Take a moment today to look at these San Francisco houses of yore

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Bygone structures that almost withstood the test of time

By Brock Keeling@BrockKeeling Aug 17, 2017, 2:32pm PDT

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Charles W. Cushman’s private color photos, now available via the Indiana University Archives, feature scenes of San Francisco’s vivid past. From the World’s Fair to circa-1967 Haight street hippies, Cushman documented the city like no other.

After all, how many photogs captured a man and his pet raccoon going for a walk on Telegraph Hill?

But of all his shots, the ones of razed San Francisco homes might be of most interest to architecture geeks. From homes to a few structures that are no more, here are a few of our favorites.

↑ Old frame house at southwest corner of Franklin and Jackson. Demolished in May 1954. (Photos take in 1953)

↑ Old frame house at 2610 Jackson, Alta Plaza. (1953)

↑ Old house at northwest corner of Lyon and Pacific. (1953)

↑ Unpainted frame house, northeast corner of 21st and Church. (1952)

↑ Amusement Beach below Sutro Heights, beach below Cliff House and Sutro Forest. Businesses: Bull Pup Enchiladas, Rifle Range, Little Theatre, Cliff House. (1952)

↑ Old Fortmann mansion on Eddy and Gough. (1959)

↑ Old house on Franklin between Clay and Washington. (1960)

↑ Mansion guest house at Franklin and Clay. (1960)

↑ Coast guard buildings below north end of Golden Gate bridge San Francisco on a late November afternoon. (1961)

↑ Ruins of the old St. Mary's Cathedral, Van Ness at O'Farrell. (1962)