This “Then & Now” panorama looks toward The Saint Francis Hotel from Union Square, blending a historic black-and-white street scene with a modern color view of the same urban backdrop. The hotel’s large, windowed facade anchors the right side, while the foreground shifts from rough ground and scattered belongings to clean paving, railings, and everyday foot traffic.
On the historic side, a crowd gathers near makeshift bedding and stacked trunks, with men in period clothing moving through a busy, unsettled scene. Crates, fabric, and personal items fill the frame, suggesting a moment when Union Square functioned as a temporary refuge as well as a public meeting place.
In the contemporary half, the square reads as a lively civic space, with pedestrians passing a bike-rental area and clear signage under a sleek canopy. Together, the two halves create a powerful San Francisco history comparison, highlighting how Union Square and the Saint Francis Hotel setting have evolved while remaining a recognizable landmark view.