Thought Paper #5

     Ocean Beach is filled with a lot of history. During the early years in San Francisco’s history, the area was largely undeveloped. Development didn’t start to come until the late 19^th century when a steam railroad was put in. The railroad attracted people to come to the first amusement ride at the city’s ocean side and to the Ocean Beach Pavilion for concerts, dancing, and other public affairs. This was the beginning of a new era for Ocean Beach. By the time 1890 rolled around, there were multiple trolley lines that led down to the beach. This only caused the area to grow in popularity over the years. For a brief period of time after the 1906 earthquake, Ocean Beach served as a refugee camp. It became almost like a small resort. With the 1920s and 1930s came a major construction period. The Great Highway along with housing in the Sunset and Richmond Districts were built. In the 1990s, the area was no longer seen as a resort spot, and apartment blocks and a supermarket came in to replace the amusement park that once stood.

     Before any development took place at Ocean Beach, there was not much attraction to the area. Signage was a major step in the development that took place. The signage at Ocean Beach transformed the landscape from “space” to a “place.” Previously, the beach had simply been a so-called “abandoned space.” After development took place, the space became a friendlier environment for people of all ages to interact in. This is when it really became a “place” in the eyes of many locals. Some of the signage that contributed to this area was simple, such as warning signs and informational signs about the beach. Much of the signage in and around the Beach Chalet is a little bit more detailed and complex. I find it so interesting that signage could make such a difference in the rate of attraction to a given area of land.

     The WPA did a lot of work to make Ocean Beach a more desirable destination spot for locals and tourists. The WPA was more or less an organization that created useful jobs for people in a time of need. Many of the projects that the WPA worked on consisted of improving public space. In general, the WPA has done much in terms of contributing to the culture of San Francisco. Without much of the signage and developmental work that the WPA has put in, San Francisco would not give off the same cultural vibe as it does today. San Francisco is known for its vibrant, accepting, diverse community. Much of this is expressed through forms of art and signage all around the city.