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[[Image:ecology1$cistern-1.jpg]] 
'''<font face = Papyrus> <font color = maroon> <font size = 4>Historical Essay</font></font> </font>'''


'''One of the cisterns that were built after the early fires in San Francisco.'''  ''Photo: Chris Carlsson''
''by Joe Caffentzis''
 
[[Image:Cistern-21st-and-Shotwell 20180806 135600.jpg]] 
 
'''One of the cisterns that were built after the early fires in San Francisco, this one at 21st and Shotwell.'''   
 
''Photo: Chris Carlsson''


As you wander around San Francisco, notice the occasional circle of red bricks or cobblestones in various intersections. San Francisco, with its many wood-frame homes has always been vulnerable to fire. There were the First Great [[FIRE!| Fire]] (1849) and the Second Great Fire (May 1850). After the Third Great Fire (June 18, 1850), the city fathers funded the construction of cisterns to assure a water supply for fire-fighting equipment.
As you wander around San Francisco, notice the occasional circle of red bricks or cobblestones in various intersections. San Francisco, with its many wood-frame homes has always been vulnerable to fire. There were the First Great [[FIRE!| Fire]] (1849) and the Second Great Fire (May 1850). After the Third Great Fire (June 18, 1850), the city fathers funded the construction of cisterns to assure a water supply for fire-fighting equipment.


The Haight has its share of later additions to the system. The stones you see in the roadbed cap a huge cistern which sits just below street level. There are approximately 150 throughout the city and they are maintained today in order to provide water in case an earthquake should cut water lines. The city's cisterns are always heralded by green-bonneted hydrants. Also note the red-bonneted hydrants, which are outlets for the high pressure fire-fighting water line.
[[Image:Cistern 20180906 180217.jpg]]


''--Joe Caffentzis''
'''One of many cisterns built to hold water for fire-fighting in the event of failures in the main water distribution system. This one at 21st and Eureka was installed in the past decade, as the city is steadily [[Auxiliary Water Supply System Expansion Abandoned|expanding the infrastructure of emergency water supplies]].'''


[[Image:ecology1$cistern-2.jpg]]
''Photo: Chris Carlsson''


'''One of many cisterns built to hold water for fire-fighting in the event of failures in the main water distribution system.'''  ''Photo: Chris Carlsson''
The Haight has its share of later additions to the system. The stones you see in the roadbed cap a huge cistern which sits just below street level. There are approximately 150 throughout the city and they are maintained today in order to provide water in case an earthquake should cut water lines. The city's cisterns are always heralded by [[Why Are San Francisco Fire Hydrants Different Colors?|green-bonneted hydrants]]. Also note the red-bonneted hydrants, which are outlets for the high pressure fire-fighting water line.


<hr>


[[Image:Tours-water.gif|link= Sewerage]] [[Sewerage| Continue Water Tour]]


[[WATER! WATER! | Prev. Document]]  [[Who Pays for Public Water? S.F. vs. Suburbs | Next Document]]
[[San Francisco's Clean Little Secret | Prev. Document]]  [[Who Pays for Public Water? S.F. vs. Suburbs | Next Document]]


[[category:Ecology]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:Haight-Ashbury]] [[category:water]] [[category:1850s]]
[[category:Ecology]] [[category:1990s]] [[category:Haight-Ashbury]] [[category:water]] [[category:1850s]]

Latest revision as of 15:39, 19 February 2020

Historical Essay

by Joe Caffentzis

Cistern-21st-and-Shotwell 20180806 135600.jpg

One of the cisterns that were built after the early fires in San Francisco, this one at 21st and Shotwell.

Photo: Chris Carlsson

As you wander around San Francisco, notice the occasional circle of red bricks or cobblestones in various intersections. San Francisco, with its many wood-frame homes has always been vulnerable to fire. There were the First Great Fire (1849) and the Second Great Fire (May 1850). After the Third Great Fire (June 18, 1850), the city fathers funded the construction of cisterns to assure a water supply for fire-fighting equipment.

Cistern 20180906 180217.jpg

One of many cisterns built to hold water for fire-fighting in the event of failures in the main water distribution system. This one at 21st and Eureka was installed in the past decade, as the city is steadily expanding the infrastructure of emergency water supplies.

Photo: Chris Carlsson

The Haight has its share of later additions to the system. The stones you see in the roadbed cap a huge cistern which sits just below street level. There are approximately 150 throughout the city and they are maintained today in order to provide water in case an earthquake should cut water lines. The city's cisterns are always heralded by green-bonneted hydrants. Also note the red-bonneted hydrants, which are outlets for the high pressure fire-fighting water line.


Tours-water.gif Continue Water Tour

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