Chagrined by Sign Hill piece

Sign Hill shows pride in the past

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/sign-hill-shows-pride-in-the-past/article_a78ded28-9e95-11e8-8a24-4fe87bf14a0c.html

By Jim Clifford Aug 13, 2018

South San Francisco’s famous hillside sign makes sure motorists traveling north on Highway 101 know they are in “The Industrial City.” Drivers, however, may wonder about the industry claim since technology has clearly replaced the steel mills, shipyards and slaughterhouses that dominated South San Francisco’s past. South City, home to Genentech, now boasts on a prominent downtown sign that it is “the birthplace of biotechnology.”

The giant hillside sign reading “South San Francisco The Industrial City” traces its roots back to 1923 when the Chamber of Commerce decided to lure more business to a city that already was home to several major industries. The first sign was a whitewashed one that was replaced six years later by a larger, more permanent sign made of concrete 4 inches thick that would eventually make its way to the National Register of Historic Places.

Over the years, South San Francisco attracted less and less industry. Some people wanted the sign taken down, but their efforts met strong opposition and the sign was listed on the national register in 1996.

Voters approved a tax to cover the $5,000 tab for the familiar sign we still see today that forms three lines on the hill. The first reading “South” is 166 feet, the second at 484 feet says “San Francisco” and the third, “The Industrial City,” is 628 feet. The letters themselves range from 48 to 65 feet in height with the width varying from a 10-foot wide “I” to a 22-foot, 8-inch wide “S.”

When the sign was erected, South San Francisco was home to a long list of industrial firms, including Western Meat Company, W.P. Fuller Paint and Pacific Coast Steel. South San Francisco also made a name for itself in ship building. In World War II, 45 ships were built at the shipyard at Oyster Point where four berths were located and the ships side launched into the water.

Over the years, South San Francisco attracted less and less industry. Some people wanted the sign taken down, but their efforts met strong opposition and the sign was listed on the national register in 1996. The fight to save it was headed by Edna Spangler Harks, a founding member of the South San Francisco historical society, who viewed the sign as a “matter of pride.”

The hill is important for things other than the sign. Close to San Bruno Mountain, it is home to the graceful Mission Blue butterfly as well as various species of birds such as egrets and gulls. It features a seasonal array of colorful irises and California poppies. In addition, the view from the hill is spectacular, well worth a hike, which is tough in spots, to the point that it can feel like playing slip-and-slide along the trek to the trailhead for the Letters Trail that runs along the base of the letters.

One of the five trails is named for Alphonse Seubert, an original member of the South San Francisco Beautification Committee. Seubert was known as “Mr. Sign Hill” because of his work on the landmark, which included helping to develop the trails. Seubert, who died in 2006, was a regular on the hill, often spotted watering seedlings he had planted.

The 45 acres the city owns in the Sign Hill area were recently increased by 21 acres, thanks to a donation of land by the Ross and Colleen Liberty family and the hard work of such activists groups as Friends of Sign Hill and San Bruno Mountain Watch. Plans call for naming the newly-acquired open space “Friends of Liberty Park.” A suggestion for future plans: How about a few benches, so weary hikers can rest while enjoying the breath-taking views?

The Rear View Mirror by history columnist Jim Clifford appears in the Daily Journal every other Monday. Objects in The Mirror are closer than they appear.