoming financially self-sufficient by the year 2013.

Fort Point (B-5)

Built by the US Army of Engineers between 1853 and 1861, Fort Point was to protect the San Francisco Bay against foreign attack.  The location is close to the original spot that Juan Bautista de Anza chose for the Presidio and where Castillo de San Joaquin once stood.  Originally, 2 other forts were planned for the west coast:  One to the north in the state of Washington and another further south in San Diego, CA.  However, the one in San Francisco was the only one built.  Completed just in time for the Civil War the fort never saw any battles.  Fort Point was once again called to duty in World War II when the 6th US Coast Artillery was stationed there.  Once again Fort Point witnessed no battles.  On October 16, 1970, due mostly to it’s architectural significance (the only brick and masonry fort on the west coast), Fort Point became a National Historic Site.  While visiting make sure to find the exhibits honoring women’s and African-American’s involvement in the military.  If you take the time to hike along the trails above the fort and west of the Golden Gate Bridge keep an eye out for the many bunkers that still remain in the area. 

Next Stop: The Golden Gate Bridge

[jacqulina 162]

excellent work i love the bridge pic with the castle my friend.

[hijodecordoba 74]

nice update. the story and the pictures makes the history very lively. i guess the fort never saw a battle due to its location. i think its well hidden

[GMT 389]

the Tower as Fort Point...

Nice idea indeed.

[waiyeap90 0]

I love how fort point is situated beside the beach. GREAT!!

[lucky7 73]

Beautiful update, again, looking forward to more,

lucky7

[jim5917 1]

Lucky7 (5/16):  Thanks – there’s lots of good stuff to come (I’ve seen the picts)

Edmonton_stinks:  Good to see you again

Panthersimcity4:  thanks. In all I don’t mind the maxis buildings –the only problem is there is just not enough.  Anyway my favorite update is coming up.  It’s a good combo of maxis buildings and STEX creations – kinda like my CJ.

Ky72x:  Glad to see you notice the details!  I’m sure I spent too much time on them.

Waiyeap90 (5/16):  I totally love it too!  I too like how the Transamerica Bldg turned out.

Skyliner22:  Glad you like it.

Yoshikoroyimara:  Yes, there are more zoomed out pictures of SF coming up (after the 49 mile drive).  I will finish by showing the other neighborhoods I didn’t get to before and anything else that looks good.

Spectrumtech:  Yes, I know I’m missing Anderson and Lexington.  The lakes pose a problem since the game prohibits above sea level bodies of water.  Although, I did make Upper and Lower Crystal Springs Res. (off Hwy 280) and started Calaveras Res. (south- east of Fremont)  I just need to bite the bullet and make those.  I think there is a decent sized reservoir near Castro Valley/Oakland that needs to be added also.

Jacqulina (5/18):  Thanks.

Hijodecordoba (518):  Cool! Thanks.  Hopefully you’re having flashbacks from your vacation.  As a side note the Exploratorium museum is located behind the rotunda of the Palace of Fine Arts.  The actual structure is included with the in-game landmark.  I took out the reflecting pool and extra structures due to size limitations. 

Jacqulina (5/19):  And here’s more . . .

Nottheboss:  Thanks

GreyStreak:  Yes, there will be an update with those cities.  Look at page 1 for a tentative chapter layout – I think it would be the Eastern Bay Shore chapter.  I’m not too familiar with those cities so the update probably won’t be as good as the SF or San Jose chapters.  I had a tough time with many of the roads since they run at bad angles for simcity.  Lake Elizabeth?  Can’t remember the exact layout I have.  I was going to make the ponds that BART runs through – think it is blank terrain right now.  I will try to incorporate something good for you.  Oh, and look out for the A’s new stadium in Fremont.

Jacqulina (5/22):  Thanks.  Another bridge and Fort Point pict coming up.   

Hijodecordoba (5/22):  The entire west coast was prepared for attacks during WWII – fortunately there were no battles.  As you may have noticed protecting the entrance to the SF Bay was always a priority (the Presidio, Fort Mason, Fort Point, ect) eventhough most outposts saw limited (if any) action.

GMT:  Thanks.  I had a couple choices.  That building seemed to work the best.

Waiyeap90 (5/22):  Thanks

Lucky7 (5/22):  Thanks again.

[jim5917 1]

The Golden Gate Bridge (B-5)

The Golden Gate Bridge is probably the most recognizable landmark in San Francisco and the entire Bay Area.  The name “Golden Gate”, which refers to the natural landscape, originated from John C. Fremont back in the mid 1800s.  Construction of the bridge began in 1933 and was completed and opened to traffic 4 years later on May 27, 1937.  The project was an engineering marvel.  At the time of completion the bridge had the longest main span in the world at 4,200 feet.  Each tower contains approximately 600,000 rivets and the two main cables contain a total of 80,000 miles of wire.  There are designated walking and biking paths to cross the bridge if you wish to get out of your car; just make sure to bring a jacket.  For the adventurous sightseers you can walk down to Baker Beach and then hike along the cliffs to the base of the bridge.  Or for truly remarkable views of the bridge and the entire city from high above drive to the top of the Marin Headlands just on the other side of the bridge.  While at the bottom take time to visit the memorial to honor the 11 men who lost their lives during construction along with the statue of Joseph P. Strauss, the chief engineer of construction.  Today the main span remains the 7th longest in the world.  Over 1.7 billion cars have crossed the Golden Gate since it’s opening.  

Legion of Honor (B-3)

Located on a hill at the top of Lincoln Park the California Palace of the Legion of Honor is an imitation of the Palais de la Legion d’Honneur in Paris.  The museum, along with a large collection of French Art, was a gift of Alma de Bretteville Spreckels.  Completed in 1924 the museum opened on Armistice Day, the celebration of the end of World War I.  The museum itself is dedicated to the 3,600 Californians who lost their lives during the war.  Over the years the museum has become home to paintings and sculptures from all over Europe.  One such piece in the museum’s impressive collection is an early cast of Rodin’s “The Thinker”, which Spreckels received from the artist in 1915.  Some of the other famous artists whose work can be found inside the Legion of Honor include Rembrant, Monet and Degas.  While here make sure to save a moment to take in the view of the city and Golden Gate Bridge.  On your way back down the hill you may want to take a detour into the neighborhood of Sea Cliff and view the multi-million dollar mansions overlooking China Beach. 

Next Stop: The Cliff House

[jim5917 1]

Usually I don't comment on my own pictures but I really like how the Legion of Honor turned out with the STEX creation (arch) incorporated with the Maxis museum.  And the prop of the thinker tops it off.  Near the top of page 4 is a picture of the Legion of Honor I took if you wish to compare.  Obviously my version is not exact but I think it very much resembles the real thing.

On a side note when I was going back through my journal to look for the grid of SF to find the coordinates of my most recent update I noticed that my journal was affected by the hackers.  I'll try to fix it this week - no new update till next week I guess.

F---in hackers!

All my pictures are backed up - hopefully the same can be said for the text (sometimes it gets edited on the way from Word to the journal)

[edmonton_stinks 5]

The bridge looks great! You're doing a really good job with the re-creation.

[hijodecordoba 74]

I like the Golden Gate Bridge. this bridge will allways look good. (if you could see the brigde through the fog, which is often there)

the water under the bridge appears a bit unreal, no waves...

unfortunately i dont know the legion of honor, but yor creation is really nice.

[Smarty218 2]

Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome!

Very accurate!

[nottheboss 1]

Nice work on the GGbridge

[jim5917 1]

The Cliff House (C-2)

Built in 1858 the Cliff House has been rebuilt 3 times: In 1864, 1896 and 1909.  Silver-mining engineer Adolph Sutro purchased the property in the 1880s.  Along with the Cliff House Sutro owned one-twelfth of San Francisco and served as the city’s mayor from 1894-96.  Today you can enjoy brunch and dinner while taking in views of the Pacific Ocean and on a clear day the Farallon Islands.  The Musee Mechanique is located in the basement of the Cliff House*.  This private collection includes antique hand operated games, player pianos and slot machines; much like the ones you would find at a fair in the early to mid 20th century.    

* The Musee Mechanique is now located at Fort Mason - I remember it being at the Cliff House so that's where it is in my CJ.

Up Next: Golden Gate Park

[jim5917 1]

I know, it's a small update.  Up next is Golden Gate Park.  I figure that deserves its own update (kind of a big park).  I have concluded my video card is the reason there are no waves in my pictures.   Someday I will fix that and update the photos.  'till then it remains unusually calm on the Pacific.

[edmonton_stinks 5]

A small update, but a good one nonetheless.

[waiyeap90 0]

Love the Golden Gate Bridge. I like how the way you actually put in the effort to 'situate' in all those boats under the bridge making a realistic feel. Very NICELY done

[bixel 1,228]

Dont forget One Front Street, https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=19860

[City2TheMax 3]

San Francisco is one of my favorite cities in the world. You have done a great job recreating it. I like the bridge mosaic you made too!

[lucky7 73]

Very good work on the bridge, and the Cliff House is looking great- imagine the marvellous views from there...! Very well done,

looking forward to more,

lucky7

[jacqulina 162]

another excellent bridge my friend,looking like a wonderfull city allready.

[vinvin du 13 0]

wow,thats really a wonderful city!!!

[jim5917 1]

Edmonton_stinks (5/26):  Thanks!

Hijodecordoba: Sorry there are no waves – must be my video card

Smarty218:  Thank you Thank you Thank you

Nottheboss: Thanks.

Edmonton_stinks (6/6):  Thanks again.

Waiyeap90:  Thanks.  I always see lots of boats near the bridge so I figured I would include them.

Bixel:  Yes I love the SF BAT  - going to test it out here soon.  Glad to see it’s 4x4 – it should fit somewhere.  Send you a PM when I post and updated picture of the SF skyline.

City2TheMax:  Mine too.

Lucky7: Yes there are great views from there.  You can also hike down to the old Sutro Baths (not in the journal) from there.

Jacqulina: Glad you like it.

Vinvin du 13:  Thanks and welcome.

Up next is my interpretation of Golden Gate Park – sorry that I left out the lakes.

[jim5917 1]

Golden Gate Park (C-3)

Truly one of the great urban parks of the world, Golden Gate Park stretches from the Haight in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west.  The park is home to everything from buffalo (yes, buffalo), stadiums, museums and many other outdoor recreation activities.  In 1870 the city designated 1,000 acres of sand dunes as the area to be used for the park.  Over the next 70 years vegetation from around the world would be introduced to the formidable land until the park took on the lush green look it maintains today.

The Japanese Tea Gardens

The California Midwinter International Exposition (World Fair) came to Golden Gate Park in 1894.  One of the main attractions was the Japanese Village.  Thanks in large part to Makoto Hagiwara the village became a permanent part of the park.  Hagiwara was responsible for enlarging and maintaining the gardens from 1895 until his death in 1925.  His family continued to tend the gardens until 1942 when they were moved into concentration camps following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 

The Windmills

In 1903 a Dutch windmill was built on the western edge of the park followed by a second windmill 2 years later.  These windmills once provided the power necessary to pump water uphill to the rest of the park.

Kezar Stadium

On May 7, 1925 Kezar Stadium was opened in the southeastern corner of the park.  Financing for the stadium was a joint effort between the estate of Mary Kezar and the city of San Francisco.  The stadium was home to the San Francisco 49ers from 1946-1970 and the Oakland Raiders during the 1960 season.  The stadium was rebuilt, with a lower capacity, in 1989 and is now used mostly for high school football. 

The Polo Fields

On January 14, 1967 the Gathering of the Tribes drew thousands of people to Golden Gate Park in support of the countercultural movement of the 1960s, which had stemmed from nearby in the Haight.  This was the official kickoff to the Summer of Love in which the Polo Fields played host to Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janis Joplin) and the Jimi Hendrix Experience among others.  When visiting the Polo Fields today you may catch equestrian events, soccer games or concerts.  

Next Stop: The San Francisco Zoo