Category: Heidi Schave

While many people associate the Bay Area with the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and excellent restaurants, the city is also known by residents for its dark and haunted sites. Whether you believe in ghosts or are fascinated by macabre history, San Francisco is an excellent vacation destination for those looking to break away from the typical tourist activities. Heidi Schave, historian and previous San Francisco resident, has previously discussed the bay area’s haunted in CBS San Francisco’s Eye On The Bay: Haunted Bay Area and hopes to share some of the stories from the special with readers today. Below, Heidi Schave will share some of the most well known haunted locations within the greater San Francisco area.

William Westerfield House

Built in 1889, the William Westerfield House widely recognized for its connection to occult filmmaker Kenneth Anger, who resided in the house while developing the 11-min horror film, Invocation of My Demon Brother. Infamous serial killer Charles Manson, a former resident of the Bay Area, befriended Kenneth Anger in 1960s and would frequently visit the house during this time and discuss “the Family” activities with Anger. In fact, it was Kenneth Anger who convinced fellow friend Bobby Beausoleil to join Mason’s Family, and would go on to murder Gary Himan on Manson’s orders in 1969. In addition to Kenneth Anger, the house is also known for housing Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, who conducted rituals in the upper floors of the house.

City of Colma

The City of Colma, otherwise known as the “City of Souls” or “The City of the Silent,”resides in San Mateo county and is currently home to 1,800 residents. The city living population, however, is outnumbered as the city was originally built as a necropolis and houses nearly 1.5 million souls within its seventeen cemeteries. The infamous city is currently home to many deceased celebrities including Levi Strauss, Joe DiMaggio, and William Randolph Hearst. Today, the city hosts many haunted tours all year round and has given itself the witty slogan “its great to be alive in Colma.”

Moss Beach Distillery

Built in 1927, the Moss Beach Distillery was a popular bar that attracted a number of individuals including “The Blue Lady.” According to local legend, 80 years ago, the woman in blue came to the Moss Beach Distillery and met the bar’s charming piano player. Although she was married, shortly after meeting, the Blue Lady and the piano player began an affair. The affair was short lived, however, as the couple were attacked on the beach just outside the bar where the Blue Lady was murdered. Ever since, visitors of the Moss Beach Distillery have heard mysterious knocking, objects levitating and shadowy figures.

Throughout the majority of American naval history, naval battles took place in an organized manner, with ships facing off and bombarding each other with cannon and gunfire. When ship-to-ship fighting was commonplace, the two most important aspects of a war vessel were the number of weapons it could hold and the extent of its armor. With a large number of guns firing broadside, any ship of the line could destroy an enemy’s hull, wrecking her rigging, and capture her crew. However, during this period of history, the range of guns and cannons was limited, meaning navies had to get within close range of each other in order to land any blows. This proved challenging for military forces who hoped to limit damage to their own ship while keeping their enemy in range. In response, naval forces throughout the world began a race to develop a ship that could withstand enemy fire while holding a large arsenal of cannons and long-range guns.

Although no battleships remain in service within the United States Navy, their significance within the United States naval history is beyond dispute. USS Hornet Museum Education Director, Heidi Schave, has spent the last fourteen years teaching students and visitors about the significance of battleships throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and their role in influencing modern aircraft carriers. Today, Heidi Schave will discuss the battleship’s origin and the creation of the United States Navy’s first battleship, the USS Texas.

By the late 1880s, the United States was alarmed by the proximity of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile’s European-built warships. In response to the possibility of these warships operating in American waters, America’s Naval Consulting Board began plans for acquiring “ironclads” or battleships of their own. The board requested that these American ironclads be able to use all American naval bases and meet a minimum speed of 17 knots. Within six years, American naval engineers were able to meet these requirements and, in 1892, created the first American, the USS Texas. The USS Texas, measured just over 308 feet, displaced 6,300 long tons, reached speeds of 17.8 knots, and was armed with two 35-caliber 12 inch primary and six 30 caliber 6-inch secondary guns.

Due to the issues plaguing the US industry at the time of the USS Texas’s creation, the battleship was already out of date by the time it was finished. However, the USS Texas remains one of the most prominent ships within American naval history and continues to impact naval advancements today.

Although World War 2 saw the end of Battleship dominance in naval forces, the role of the battleships in the Atlantic and the Pacific theater were key in the defeat of the Axis powers. Throughout the course of the Second World War, large fleets of battleships were used as driving naval forces by allied countries, primarily in bombardment missions and to cover other naval ships. While today, aircraft carriers have largely replaced battleship’s role in the US navy, the history of battleships during WW2 is not only essential to American naval history but world history. Heidi Shave, Museum Education Director for the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda, CA, has spent many years educating museum visitors on the importance of battleships within American naval history. Today, Heidi Schave will highlight the importance of battleships during World War 2 and how battleship’s offensive and defensive strength helped the allies in both the Pacific and Atlantic theaters.

Growing Popularity in the 20th Century

The first images of modern armored ships first entered the military ware far during the American civil army war when the Confederacy’s CSS Virginia and the Union’s USS Monitor fought in 1862. Although the battle ended in a draw, this was seen as the first instance of a growing trend of combining steam engines with heavy iron armor to protect ships and their crew. In WW1, however, the popularity of battleships skyrocketed as countries from around the world discovered the benefits of battleship’s thick armor and impressive firepower capabilities.

Offensive and Defensive Strength

In both the Atlantic and Pacific, older models of American battleships were used to carry out extensive bombardments on enemy shores, while new, faster American battleships were used to escort aircraft carriers and provide an extra defense of anti-aircraft fire. This bombardment tactic’s goal was to provoke the Japanese military into drawing its reserve aircraft force into battle and disrupt industry production of military goods. While American battleships were used for various missions throughout the war, they were most commonly used to provide cover for other ships and bombard Japan and Japan-occupied islands.

Most Decorated WW2 Battleship

By far, the most decorated WW2 battleship was the USS New Jersey, which earned distinction in WW2 and later the Korean War, Vietnam War, the Cold War, and conflicts in the Middle East. After being launched on the one-year anniversary of Pearl Harbor, the Battleship New Jersey went on to travel more miles, fire more shells, and fight in more battles than any other battleship in history. During WW2, the Battleship New Jersey fought in battles in Guam and Okinawa and screened aircraft carriers based in the Marshall Islands.