San Francisco Aerials: Balloon Over City and Civic Center, 1920s

Soar above the Bay with "San Francisco Aerials," a silent 1920s film lifting off in a balloon from the Civic Center, capturing the city in black-and-white splendor. The ascent unveils City Hall’s gleaming dome—rebuilt post-1906 quake—then drifts over a patchwork of rooftops, bustling streets, and fog-kissed hills, from Nob Hill to the waterfront. The camera pans across this urban tapestry before circling back to City Hall, descending to a gentle landing amid the plaza’s sprawl. A breathtaking relic for history buffs, aviation enthusiasts, and San Francisco heritage fans, it’s a rare bird’s-eye glimpse of a roaring city in its Jazz Age prime.