Tribune Tower (Closed)
Oakland, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Look up in downtown Oakland and there is Tribune Tower, with its red neon letters glowing above the city. The sign sits so high that it can be spotted from blocks away, a handy reminder of where the newspaper once called home.

The tower opened in 1924 above an older building at 13th and Franklin Streets. Its clock and rooftop lettering made it one of Oakland’s most recognizable sights. When the neon stopped working, it was restored in the 1990s and lit up the skyline again.

The Oakland Tribune left the building in 2007, but the tower and its sign remain. The offices below have changed occupants; the name up top still belongs to an earlier chapter of downtown Oakland.

UPDATE: The Tribune letters remain on the tower, though reports in 2026 raise questions about how consistently the neon and clocks are being maintained. 09-26

Hills Brothers Coffee (Closed)
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Gorb70

The red rooftop letters for Hills Bros. Coffee still look right at home above San Francisco’s waterfront. Below them stands the old coffee plant, built in 1926 with patterned brickwork, tall arched windows, and a tower that did more than dress up the roofline. Coffee beans were dropped through it during processing, putting gravity to work before the roasting was done. 06-07

For decades, the plant made its presence known beyond the building. The smell of roasting coffee drifted through the neighborhood, giving anyone passing along the Embarcadero a pretty good clue about what was happening inside. A trip past Hills Bros. came with a little something extra in the air.

UPDATE: The former plant remains in use for other purposes, and the red Hills Bros. letters still mark the waterfront building. The roasting aroma is gone, but the sign keeps the coffee story in view. 09-26

Rainbow Bridge
Donner Trail, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Rainbow Bridge curves across a rocky ravine above Donner Lake. Built in 1926, it carried Lincoln Highway travelers over Donner Pass and later became part of U.S. Highway 40. The arch is still a fine sight when it comes into view along the mountain road.

After years of Sierra winters, the bridge was restored in the 1990s rather than lost to demolition. Traffic still crosses it today, though Interstate 80 now carries most travelers through the area.

UPDATE: Rainbow Bridge remains open on Donner Pass Road, overlooking Donner Lake much as it did in the old highway days. 09-26

Furniture Mart (Closed)
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Gorb70

The Furniture Mart fills a whole block of Market Street in San Francisco, with an Art Deco exterior grand enough to make shopping for a chair feel like serious business. Built in 1937, it brought furniture makers and buyers together under one roof. In the days before clicking through a catalog online, this was where retailers could see what might be headed for their showroom floors. 02-07

Inside, the mart was a collection of wholesale displays rather than a regular furniture store. Buyers could walk from one room to the next, comparing sofas, tables, lamps, and whatever else might tempt customers back home. When this photo was captioned in 2007, the building was still serving the furniture trade.

That chapter ended in 2008. Many exhibitors had moved on, and the showrooms closed. The big building did not stay quiet for long, though. It was renovated and renamed Market Square, with its former display spaces turned into offices. Twitter later made the old mart its San Francisco headquarters, giving the place a whole new kind of name recognition.

UPDATE: The furniture showrooms and their signs are gone, but the 1937 building still stands along Market Street. Its tenants have changed, while the Art Deco exterior remains a reminder of the days when buyers came here looking for the next living room set. 09-26

Dutch Windmill
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Gorb70

The Dutch Windmill was first constructed in 1902 and currently resides in Golden Gate. Despite being restored in the 1980's, the windmill is again falling to neglect and decay and is in need for restoration. The windmill was recently featured in a Huell Howser show. 06-07

The sails could draw thousands of gallons of groundwater an hour and send it toward a reservoir on Strawberry Hill. Electric pumps took over that work in 1913, leaving the windmill without much to do beyond looking splendid. Ocean weather was not kind to it, though, and by the middle of the century it had fallen into serious disrepair.

A restoration effort brought the old landmark back between the 1970s and early 1980s. When this photo was captioned in 2007, its condition was again a concern. Since then, the windmill and its surroundings have received further care, though the coastal air remains a challenge.

UPDATE: The Dutch Windmill still stands beside the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden. It no longer pumps water, but it remains one of Golden Gate Park’s most memorable sights. 09-26

Hallidie Building
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Gorb70

The Hallidie is a historic building located in the Financial District of San Francisco. Willis Polk designed the facade of the building, originally built around 1917. Many thanks to Gorb70 for info. 06-07

From the sidewalk on Sutter Street, the Hallidie Building gives anyone looking up quite a lot to take in. Its broad glass front is crossed by ornate iron balconies and fire escapes, turning what might have been a plain office building into something much more interesting. The glass may look familiar now, but it was an adventurous choice when the building opened in 1918.

After years of wear, the facade received a major restoration between 2011 and 2013. Workers repaired the decorative metalwork and windows, helping preserve the view from the street. The ground floor has changed as well; it now houses a public center for architecture and design.

UPDATE: The Hallidie Building remains in use on Sutter Street. Its restored glass and iron facade is still the main attraction for anyone passing by with a moment to look up. 09-26