Gazing at Mission Creek, it’s difficult to imagine the bustling waterway it once was. Mission Creek, originally known as Arroyo de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, or Our Lady of Sorrows Creek, flowed from the Mission Bay inland to Mission Dolores. Imagine a time before the concrete jungle, when the creek was a vital artery, navigable by boats carrying goods and people. The creek was so significant that in 1854, the state legislature declared it a navigable stream, a designation it retains to this day, despite being largely culverted. The two Ramaytush Indian villages of Chutchui and Sitlintac were nestled along its banks, their lives intertwined with its ebb and flow. Mission Creek wasn’t just a waterway, it was a lifeline. It shaped the landscape and the lives of those who lived near it. Think of the vibrant ecosystem that thrived here, from the convergence of smaller creeks near Mission Dolores to the bustling activity at China Basin, where the remaining above-ground portion, the Mission Creek Channel, now flows. Now picture the Giants’ Oracle Park on the creek’s north bank. Home runs soaring over the right field wall splash down into what’s affectionately known as McCovey Cove. A fun fact: soil liquefaction, the phenomenon that caused so much devastation during the 1906 earthquake, has been known to occur along the creek’s buried portions. From a bustling waterway to a mostly hidden channel, Mission Creek’s journey reflects the dramatic transformation of San Francisco. Its history whispers beneath the city streets, a reminder of a time when nature held a more prominent place in this urban landscape.
50 Fremont Center
Gazing up at 50 Fremont Center, one might wonder about the stories it holds. 50 Fremont Center stands tall at