Somebody here was looking for pictures of the block next to the Emporium where the San Francisco Center (Centre?) now stands.

I found this in Alison Lurie's "The Language of Clothes" and put it up for viewing:

http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/rosadebon/lange.htm

The picture was taken by Dorothea Lange in 1952 and on the left side, you can see the edge of the old Emporium, and directly across the street you can see Hales and Grayson's, where the San Francisco Center now stands. You can also see one of the old Market Street streetcars.

This picture is interesting for a couple of reasons other than that: First, Market Street is quiet and TIDY. Second, a nicely dressed, respectable looking woman is walking along the north side of the street without hanging onto her child for dear life, something she would be doing today (they may have a few stores over there, but it's still a dicey block).

-- Rosa (rosadebon@yahoo.com), June 25, 2002