Not many people can say they live on Treasure Island. It's a secret little spot in the Bay between San Francisco and Oakland. The Bay Bridge tunnels through Yerba Buena Island which is the mountainous natural part of the island at the bottom of the image, and consists of about 90 acres. The flat part is all man made from excavation of the bay bridge. It is about 400 acres.

As you can see, this is a satellite image from Google. Let's all thank google.

A WPA project of the 1930s, Treasure Island was built to be the first airport for San Francisco, following its use as a site for the city's third World's Fair. Built of mud dredged from the Bay and dragged down from the Sacramento Delta, it was romantically named for the gold its soil might contain.

With the involvement of America in the Second World War, it proved an excellent location for the movement of people and machines headed for the Pacific Theater. Aviation changed dramatically during the War, with overland flight gaining the technological edge over water crossing planes like the Clippers.

In 1941, the Navy traded Treasure Island for land in South San Francisco named Mills Field; the city would later build San Francisco International Airport on the larger site.

Source

Okay enough history. How about some more pics?





Here's the front gate. Located at the bottom of Treasure Island on the map. The remnants of the guard station. Cars still have to stop at the gates but it's no longer guarded. As you can see we enjoy bus service out here. The good old 108.


Before the gates is where most of the tourists collect. I guess not enough to keep this old gift stand open. This is a hot spot for weddings and I totally missed snapping a picture of the hot bride before she bounced back into the stretch SUV.



On the opposite site of that is the Marina with all the sailboats and our very own Yaught Club. You can also see Treasure Island's only beach. A secret little spot.


Those six sided star shaped structures on the midwest part of the map is an abandoned dormitory. Casson Hall





Let's peek inside one of the windows...



I'm thirsty, across the way is a minute market, I think i'll go buy a frosty beverage. It's break time, I'll post some more images of the more abandoned areas in a little bit.

So things are going to get a lot more disjointed, but i'll try and point out on the map where things are. I'll get to questions after I post the whole series, some things may be answered for you as we progress.

This is not far from the minute market, just a group of abandoned buildings with a old playground



I believe this is the building where the World's Fair was located. I could be wrong but i'm pretty sure..
It's located on the bottom eastern edge of the island, near the pier sticking out on the right.



other side, my what a large anchor

oh hey, this may come in handy... it's in the back



This is the building next to it


And this is the Pier at the bottom eastern side of the island. There's an old ship that hangs out there, it's fenced off with razor wire. I have no idea what those big cool blocks of wood do.

Moving right along...

This building is a big hangar where they recently filmed the movie version of 'Rent' there was lots of prop cars and such hanging out with trailers and other general movie gear. That's all gone now, so I guess they're about wrapped on that project..


this is adjacent to the pier, i'm not sure what those old tanks carry but there's lots of warning signs around them..



If you look to the left you'll see an old 'commisary' I think that means 'super market' This is the back part of it with some interesting looking gear.



what's that above the door? It's a TRAP! As you'll see in later pictures I sometimes feel like I live on Half Life2 island.



This was on the ground not far away from the door of death. A victim perhaps?

You can find these on the map just below and east of the green park in the middle of the island.



and next door, there's some big nasty black tanks back there and some smaller red gas tanks, the heavy duty ones for co2 and welding and shit.



here's another panorama shot 180 from the Hazard fence...

on the right there is a raised and fenced off area, this used to be an old public pool but is now the jewel in my urban exploration venture.


It's filled with graffiti. Nice graffiti...



I caught a couple of guys in the act, but they didn't notice me, so I let them continue. I plan to head back tomorrow to get better pics of all the nice looking work in there



It's pretty unassuming from the outside..

Treasure Islanders are big on entertainment, so next to the pool is the bowling alley



and across the street is the theater. Too bad it isn't operational anymore. There's three phone books from different years parked out front. Makes you wonder how long the delivery guy thought it was still open for.



this was nearby, a lot of smashed up pallettes just stuffed into the nook.



Okay we're going to jump to the top of the island along the eastern edge (on the right for you monkeys)

This is the area to me that really feels like something out of a Half Life2 level, it's the water treatment plant. It's the dark circular specks on the top right corner of the map.









past all that is the old Prison.



and behind the prison is a building where they threw old inmates into the woodchipper. That superimposed piece is the sign on the door.

Moving down the island on the eastern side is the old gas station.









What's that off in the distance?





This is where the Fire Fighting Academy is. That is the burn building where trainees have to operate in a building with live flames. I was able to go inside while helping my friend shoot his film, unfortunately I was an idiot and didn't have my camera. so here's a nice shot of the outside...





across the street some people vandalise an innocent plant. I'm coming for you Juan!



here's a panorama (breaking tables ahoy!) of a building. I have no idea what it's purpose was..



Okay I'm starting to get tired out, let's head back home. This is a path along the north most edge of the island. Since this was an old naval base the top western part of the island is all housing. A lot of it has been fixed up for people to live in again, but this whole bunch here next to the path is abandoned..



too bad, they have a nice view...

to be fair, alot of the other units are rented out, so alot of people do live along this coast line with a million dollar view. I was renting one of them for awhile and had Alcatraz right out my living room window.

and here is the end of the path, you can see it comes out facing Yerba Buena island

:

Another goon on the island? That's pretty sweet.

well that's about it. I'm all tuckered out from walking around...time to go home...



the very end of my street is blocked off



this is what's behind the curtain



and here's another general shot of a different group of apartments. Quite a few people live out here because it's cheap. I pay rent and that's it. All utilities are included, that's gas, electricity, water, and trash, cable and internet are not free unfortunately.