A Bridge, a Prison and a Crooked Street Quiz

Answer: False

There never was a bridge that crossed the strait between San Francisco Peninsula and Marin County before the Golden Gate Bridge. The project only became feasible in the late 1910s when auto transportation was becoming a way of life. In 1921 engineer Joseph Strauss presented his plan, but it wasn't until 1933 before all obstacles were cleared and construction started. The bridge was finally inaugurated on May 27, 1937.

The Golden Gate Bridge is 1.7 miles (2.7 km) long from end to end, with a suspension span of 1.22 miles (1.96 km). It was the world's longest suspension bridge until 1964, when it was surpassed by the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge which connects the Staten Island and Brooklyn boroughs in New York City.

Answer: Charles "Lucky" Luciano

Located ideally at the mouth of San Francisco bay Alcatraz Island was first designated a military reservation. Construction of the garrison was completed in 1859. In the 1860s civil war prisoners and later Native Americans were incarcerated at Alcatraz. In 1933 the property was transferred to the US Department of Justice which established a maximum security federal prison on the island, designated for those criminals deemed the most dangerous. During the years in operation 1545 prisoners were held at Alcatraz, among them Al Capone, "Machine Gun" Kelly and "Birdman" Robert Stroud.

Chicago gangster Al Capone only stayed 4.5 years in Alcatraz, the last year in prison hospital as he was suffering for syphilis. He was paroled in November 1939 and spent his last years in his mansion in Florida, in bad health.

Although Robert Stroud is known as "The Birdman of Alcatraz" he never actually kept any birds there. He got his reputation as an ornithologist during his stay at Leavenworth prison where he raised about 300 canaries in his cells and wrote two books about bird diseases. Upon his transfer to Alcatraz he was informed he had to leave his birds behind. He spent 17 years in Alcatraz, most of them in solitary confinement. Robert Stroud, who was tried for two murders (including a guard in Leavenworth), spent 54 years of his life in prison, 42 in solitary confinement. He died in the medical center for federal prisoners in Springfield, Missouri, aged 73.

Prohibition era gangster George Kelly was nicknamed after his favorite weapon, the Thompson submachine gun. He is best known for kidnapping Oklahoma businessman Charles F. Urschel. For that crime he was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1933. He spent 17 years in Alcatraz where he was a model prisoner. "Machine Gun" Kelly died in Leavenworth prison in 1954, aged 59.

Sicilian-American mobster Charles "Lucky" Luciano never was in Alcatraz. He was imprisoned in several New York State prisons until his sentence was commuted to deportation to Italy after World War II.

The escape of Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers, deteriorating conditions and high maintenance costs led to the prison's closure on March 21, 1963. The vacant buildings were occupied by a group of Native Americans in 1969. In 1972 Alcatraz Island became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and opened for the public.

Answer: Russian Hill

Lombard Street is an arterial road that stretches from Presidio Boulevard in the west all the way to the Embarcadero. In 1922 the eight cobblestone switch-backs were built to reduce the descent of Russian Hill between Hyde Street and Leavenworth Street from the natural 27 percent to 16 percent.

According to legend the name "Russian Hill" originates from Russian seal hunters who were buried on the hill. On top of Russian Hill you have a good view of the classic cable car route to the coast.

Answer: Pier 39

Pier 39 was built in the beginning of the 20th century but had fallen into disrepair because of the decline of the fishing industry. It was saved from demolition by a redevelopment project and reopened in 1978. Today it is one of California's top tourist destinations.

In front of the pier you can visit the Aquarium of the Bay where you can walk through two tunnels to experience marine life from close by. The western part of the pier is occupied by a colony of sea lions.

From Pier 33 you can take the ferry to Alcatraz Island, Pier 41 is the starting point for various ferries to the northern part of the bay and Angel Island. Pier 70 is a historic pier on Potrero Point.

Answer: Coit Tower

Coit Tower was named after Lillie Hitchcock Coit (1843-1929), an eccentric socialite who bequeathed $ 125,000 to the city. The building is 34 m (210 ft) high and was completed in 1933. In the lobby of the tower frescoes depicting contemporary life in California can be seen. A nice way to reach Coit Tower is by taking the Filbert Steps, a wooden staircase that runs along Victorian houses and lavish garden terraces.

The Transamerica Pyramid is the highest building in San Francisco (260 m - 853 ft). The two other wrong answers are also skyscrapers in San Francisco.

Answer: Jack Kerouac Alley

As San Francisco was the main gateway for Asian immigrants into the USA it is no coincidence that today San Francisco's Chinatown is one of the largest Chinese communities outside China.

Originally home to many Italian immigrants, North Beach is an upmarket area with many coffee shops and the center of San Francisco's nightlife.

In the 1950s the neighborhood was the meeting place of a group of non-conformist writers and artist, disillusioned with post-war America, who called themselves the Beat Generation or Beatniks. Today only a handful of the Beatniks' favorite hangouts still remain such as City Lights Bookstore, one of the best known independent bookstores and publishers in the USA, where you can find unique titles about art, San Francisco culture or progressive politics.

Across the alley, named after Jack Kerouac whose "On The Road" is considered the defining novel of the Beat Generation, you can enjoy a cup of coffee in the charming Vesuvio Café, another former favorite Beatnik hangout which is still operational.

Answer: Hallidie's folly

Andrew Smith Hallidie was the inventor of a wire-rope transport system used in the mines during the California Gold Rush era. He came to San Francisco to establish a wire-rope manufacturing company. When he saw how much trouble horses had to ascend San Francisco's steep hills he got the idea to build a similar system for public transport. When the cable car made its first ride the conductor refused to continue when he saw the steep slope on Clay Street. Hallidie took over and completed the ride. San Francisco's cable cars were the first cable cars in the world, and also the last, as in the 20th Century they were mostly replaced by electric trams. When the city council decided to replace the cable cars the local population protested. In 1964 the San Francisco Cable Cars were declared a National Historic Landmark. In the early 21st century three lines are still operational: Powell-Mason line, Powell-Hyde line and California Street.

The wrong answers are made up based on the names of three of the four wardens of Alcatraz prison (James A. Johnston, Paul J. Madigan and Olin G. Blackwell).

Answer: Yerba Buena Gardens

It's hard to believe that this place was once a rundown industrial area. Part of a multi-billion dollar urban renewal project the district now has numerous museums including the San Francisco Museum of Modern art, a performing arts center, a children's center and a shopping and entertainment complex.

San Francisco was originally named Yerba Buena by the first Spanish settlers who settled in the area in the late 18th Century. It was named after the herb that grew in abundance near the coast (hierba buena is Spanish for good herb). The settlement became part of Mexico after the independence from Spain in 1821, and eventually part of the USA when the Mexican-American war ended in 1848. The first mayor of the American era, Washington Allon Bartlett, renamed the city San Francisco.

Answer: Mission Dolores

Although the original name of the mission gave the name to the city, the mission itself is often referred to as Mission Dolores, a name that stems from the nearby river Nuestra Seńora de los Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows). Built in 1776 it was the sixth mission in the California area. The original chapel has survived many earthquakes and neglect and looks almost the same as when it was built. The surrounding churches are of later dates.

The Mission district is a lively area with a mixed population descending mostly from Latino backgrounds. Characterizing the area are the many murals (over 200). Many of them were influenced by Mexican artist Diego Rivera who visited San Francisco in the 1930s. Some depict the lives of the ordinary residents, some express political or racial ideas.

The three wrong answers are missions elsewhere in California.

Answer: Haight-Ashbury

As the population of San Francisco increased rapidly at the end of the 19th Century the city boundaries pushed westwards. The population soared even more as the neighborhood was spared by the 1906 earthquake. The fashionable building style of those days (Victorian and Edwardian style) is still evident in the neighborhood. The bright colors in which many of the Victorian houses are painted gave them the nickname "Painted Ladies".

In the 1950s Beatniks who had left North Beach started to inhabit the neighborhood but it wasn't until 1967 when Haight-Ashbury became the center of counterculture as hippies were drawn in by the Human Be-In and the Summer of Love events which were held in the nearby Golden Gate Park. A number of well-known artists of the era such as Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia and members of Jefferson Airplane lived in the area at the time.

In the '70s most hippies had left and the neighborhood fell into disrepute, but in the '80s it was revived when the city council handed out subsidies to renovate many dilapidated Victorian houses.

The picture shows a number of Victorian houses near Alamo Square known as Postcard Row.