Photo from across North Pacific Street in Oceanside of the famous Top Gun House, an historical landmark that will be restored.
Today I headed up the coast to enjoy a walk around Oceanside.
During my small adventure I paused to look at Oceanside’s famous Top Gun House, which is located at the corner of North Pacific Street and Seagaze Drive. It’s the small beach house in the popular 1986 movie where Maverick ate dinner with his love interest Charlie.
A nearby sign provided some information about the house’s historical significance and planned restoration:
“Built in 1887 by Dr. Henry Graves as a vacation home, the Graves House is an ocean front Queen Anne Cottage and is now the “last best” existing such house in San Diego County, as recognized by SOHO (the Save Our Heritage Organization).
The house is best known by most people as the “Top Gun House” because of its prominent role in the movie of the same name. Scenes between Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis were filmed here in 1985 and the popular movie was released in 1986.
Complete house restoration pending hotel development on this site.
Oceanside Historical Society.”
I spoke with a friendly Downtown Ambassador of MainStreet Oceanside at an information table by the foot of the Oceanside Pier, and she said there are plans to not only restore “Charlie’s House”, but to move it one block north, nearer the pier. That valuable oceanfront lot is also awaiting development.
The Top Gun House sits in a corner of a large empty lot that is awaiting development. A hotel will be built here, a block from the Oceanside Pier.A sign near the Top Gun House provides information for curious people walking past.On the front of the house is a classic Top Gun poster and a vintage photo of the house as it once looked, long ago.Photo of the south side of the small Queen Anne style cottage.The famous Top Gun House will be restored and enjoyed by the local community and the movie’s many fans for years to come.
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All sorts of wood can be found under the North Harbor Drive Bridge, where the historic boat Butcher Boy is undergoing a thorough restoration.
This morning, as I drove up Harbor Drive toward Point Loma, I suddenly remembered that the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s turn-of-the-century racing sloop Butcher Boy is being restored at Spanish Landing, where the galleon San Salvador was built a few years back. Work on the much smaller Butcher Boy is being carried out in a sheltered place under the North Harbor Drive Bridge.
Even though I’m no expert when it comes to sloops–or nautical stuff in general–I do love to look at boats and ships that sail. There seems to be something about white sails, sunlight on water, and wind-lashed voyages across rolling expanses that appeals deeply to the human spirit.
So, anyway, I decided to pull into the nearby parking lot to see what progress has been made in restoring Butcher Boy to its former glory.
I was able to take a few photos.
Even though no museum volunteers were at work in the early morning, and the large ship saw was covered with a tarp, a nearby sign provided some interesting information about these unique saws used by shipwrights. The angle of a ship saw blade can be changed as a cut is being made, so that compound curves can be created with a single cut.
“Butcher Boy, which had similarly named counterparts up and down the West Coast, was conceived by Charles S. Hardy, owner of the Bay City Market on Fifth and Broadway downtown.
‘Boss Hardy,’ as he was known, needed a boat sturdy enough to handle any weather and fast enough to beat competitors out to the big ships anchored offshore, off what was commonly known as Spanish Bight and Dutch Flats.
Hardy turned to boatyard owner Manuel Goularte, a native of the Portuguese Azores. The model was the double-ended salmon boat sailed so successfully on the Sacramento and Columbia rivers.
A boat-building style that originated in Italy and the Mediterranean can also be seen in Butcher Boy, said Ashley, a style then favored by first-generation Italian fishermen in San Francisco Bay.
‘The gaff rig originated with the 15th-century Dutch,’ Ashley said. ‘Even though she was built as a work boat, she was beautiful, really special even in her own time.’
‘Everybody around the bay stops to look at her now. It’s like she’s sailing out of a Winslow Homer painting.’
Framed in oak and planked in cedar, Butcher Boy is 29 feet, 11 inches long, with an 81/2-foot beam. The mainsail and jib carry 604 square feet of sail.”
If you are curious, and want to see historical photos of Butcher Boy under sail, and a detailed description of the restoration work now being done, please read the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s blog by clicking here.
A sign that describes a ship saw, recalling how this particular one was used to build the Spanish galleon replica San Salvador.Lots of lumber!I took this photo of the unrestored Butcher Boy two and a half years ago for another blog post. At the time it was on display on the barge behind the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s steam ferry Berkeley.Photo of the Butcher Boy’s restoration in progress, taken one August 2018 morning at San Diego’s Spanish Landing.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
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About two dozen antique automobiles and thousands of collectibles can be viewed during a visit to the J. A. Cooley Museum in San Diego.
Last Sunday I visited one of San Diego’s most surprising museums. It’s located in University Heights, at 4233 Park Boulevard. There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of it. It’s called the J. A. Cooley Museum.
The J. A. Cooley Museum shares its 10,000 square foot space with the Frank the Train Man hobby shop, which was founded by Frank Cox in 1943 and originally opened its doors in another building at the corner of Park and El Cajon Boulevard. Today’s store and museum are operated by Jim Cooley and his wife, Carmen, who’ve been avidly collecting antiques for well over half a century.
Jim, who can usually be found hanging around the museum entrance, is a friendly gentleman with endless stories about his passion for collecting and preserving bits of history. Step inside the museum and it’s immediately apparent that he really loves antique automobiles.
This utterly amazing museum, which doesn’t advertise or have a website of its own, contains a world-class collection of early automobiles, some of which are extremely rare or even one-of-a-kind. The museum also contains a treasure trove of other antiques, including antique phonographs . . . cameras . . . amazing Standard Gauge trains . . . cast iron toys . . . clocks . . . coffee grinders . . . railroad lanterns . . . irons . . . hardware tools . . . even old-fashioned spittoons!
Over the years, Jim has collected all sorts of objects that have interested him, often saving them from being thrown away. For example, he told me around World War II, when spittoons were being discarded in large numbers, he’d see some in a trash truck and retrieve them. Now he has hundreds of them!
The most impressive part of his museum, however, is the jaw-dropping collection of antique automobiles–many well over a century old–which he has patiently acquired over time without an enormous expenditure of money.
Even if many San Diegans are unfamiliar with the J. A. Cooley Museum, serious car aficionados seem to know all about it. People sometimes fly in from around the world to see the collection. The museum’s reputation is such that from time to time a movie studio will borrow a rare old car for filming–for example the 1914 Renaut that was used in Titanic.
I was told by Jim that when General Motors borrowed one his cars for an exposition, GM executives came out to San Diego to look at the museum and were so impressed, they donated their incredible Buick XP 2000, a fully automated 1994 self-driving concept car!
The funny thing is, when I swung by on Sunday and spent a good hour walking about the museum in a state of complete and utter amazement, I saw no other visitors.
I learned Jim wouldn’t mind having more people swing on by. So if you live in San Diego or are planning a trip, look up the Frank the Train Man hobby shop. Step through the front door and the absolutely amazing J. A. Cooley Museum, and possibly Jim himself, await you!
Upon entering the J. A. Cooley Museum, visitors walk past a row of very old cars. On the left is a 1914 Ford Model T.1910 Hunt Special, the only car ever manufactured in San Diego. Just one car was produced by Mr. William Hunt of National City, ordered by Mr. Arnie Babcock, whose father built the Hotel del Coronado.1933 Franklin Olympic, produced the year before Franklin Motor Company ceased operations during the Great Depression.1929 Franklin Model 135, produced the first year that Franklin offered a steel frame and hydraulic brakes.1913 Cadillac Model 48. This car on display is the most original 1913 Cadillac left in existence today.1912 Carter Car. The body of the Carter Car is made of compressed papier-mâché composite panels over wood framing. This car on display is the only Carter Car Sedan left in existence.Buick XP 2000, a fully automated 1994 self-driving concept car that was donated to the J. A. Cooley Museum because the designer was very impressed by the collection of rare cars when GM executives visited the museum.A couple of early cameras among a vast collection of antiques and memorabilia inside the J. A. Cooley Museum.Behind some cars you’ll find a rare WurliTzer Model 153 Band Organ.An antique two-horn Duplex Phonograph.An antique Edison Concert Phonograph.An old photo of the Frank The Train Man storefront over an Edison Home Phonograph.One wall and a couple of glass display cases filled with fantastic old collectibles and Americana.Shelves and shelves of old cameras.Shelves filled with old irons.Cast iron horse drawn toy fire engines.Shelves and shelves of Standard Gauge toy train locomotives and cars from 1900 to the 1940’s.Lionel toy train accessories including buildings and railroad crossing signals.All sorts of old manual typewriters and calculating machines. (I must be an antique, too, because I used a manual typewriter when I was a young man!)One corner of the J. A. Cooley Museum contains shelves of spittoons, coffee grinders, old lanterns and more!1895 E. A. Gardner Buggy, the only lightweight horse-drawn carriage that was built in San Diego known to exist today.1885 Benz Model 1. The first vehicle in world history that used an internal combustion engine. They were produced from 1885 to 1926, when the company merged with Mercedes.1895 Benz Velo. The world’s first mass-produced vehicle. 67 were built the first year, 135 the second.1899 Mobile Steamer. Built under Stanley Patents from 1899 to 1903.A bunch of old-fashioned oil cans and various other cool objects.Cuckoo and mantel clocks, and a historical display of different California license plates!So many fantastic old objects and collectibles, my eyes almost popped out of my head.I believe these are cast iron coin banks.All sorts of cast iron figures and toys, including an awesome motorcycle!Two shelves containing railroad lanterns.Some classic Coca Cola trays and even more antique collectibles.A bunch of jugs!1900 Doctor’s Buggy. The narrow, light body allowed for quick travel during medical emergencies. The tires are metal.1900 Crest. This extremely original car is also very rare, with few left in existence today.1905 Cadillac Model F. This particular unrestored car was bought new over a century ago by famed newspaper founder Ira Copley.There’s so much cool stuff inside the J. A. Cooley Museum your head might explode!Front and center is a 1910 Brush Model D, just one of many amazing old automobiles exhibited inside the J. A. Cooley Museum in San Diego!
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The golden garb of Terran Empire royalty. All hail the Emperor, Philippa Georgiou Augustus Iaponius Centarius.
Uniforms, props and weapons that appear in the Mirror Universe episodes of Star Trek: Discovery are being exhibited in the Gaslamp Quarter during 2018 San Diego Comic-Con! It’s free and the general public is welcome.
Last year’s Star Trek: Discovery exhibit was amazing, and this year there’s a cool new twist. The various uniforms and weapons that are on display are all from Star Trek’s dark Mirror Universe.
If you enjoy Star Trek or simply want to see some really fantastic, detailed props, check it out! You can also pose for a photo on Emperor Georgiou’s throne or visit an official Star Trek shop with collectible Comic-Con exclusives!
The Star Trek: Discovery Mirror Universe Exhibit at 2018 San Diego Comic-Con. Long Live the Empire.Emperor Georgiou’s Imperial Sword and Scabbard, Terran Empire Throwing Disc, Imperial Guard Truncheon.Michael Burnham’s Terran Empire Captain Uniform.Emperor Georgiou Undercover Attire.Paul Stamet’s Terran Empire Science Uniform and Keyla Detmer’s Terran Empire First Officer Uniform.Sylvia Tilly’s Terran Empire Captain Uniform.Ash Tyler’s Terran Empire Security Uniform.Uniforms of the Resistance are also on display.Terran Resistance Officer.Mirror Universe Sarek.Terran Empire Phaser Rifle, Terran Empire Hand Phaser, Terran Empire Daggers, Terran Empire Hand Agonizer.Captain Lorca Terran Armor and Jacket.Many fantastic uniforms, props and weapons are on display at the Star Trek: Discovery Mirror Universe Exhibit at 2018 San Diego Comic-Con.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
An astronaut gives a Hang Loose hand signal as he hovers near a satellite high above planet Earth!
Head into Imperial Beach along Palm Avenue and you’ll be treated to colorful art!
Here are some photos that I took yesterday!
A very cool space mural on one side of the AT&T building on Palm Avenue in Imperial Beach. By artists Todd Stands and Dave Frink.As drivers head west down Palm Avenue, a mural featuring a gray whale welcomes them to Imperial Beach.Art on fence between Palm Avenue and the old salt ponds of south San Diego Bay, now part of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Reserve.One side of the AT&T building at 13th Street has colorful, spiritual jellyfish that seem to communicate electrically!The mural on the front of the AT&T building includes a big whale.And lots of super colorful shore birds.Beautiful public art welcomes visitors to Imperial Beach.Another whale in the mural.A pod of dolphins swims across an electrical box.More beautiful street art.I spotted a couple of native Eastern Pacific green sea turtles across Palm Avenue near 12th Street!Carly Ealey painted Cosmic Tides in Imperial Beach for Pangeaseed’s Sea Walls Murals for Oceans.
UPDATE!
On a much later walk, I noticed there’s a plaque on the AT&T building, describing its mural project. The colorful murals on three sides are together titled Beyond Words.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
A large bunker-like structure has been built in one corner of Amazon’s huge Jack Ryan Experience offsite for 2018 San Diego Comic-Con.
A week to go and more stuff is showing up outside 2018 San Diego Comic-Con!
I walked around the Gaslamp Quarter and East Village after work and got some photos! Nothing has appeared yet behind the San Diego Convention Center, or outside Petco Park. Once the ESRI conference ends and the Padres finish their home stand, I’ll bet that changes rapidly!
Read the captions!
Another photo of the Jack Ryan Experience taken one week before Comic-Con. You can see the zip line.The huge helicopter now stands near a mock building whose doors have Moorish-looking arches.Guys work on the helicopter which seems to have a fresh coat of glossy paint.The entrance to LAIKA LIVE San Diego appears ready to go. It opens tomorrow–Friday afternoon–six days before 2018 Comic-Con!If you read the final update near the end of my last blog post, you’ll recognize this mystery object!The cool DC Universe wrap on the Hilton Gaslamp appears to be halfway applied.A building wrap on the Omni Hotel is just getting started. Looks to me like it promotes The Gifted.Walking through the Gaslamp yesterday, I saw this scary clown head on the Fifth Avenue sidewalk, but today it’s gone!Amazon is erecting an offsite that promotes their Fire TV and popular channels that it features. You can find it at the corner of Market Street and Seventh Avenue.Graphic on the Fire TV tent. Watch Disenchantment on Netflix starting August 17.
UPDATE!
Here are photos taken late Friday. Lots of new offsites and wraps are beginning to appear!
With less than a week to go, Comic-Con International logos have appeared all over the San Diego Convention Center!A guy driving a lift around the convention center is getting stuff ready for 2018 Comic-Con!A big building wrap on the Omni Hotel will promote Amazon’s upcoming show Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.Hulu’s offsite promoting Castle Rock is rising near the New Children’s Museum in San Diego.Workers get the Castle Rock activation ready for 2018 Comic-Con.More work has been done on the Jack Ryan Experience. The Jack Ryan Training Field allows fans to immerse themselves in a hyper-reality virtual reality spy experience.The huge bunker-like escape room in one corner of the Jack Ryan Experience has a cool seal. JACK RYAN DARK OPS.The cool DC Universe wrap on the Hilton Gaslamp is almost completed.A wrap on the Omni Hotel promoting The Gifted, above initial construction of an NBC offsite near the Tin Fish. Fans will experience The Good Place.Guys in charge of erecting The Good Place offsite for 2018 San Diego Comic-Con confer in the summer sunshine.A big Conan O’Brien wrap is being placed on the Marriott Marquis. The design appears similar to this year’s Conan trolley wrap.A building wrap is being applied to the Hilton Bayfront, and the Adult Swim offsite has barely begun to appear. No FXhibition as of yet.I don’t recognize what this wrap promotes–not yet! The motorcycle suggests it might by the new FX series Mayans MC–the spin-off from Sons of Anarchy. Feel free to leave a comment if you know!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
I plan to take tons of photos during 2018 Comic-Con!
This morning I observed that DC Comics is beginning to set up an offsite for 2018 San Diego Comic-Con.
A big crane had begun lifting stuff up onto the terrace of the Hilton Gaslamp. Crates on a truck were marked Chaos Room, Swamp Thing and Chief’s Lab.
I was told by one guy working on the project that the offsite would include a Batmobile! Perhaps that explains the heavy duty crane. It appears this DC Universe project is being built by Giant Spoon.
I’ve also included a quick photo of the WB superheroes Rabbitville sculpture which is just inside the lobby of the Hilton Gaslamp.
As I see more, I’ll post updates here!
UPDATE!
Late today–Tuesday–I walked around the DC Comics offsite again. Looking high and low, I didn’t locate the Batmobile, but I did see a big DC Comics building wrap being placed on the exterior of the Hilton Gaslamp. The graphic includes lots of cool comic book covers, featuring a variety of different DC Universe characters!
The beginnings of a DC Comics building wrap on the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, site of their 2018 Comic-Con offsite!
UPDATE! SPOILERS!
I saw it early Wednesday morning! The Batmobile has arrived for the DC Universe offsite at the Hilton Gaslamp! It’s the one from Batman Returns!
I’ve also learned Penguin’s big duck vehicle from that same movie will also be present!
Batmobile from Batman Returns arrives in San Diego for the DC Universe offsite during 2018 Comic-Con!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
I often drive down Miramar Road past the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum. When I do, I usually turn my head to see if any people are outside investigating the dozens of unique military aircraft that are on display. Few people seem to visit.
The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, located at MCAS Miramar, is open free to the general public. It features all sorts of airplanes and helicopters that have been used by the United State Marine Corps over the decades.
When I first visited the museum last year, I was floored by the extent of its collection. While many of the aircraft might not be restored to pristine condition, they each represent a fascinating era in U. S. military history. Visitors to the museum can also see other equipment that has been used by the Marines, including tanks and artillery pieces.
Most impressively, the museum owns the actual helicopter that was last to leave Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War. That Sea Knight helicopter’s call sign was Lady Ace 09. If you’d like to see photographs of Lady Ace 09, and learn a bit more about that moment in history, click here.
The following photos depict just a fraction of what you’ll discover at the museum.
The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum seems to be a little known gem in San Diego. Those who are interested in 20th century history, aviation or the United States Marine Corps should definitely swing on by!
The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, open free to the public, is located at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.Inside the museum, a variety of exhibits detail different aircraft that have been used by the United States Marine Corps.Dozens of historical Marine aircraft can be viewed outdoors at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum in San Diego.Beechcraft T-34B Mentor.General Motors FM-2 Wildcat.Northrup F-5E Tiger II.Grumman F9F-2 Panther.Hawker-Siddeley AV-8A(C) Harrier.Bell AH-1J SeaCobra.Sikorsky HUS-1 (UH-34D) Seahorse.Bell 214ST.McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawk II.Visitors to the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum learn about the history of one airplane in a very large and fascinating collection.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
Amazon will be promoting their new Jack Ryan web television series in a big way during 2018 San Diego Comic-Con, and their cool offsite The Jack Ryan Experience is now under construction.
You’ll find it in that big parking lot off First Avenue, north of Harbor Drive, where Blade Runner 2049 was located last year.
UPDATE!
I took those first two photos this morning–Friday. This evening after work I swung on by again and noticed that red steps are now in place that climb up to a zip line.
UPDATE!
I took more photos on Sunday afternoon. Some graphics are going up, plus what appears to be a large United States military helicopter in the middle of the parking lot. I’m told visitors to The Jack Ryan Experience will find themselves immersed in a Middle Eastern setting. It will be interesting to see what develops!
UPDATE!
I’ve taken a bunch more photos! You can see how the construction has progressed by checking out one of my later San Diego Comic-Con blog posts, by clicking here.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
According to a sign in a window, the retail space at 635 Fifth Avenue is available as a temporary space for San Diego Comic-Con.
Two weeks to go and counting!
I’ve spotted a few more signs that San Diego Comic-Con is on the way!
I suspect most of the building wraps, banners, and offsite venue construction will begin materializing sometime next week.
I’ll keep watching for new stuff!
Pacific San Diego Magazine’s latest issue has hit the streets. It includes an article about Aquaman appearing at 2018 Comic-ConOmnia nightclub has its lineup ready for Comic-Con weekend.An advertisement for the upcoming movie Skyscraper has been conveniently slapped on a construction site near the center of the Gaslamp Quarter.Chef Santiago of the Donut Bar has his cool Deadpool Ferrari parked on B Street.A couple of posters promoting Castle Rock have appeared in the Gaslamp, including a coveted spot near the Tin Fish.The City of San Diego has placed signage out indicating street closures for a very special event: 2018 Comic-Con!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Cool San Diego Sights! 