The Case Of The Curious Bride - Lotta's Fountain
Then … The action returns to San Francisco where from an elevated vantage point we see Lotta’s drinking fountain, an iconic monument at the busy junction of Market Street, Geary and Kearny (map). Streetcars pass by in each direction along Market.
… and Now, here’s Lotta’s fountain today, viewed from street level - the blank sign at the far left corner is where the Willett Chiropractor sign (above) was, at 690 Market Street. Modern streetcars pass by on Market now but wait a minute, check out the fountain - its column is way shorter than it was.
… another view … Here’s a fascinating contemporaneous 1930s vintage photo looking down Geary Street from Market. A man hunches over the fountain, mid-drink; a lively bustling scene is captured, of bars and hotels, of restaurants, of professional offices, tailors, dentists and doctors (why, you could even get your piles cured here). Vibrant, unlike today’s stagnant version. CitySleuth has indicated the four story corner building at 2 Geary Street from whose roof the Then movie clip at the top of this post was filmed.
… and Now, the 2 Geary Street building was built in 1908 and is still there, as are many of the buildings stretching down the block. The St. Francis Hotel at Union Square three blocks down Geary, above, is mostly hidden from here by trees but its added tower block is clearly visible rising above them.
… the original fountain … The fountain was gifted to the city of San Francisco by vaudeville actress Lotta Crabtree in 1875. Here it is, c. 1880, again looking down Geary, so today’s fountain matches the original. In 1917 its column was extended to increase its height to match newly installed street lamps; this was the version filmed in the movie. Then in a 1998 restoration it was changed back to its original height after the ageing column was damaged in a windstorm.
But what most endeared the fountain to the City was its association with the 1906 earthquake and fire; for months afterwards it served as a reunion spot for separated friends and family members. Every year since then a memorial gathering has been held here at 5:12 am on April 18, the time the terrible temblor struck. Another memorable gathering, reportedly 250,000 strong (below), witnessed famed opera soprano Luisa Tettrazzini decked out in an ostrich boa and a large hat perform at a free concert on Christmas Eve 1910 next to the fountain, ending with a rousing ‘Auld Lang Syne’. Close your eyes and imagine for a moment how it must have sounded; for the huge throng joining in, still scarred by the recent earthquake, old acquaintances would indeed never be forgotten.
Now in jail, prime suspect Rhoda is visited by Perry Mason. Always the epicurean, the attorney even brings along a tasty meal. She recounts how she went to see her ex the night he died, but he started slapping her around. The lights went out, she felt the presence of someone else and during the whole incident heard the doorbell ringing. She ran off and returned home. The plot thickens … a slew of other suspects has emerged.