The Adams House: 300 Pennsylvania: Difference between revisions
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'''<font face = Papyrus> <font color = maroon> <font size = 4>Historical Essay</font></font> </font>''' | '''<font face = Papyrus> <font color = maroon> <font size = 4>Historical Essay</font></font> </font>''' | ||
''courtesy of [http://www.potreroarchives.com Potrero Hill Archives Project]'' | |||
[[Image:Adams house 1886.jpg]] | [[Image:Adams house 1886.jpg]] | ||
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'''The Adams House, 1886''' | '''The Adams House, 1886''' | ||
''Photo: | ''Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA'' | ||
[[Image:pothill$adams-house-1994.jpg]] | [[Image:pothill$adams-house-1994.jpg]] | ||
| Line 16: | Line 18: | ||
'''Adams House in 2008''' | '''Adams House in 2008''' | ||
''Photo: Chris Carlsson'' | |||
[[Image:Adams-house 2091.jpg]] | |||
'''Adams House in 2013.''' | |||
''Photo: Chris Carlsson'' | ''Photo: Chris Carlsson'' | ||
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'''Mission Bay when it was not yet filled, the arrow pointing to the Adams House on Potrero Hill.''' | '''Mission Bay when it was not yet filled, the arrow pointing to the Adams House on Potrero Hill.''' | ||
''Photo: | ''Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA'' | ||
At the time of Captain Adams' purchase of property, the bay water was only one block from the house. This was the area of Mariposa and Eighteenth, and must have been a factor in the selection of the southwest corner of Pennsylvania Street intersection for his home. The structure is still standing today, and is quite impressive in its stately size and surrounding grounds. On top of the house the remains of the Captain's Walk can still be seen. Many of the old homes of San Francisco had an area on top of the roof for wives to watch for returning ships. | At the time of Captain Adams' purchase of property, the bay water was only one block from the house. This was the area of Mariposa and Eighteenth, and must have been a factor in the selection of the southwest corner of Pennsylvania Street intersection for his home. The structure is still standing today, and is quite impressive in its stately size and surrounding grounds. On top of the house the remains of the Captain's Walk can still be seen. Many of the old homes of San Francisco had an area on top of the roof for wives to watch for returning ships. | ||
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'''Richards House, seen here in 2007.''' | '''Richards House, seen here in 2007.''' | ||
''Photo: Chris Carlsson'' | |||
[[Image:Richards-house-w-mission-bay 2094.jpg]] | |||
'''Richards House in 2013.''' | |||
''Photo: Chris Carlsson'' | ''Photo: Chris Carlsson'' | ||
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A third house, built by the Croall family, is still standing at the southwest corner of Nineteenth and Pennsylvania Streets. | A third house, built by the Croall family, is still standing at the southwest corner of Nineteenth and Pennsylvania Streets. | ||
[[Image: | [[Image:Croall-house-july-23-09 0473.jpg]] | ||
'''The Croall House, | '''The Croall House, July 23, 2009.''' | ||
''Photo: Chris Carlsson'' | |||
[[Image:Croall-house 2088.jpg]] | |||
'''The Croall House, 2013.''' | |||
''Photo: Chris Carlsson'' | ''Photo: Chris Carlsson'' | ||
Mrs. C.F. Adams could remember moving to the Adams' house in 1898 as a young bride. There were a few scattered houses, mostly in the areas of Scotch Hill and Eighteenth Street. | Mrs. C.F. Adams could remember moving to the Adams' house in 1898 as a young bride. There were a few scattered houses, mostly in the areas of Scotch Hill and Eighteenth Street. | ||
[[SF shoreline changes pictured |Today and Yesterday]] | [[SF shoreline changes pictured |Today and Yesterday]] | ||
[[Looking Back a Quarter-Century in 1976 |Prev. Document]] [[SF shoreline changes pictured |Next Document]] | [[Looking Back a Quarter-Century in 1976 |Prev. Document]] [[SF shoreline changes pictured |Next Document]] | ||
[[category:Potrero Hill]] [[category:1850s]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:buildings]] | [[category:Potrero Hill]] [[category:1850s]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:buildings]] [[category:Mission Bay]] [[category:2000s]] [[category:2010s]] | ||
Latest revision as of 09:58, 2 January 2015
Historical Essay
courtesy of Potrero Hill Archives Project
The Adams House, 1886
Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA
The Adams House in the mid-1990s.
Photo: Chris Carlsson
Adams House in 2008
Photo: Chris Carlsson
Adams House in 2013.
Photo: Chris Carlsson
In 1850, a Captain Charles Adams sailed into the San Francisco Bay, looking for a new home and base for his whaling ship fleet. Captain Adams came from New Bedford, Massachusetts, and accompanying him to the west coast was his wife.
After a careful search of the land in San Francisco, he decided to purchase property on Potrero Hill. Two factors influencing his choice were the abundance of water from the numerous springs and the sunny climate of Potrero.
In the vicinity of Eighteenth and Pennsylvania, he purchased four or five square blocks, or approx. thirteen acres. He soon sold the southeast corner of the intersection to the Richards Family with the provision that a house would soon be built there. Around 1865, the Richards' home was finished, and is today occupied by an ambulance service.
Mission Bay when it was not yet filled, the arrow pointing to the Adams House on Potrero Hill.
Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA
At the time of Captain Adams' purchase of property, the bay water was only one block from the house. This was the area of Mariposa and Eighteenth, and must have been a factor in the selection of the southwest corner of Pennsylvania Street intersection for his home. The structure is still standing today, and is quite impressive in its stately size and surrounding grounds. On top of the house the remains of the Captain's Walk can still be seen. Many of the old homes of San Francisco had an area on top of the roof for wives to watch for returning ships.
The lumber used in the house lay on the ground for a period of two years. Captain Adams wanted the lumber to age properly, and checked it frequently. The house was built somewhat like a ship. The attic, for example, was one huge room like the inverted keel of a ship. Enclosed in the huge attic were two large storage tanks to provide water for the house. Outside on the south side of the house were a spring and well. Water was piped to the attic, and flowing from the hot water tank passed through pipes adjacent to the fireplaces. At these points it was warmed by the fires and emerged as hot water in the bathtub.
Richards House, seen here in 2007.
Photo: Chris Carlsson
Richards House in 2013.
Photo: Chris Carlsson
The well and springs also served as a fresh water supply for the many 1906 earthquake refugees, according to Mr. Thorburn Adams. The Adams' house, built in 1867, and the Richards' house were two of the earliest large houses built on Potrero Hill, and were also two of the first using the bay window.
A third house, built by the Croall family, is still standing at the southwest corner of Nineteenth and Pennsylvania Streets.
The Croall House, July 23, 2009.
Photo: Chris Carlsson
The Croall House, 2013.
Photo: Chris Carlsson
Mrs. C.F. Adams could remember moving to the Adams' house in 1898 as a young bride. There were a few scattered houses, mostly in the areas of Scotch Hill and Eighteenth Street.