Cable Car History

These photos are from a set of postcards published by the 
Office of
Joseph L. Alioto
Mayor of San Francisco
on the occasion of
The 100th. Anniversary of the Cable Car
1873 -1973

click on an image, use  your back bar to return

1. Portsmouth Square	2. Clay Street Hill	3. Van Ness Ave.

1. The first cars on the Clay Street Line ran from Kearny Street in 1873.

2. The dummy gripped the cable, pulling the car behind it.

3. End of the Clay line was Van Ness Ave. It helped develop the avenue.

4.Shoppers' Shuttle	5. California Street	6. End of the line

 4. Three cars of the Sutter Street Line, power house in the background.

 5. California cable started in 1878. Old St. Mary's in distance

 6. California car at Fillmore. Building housed saloon and billiard parlor.

7. Ferry Building		8. Graveyard of cars

    7. Ferry terminal about 1905, cable cars and horse cars both are operating

   8. After the earthquake cable lines were abandoned on Market Street. They were dumped near the ocean. Note that enterprising San Franciscans used them as homes. One are two still exist.