The Blasting of Blossom Rock: Submarine Explosion

On April 23, 1870 engineers set off "the largest submarine explosion on record." The great submarine explosion was a stunning engineering feat, but also symbolic of a city that had grown in just a few decades from a remote backwater to become “The Paris of the West.”
This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
You can purchase the bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar:
www.thetiebar.com/?...
All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.
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Script by THG
#history #thehistoryguy #explosion

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Some viewers have asked about the term "dead-head," which, of course has different meaning today. In 1870 a "dead head" was a person who got into the theater for free. For example, a person could volunteer to put up posters for the theater, and be allowed admission to the gallery. Despite not having paid for their ticket, they were often critical of the performance.

[@pamelamays4186]

Dead Heads ( long time fans of The Grateful Dead) still exist to this day in San Francisco.

[@trishthehomesteader9873]

Thanks for that explaination. I was sure they weren't there for a concert. ☺️

[@JimFortune]

Despite not having paid? Maybe because they hadn't paid. We tend to value things at what they cost us.

[@banba317]

@@pamelamays4186 Yeah, and they are nearly all tone deaf and incapable of keeping time or dancing, due in large part to the sheer putridity of Grateful Dead music.

[@mohammedcohen]

...Jerry Garcia was there - in a 'former life'

[@dougearnest7590]

I'm a bit surprised that nobody has commented with the old adage "There is no problem which cannot be solved by a suitable application of high explosives."

[@seanworkman431]

We were waiting for you.

[@extremelycareless2541]

My dad always said apply force. It didn't work. Apply more force.

[@dougearnest7590]

@@seanworkman431 -- LOL -- It was nice of you to wait, but next time go ahead without me.

[@seanworkman431]

@@extremelycareless2541 force it, if it breaks it needed fixing anyway.

[@seand.g423]

"When in doubt... C4" -Jamie Hyneman

[@leviwarren6222]

When he made the rake, I was like, "COMB THE DESERT!"

[@non-human3072]

😁

[@nonprogrediestregredi1711]

As you wish, Dark Helmet!

[@rainydaylady6596]

😂🤣😂🖖🙂💕

[@GermanShepherd1983]

Remember when that idiot trump told people in California to rake the National Forests to prevent forest fires? He obviously had no clue about anything

[@micmagellan5689]

We gotta slow down... (Dragon Launch) ...we cant B.S. 😣😂😵😱

[@r.blakehole932]

I lived and worked in the Bay Area for 25 years. This is the first I have heard of this story. Our history is so easily forgotten and what are we losing in that forgetfulness?

[@alitlweird]

Historical amnesia is why and how communism is being packaged and sold again to the current generation.

[@GuinessOriginal]

Hilarious that in the most capitalist country in the world people will find a way to blame non existent communism on any and all problems.

[@wlewisiii]

@@alitlweird "Historical amnesia is why and how Fascism is being packaged by the Republicans and sold again to the current generation." Corrected to reflect reality.

[@razorfett147]

Willful alteration and skillful deletion of history...both good and bad...is used by nefarious characters of all political spectrums to manipulate the populous. Anyone that argues otherwise is trying to be a saleman of one form of manipulation or another

[@johnvanegmond1812]

Come on man!

[@tygrkhat4087]

That no one was killed in the blasting of Blossom Rock is a minor miracle in itself.

[@redshift1976]

Seems more than minor.

[@robertqueberg4612]

Perhaps a dozen or so, went totally deaf, and several hundred were plagued with tinnitus for the remainder of their lives. This was quite an advance in explosives use. Imagine the studies and bidding in today’s world. This all happened before dynamite was perfected.

[@thomasb1889]

@@redshift1976 Very much so. They did not understand the bends at that time but the relatively shallow depth they went to is what probably saved lives but as is pointed out below there were still medical issues for a good number of people afterwards.

[@dougearnest7590]

I would have expected several boats in the vicinity (and maybe few skulls) to be holed by large falling rocks.

[@cdouglas1942]

I would think the major danger was in the drilling and mucking. Everyone knows blasting is noisy and dangerous and would have taken precautions as they knew them...not completely effective as others have commented.

[@sledge776]

THG is going to deserve to be remembered at some point. I hope its by someone deserving to carry on his legacy. This channel is one of those rare parts of life that is always enjoyable. One can count on not being disappointed, and at least one will have a huh, wow moment. All rare and special of anything in this life.

[@jimwolaver9375]

HERE! HERE! This channel is one of the jewels of the internet by any standard.

[@chrisvickers7928]

I watched the explosion of Ripple Rock on TV in 1958. Ripple Rock was a navigation hazard in a channel between two islands north of Nanaimo, BC. The tides through that channel were very difficult and more than one ship was wrecked on it. Miners working from a nearby island dug down, dug under the strait, and dug up under the reef and filled it with explosives. For me at 5 yrs old it was just a big gush of water of water. It was at the time the largest non-nuclear explosion in history. It's still the third largest and still the largest under water non-nuclear explosion.

[@markpatterson5250]

I saw a video on it just a few weeks ago on here. I retired from the Alaska ferry system a few years ago and I steered many a ship through Seymour Narrows. Still tricky stuff and I can only imagine what it was like before Ripple rock was taken out. Cambell River is right next to it to the south a bit. I envy you to actually to have watched it go up. History dude.

[@oobihdahboobeeboppah]

I never cease to be amazed at the very obscure yet fascinating historical trivia and notably significant things The History Guy is able to reveal. Jolly good show old man, jolly good!

[@mauricedavis8261]

👏👏👏

[@eriko1435]

Not the last time Dead Heads would gather in San Fran on 4/20...

[@Sshooter444]

@Charlie Parker scroll up

[@robertqueberg4612]

I am quite Greatful to hear that.

[@zombienursern4909]

@@robertqueberg4612 As am I. Very well said. I can dig it.

[@johnvanegmond1812]

@Charlie Parker It is now the top and pinned comment.

[@bwhog]

I am so glad you had a chance to mention The Navigation Trees! Few are aware today of the prior existence of these giants and yet they played such an important role for mariners entering the San Francisco bay during those early years.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

Omg. I Googled Blossom Rock, and it happens to be the actress that was the granny on THE ADDAMS FAMILY! That deserves to be remembered, too, lol!

[@johnstevenson9956]

I had to wonder about that, as her real name was Edith MacDonald, born about 25 years after the demolition, although she adopted the name "Blossom" about the time she married Clarence Rock. Weird coincidence, or a nod to otherwise forgotten history?

[@SFKelvin]

I lived in San Francisco for 20 years, and "Blossom Rock" was also the name of a drag queen at Finocchios.

[@donaldstanfield8862]

@@johnstevenson9956 History has so much to tell us, it was just fun discovering all this!

[@donaldstanfield8862]

@@SFKelvin That's great, adds another bit of trivia to this story I'd never heard until today, thanks.

[@DarkAudit]

@@johnstevenson9956 TIL Blossom was the sister of Jeanette MacDonald.

[@TucsonBillD]

I’ve often sailed past the buoy marking the location of Blossom Rock while on the bay. I’ve often wondered about the story behind this. Thanks, THG for filling in the story.

[@cheddar2648]

While sailing north of Australia, we picked up a pilot to transit the Torres Strait. At some point, he went to the chart and said, "We know the exact depth of this rock because it was blasted." LOL

[@deb1633]

I've lived in San Francisco for 40 years and have never heard of this particular rock. Thank you for continuing your presentations of obscure & odd historical events.

[@dillon5155]

High explosives made it certain that you'd never hear of the rock.

[@PeterCombs]

The fact that no workers were killed doing this is amazing, especially when you consider the loss of life that occurred when digging tunnels 60 years later to accommodate automobiles

[@donaldstanfield8862]

Where did that happen, please?

[@allenra530]

Consider also the lives lost during the construction of the various bridges across the San Francisco and San Pablo Bays.

[@TheCleric42]

The first half of this story was great! But the second half left something to be desired

[@BobSaget69]

Yeah the first half was awesome but for the second half it seemed a bit bland! Haha

[@canadadelendaest8687]

Maybe he is testing to see if people are just listening in the background or something

[@LankyAssMofka]

I thought this seemed like quite a long video for thg

[@mfhberg]

I figured that was the portion allotted for internal dialogue.

[@JohnDoe-pv2iu]

I'm simply amazed by the thought of a tree 32 feet in diameter. The things people have destroyed in the name of progress...

[@terryquarton3864]

Aparaly Australia had some of the tallest trees in world east of Melbourne but they didn't last very long after colonization. Gone in 49 years. And they say humans cannot can the earth

[@BMrider75]

In terms of being aghast of the 19th century removal of magnificent trees, look up removal of the Kauri trees around the Hokianga Harbour in New Zealand. It makes me weep what we've lost....

[@terryquarton3864]

@@BMrider75 I heard after cut down all the Kauri tree they below for the amber for making varnish

[@GuinessOriginal]

Money

[@wcolby]

If you live in a house that is built of cement and no wood at all. Then you are not living in a glass house.

[@Daledavispratt]

Great video. The number of comments concerning the "dead air" at the end of the video show how so many people will latch onto anything at all in order to criticize the creator of the video. If you pulled the video down, edited the length and reposted then those same people would criticize you for that, as well. Thanks for your wonderful efforts.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

It was my mistake. I am using the YT editor to fix it, but it takes a long time to process

[@Wraith-Knight]

i never noticed i was just listening to most of it

[@nolgroth]

@@Wraith-Knight Same here. Besides, unless THG is going to do a live action reproduction, his voice is all I need to visualize the event.

[@dougearnest7590]

I don't think anyone means it as a criticism, it's just an opportunity to make a witty comment - or a comment they think is witty. We all love the videos, otherwise we wouldn't be here. But yes, thanks to all involved for all the work you put in to the effort.

[@shawnr771]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel at least the first ten minutes were not desd air.

[@robertmcgovern8850]

They should have leaked a rumor that gold was found 20ft below the surface of Blossom Rock. The entire seamount would have been gone in 48 hours, at no public expense. ;)

[@MrAndyBearJr]

But then they would have had to worry about claim jumpers. LOL

[@robertmcgovern8850]

@@MrAndyBearJr Claim snorkelers. No worries -- we'll get rich selling them lengths of hosepipe, shark repellent, and special 'marine pickaxes' (regular pickaxe, double the price). That's the cynical can-do spirit that built San Francisco. ;)

[@MrAndyBearJr]

@@robertmcgovern8850 LOL

[@stevecannon4780]

Where do you think all the gold that wasn't collected from the American River wound up for the eons before gold was discovered?

[@robertmcgovern8850]

@@stevecannon4780 Guessing here: in Franklin Mint reproduction Fabrege Eggs, collect all six, only $149.98 each or 5 easy payments of $29.99?

[@hlynnkeith9334]

I sailed San Francisco Bay for years and never heard of this event. Thank you.

[@coreyham3753]

Agreed ... great story.

[@home-powersystems7782]

I would love to see you burn through a history category in double jeopardy. Good stuff professor.

[@dougearnest7590]

Host: "That wraps up History. Lance, you're still in control of the board." THG: "I'll take 'Hazards to Navigation' for $400."

[@jeremymasterson5818]

As always, a fascinating bit of history. This story has remarkable parallels to the Ripple Rock explosion of 1958 in British Columbia, Canada. This was touted as the largest non-nuclear planned explosion ever at the time using 1270 metric tons of Nitramex 2H. Video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4rdkoeQZ5hlqtU history here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripple_Rock

[@UhlanBC]

As Marvin the Martian would say "a very big Ka-boom!"

[@robertdrury9520]

History Guy, I've lived in the Bay Area for 60+ years and never knew about this. If you want to cover more of San Francisco and Marine Navigation hazards, please report on the Submarine nets that were strung across the Golden Gate during WW2. The removal of the remains is a great story due to the tides through the gate

[@naughtiusmaximus1811]

YES I wish more people my age and younger would understand the amount of military presence that existed around here back before the bases were closed. We were def high on the target list for the Bear.

[@marcusbrooks2118]

It might be worth noting that a hogshead is about 48" long x 30" diameter, considerably larger than the head of an average hog.

[@Sshooter444]

I was wondering that, thanks.

[@tymurrell]

Thanks Marcus! Below a link to Wikipedia on Hogsheads as a unit of measurement. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogshead

[@SgtMjr]

Any Canadians here remember the blasting of Ripple Rock broadcast live on CBC in 1958?

[@briangrainger2264]

I remember it very well. Watched it live on TV. Apparently you can still find chunks of rock from the blast showered onto the hills on both sides of Discovery Channel.

[@FieroFats]

The ending is a dark twist that I didn't see coming.

[@aaronstanley6914]

IDK what's up with youtube lately this is the 3rd video in the last two days with something wrong with it. (the two prior ones had missing thumbnails.) is this just a coincidence? has anyone else experienced this?

[@dougearnest7590]

If you wait long enough, Matthew Broderick appears to tell you the video is over.

[@garywagner2466]

How so?

[@dugroz]

@@dougearnest7590 - And, of course, you made me actually test that out. :)

[@dougearnest7590]

@@dugroz -- Sorry. I wonder if this is how cult leaders get their start. But anyway, it would have been a nice touch, wouldn't it?

[@sask306]

The Blasting of Blossom Rock was most likely the inspiration for the Ripple Rock Explosion in the Seymour Narrows, of British Columbia, Canada.

[@Kim-the-Dane-1952]

Actually the controlled explosion on 5 April 1958 of Ripple Rock was not done by insiration form a century before. Rather it was a well know hazard to navigation in the area and if it had not been for that you would not now have inside passage cruising to Alaska. the Ripple Rock explosion was at the time the largest non-nuclear explosion in history.

[@cdouglas1942]

@@Kim-the-Dane-1952 I doubt one can say that the blasters of Ripple Rock knew nothing of the Blosssom Rock removal. If anything those tasked with it would think they had much improved technology thatn the folks 80 years prior.

[@Kim-the-Dane-1952]

@@cdouglas1942 Yes you are probably right. I am sure they knew of the previous efforts in San Francisco. I only mentioned that they were likely more inspired by the desire to remove a hazard than by performing a similar task.

[@teebosaurusyou]

Ripple rock: "The rock was first noted by explorer George Vancouver in 1791, describing it as "one of the vilest stretches of water in the world." Read up about it here : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripple_Rock Blasting the rock from the top was first tried but also failed in a similar fashion. Tunneling from below was a huge endeavor and 1,270 metric tons of Nitramex 2H explosive took care of the problem. "The explosion was noted as one of the largest non-nuclear planned explosions on record."

[@arnepianocanada]

Ha, I just mentioned it above. Are you 🇨🇦 too?

[@scottcass4243]

Born & raised in San Francisco in the 50's & never heard of Blossom Rock. Good job History Guy.

[@prettyfar33]

Thank you!!! I had NEVER heard about this before!!!

[@Lisa-vb3gn]

The Johnstown Flood museum is very interesting as is a movie about the flood. I lived near there for a couple of years.

[@Tmrfe0962]

I do not understand why, Sir, you do not have millions of subscribers...this is by far, the most enjoyable and informative channel on you tube. Thank you for your time and effort in educating and entertaining we humble novices, eager for mind expansion.

[@dougearnest7590]

I like to think I'm that guy who would -- after a hole had been burrowed and several alternating layers of pipe and concrete were firmly set into the rock -- would have said "Hey, we can put a beacon here now!"

[@rainydaylady6596]

Lol I didn't think of that. Lol

[@TheFoodnipple]

Blowing it up was much more fun though

[@5000rgb]

@@TheFoodnipple Think of it as a very temporary beacon.

[@NoPegs]

I was thinking the same thing, but earlier... Trees been logged? Build a lighthouse or just pile up a bunch of bright stone in the proper spots...

[@alwaysbearded1]

True but with several other major rocks and ships getting bigger and needing more room for maneuvering they likely said, screw it, we have the funding. Almost in a line you have Blossom, Alcatraz, Harding Rock plus the Alcatraz shoals and I think Arch rock too. Just going from memory. So you are not just avoiding an isolated rock. More importantly the main anchorage around the point to the sheltered water along the SF waterfront and the route to Oakland means you need to turn the corner there without hitting the rock. With stiff winds and strong currents and no tractor tugs (or almost no tugs at all) in that time frame this was an issue. You can't just go real wide because then you have to worry about Yerba Buena and the shallow water to the east of it. The photos he used point out the fact most ships were still sailing vessels and square rigged at that so not very maneuverable at all.

[@brianfisher4858]

Sounds like it might have been easier to turn this into an island, than to flatten it to a bay

[@raydunakin]

Yeah, seems like it would have been easier to build it up, and put a small lighthouse on it.

[@cdouglas1942]

tidal current would have sluiced it all away unless it was poured concrete anchored to the Rock.

[@garywagner2466]

You missed the main point that the rock was a hazard to navigation. Making it bigger would increase the hazard, not eliminate it.

[@jliller]

Definitely seems like a small lighthouse would have been a better choice - either masonry or what was then the new "caisson" lighthouses. They've been built on worse rocks than this one. In fact, Barton Alexander knew a thing or two about building lighthouses in such conditions having supervised the construction of Minot's Ledge Lighthouse. That makes me wonder if Alexander (and Williamson, who was the Lighthouse District Engineer) explored the possibility of a lighthouse and advised against it, or if Chief Engineer Delafield didn't bother to ask their opinions on the matter. There was already a lighthouse on Alcatraz Island. Perhaps it was less an engineering issue and rather that the two lighthouses so close together, perhaps due to their positions relative to the main channel, would have been too confusing?

[@fernandoi3389]

You forgot that is USA... the same country that want to deviate hurricanes.... with bombs

[@royweyant4382]

Great bit of history with Blossom Rock. I got a great one for you to do. The Johnstown flood of 1889. I read a book about it when I was a kid and remember it washed entire trains away.

[@Idahoguy10157]

The submarine canyon of the Golden Gate and the seaward approaches to it would make for a grand episode. Particularly at the offshore area named the Potato Patch

[@alwaysbearded1]

What I want to know is why the charts show Four Fathom Bank and Potato Patch shoal. They are in the same area overlapping each other. There are shoals on both sides of the main shipping channel so I don't know if that is merely a bar or there is hard rock under them. Either way I stay in the channels 24 feet is not nearly enough when the seas are high enough to cause breakers.

[@bullettube9863]

This reminds me of the process of clearing "Hells Gate" in New York, which allowed safer navigation from Long Island sound through to the East River. Hundreds of rocks and rock outcroppings had to be removed by blasting and dredging. The process started in 1851 and one explosion in 1885 using 300,000 pounds of explosives was called the largest until the first atomic bomb was tested.

[@johnrettig1880]

There's times that I just get a BLAST from the History Guy

[@kesmarn]

"These trees have been here for 2000 years. Let's cut them down."

[@QuantumRift]

Yep, cause there's MONEY TO BE MADE!

[@AnyoneCanSee]

It amazing that they did not even think to keep just one of them. You'd think one would be worth more as an attraction than just wood. It really shows how different humans are today. No sentimentality for nature in those days I guess.

[@McChes]

@@AnyoneCanSee I think there was a general assumption back then that nature and its bounties were limitless, and more of a belief in the religious notions that all Earth had been created by God for the benefit of man. Our understanding of the finite nature of the Earth and its resources is a relatively modern thing.

[@MisterLumpkin]

Man walks the dark path of life holding a sputtering candle. He sees only a few inches ahead and remembers only a few inches behind.

[@babydriver8134]

We do things just as stupid today.

[@ericmason349]

Amazing engineering ! It is also amazing that the 'navigational' trees could not be kept from destruction and sale.

[@jimwolaver9375]

All it takes is one self-absorbed person with a personal need spotting a free-for-the -taking asset and that's the end of it. Well, with a 32' diameter it was probably more than one person.

[@johnathansaegal3156]

As a retired engineer, this is absolutely fascinating.

[@dkentmd]

Thank you for another great episode! As other commenters have mentioned, Ripplerock was a huge blast done with the benefits of 80 years later technology.

[@mainepants]

After a bad experience with a surgeon I decided to implement a rule: "Never trust a man wearing a bow tie". After watching many The History Guy videos I decided to add an amendment to the above rule: "Never trust a man wearing a bow tie if he isn't The History Guy".

[@jliller]

What about Bill Nye?

[@mikewoodman2872]

Great video, nice to see a topic that's interesting yet does not involve loss of life.

[@JimMorrisonLoL]

Tell that to the fish

[@farajaraf]

You deserve your own PBS Show.

[@jeffcox4538]

I took my submarine to Alameda just before the shut it down. This is awesome history that helped me in my navigation and needs to remembered!

[@RodneyGraves]

Two additional subjects you might want examine which relate are the New Almaden Mine, the Mercury of which was instrumental to the Gold Rush, and the loss of the deep water anchorage at Alviso.

[@tiffianytate7618]

Thank you for your channel.

[@heronimousbrapson863]

This reminds me of hearing about the controlled blasting of Ripple Rock in Seymour Narrows of Discovery Passage, British Columbia, Canada on April 5, 1958.

[@divermike]

Amazing! I grew up there from the 50's through 70's and was never taught this in History class. One thing you can do which similar to Blossom Rock is speak of how the Chinese fished the San Pablo and San Fransisco Bay. And how they eliminated many species of shrimp and fish.

[@ScoundrelSFB]

This is the most interesting thing I've heard in a long time. This guy is amazing.

[@steadmanuhlich6734]

History Guy, this was another fascinating story. Thanks for sharing it with us all. I am particularly glad you included the info and photos of the redwood deforestation and showed those huge trees, and the illustrations of the excavation (underwater), etc. . I will share your video on social media too.

[@duncandoyle7844]

That was one of the more captivating videos I have watched the amount of Engineering that went into that rock was bewitching.

[@skpjoecoursegold366]

thanks, did not know there were Redwood trees in Oakland. i was born in Oakland, Oakknoll Navel Hospital.

[@tedgalacci8428]

The question I can't hold back: If they could build a coffer dam, why couldn't they build a lighthouse?

[@quillmaurer6563]

A question of marking the obstacle versus getting rid of it, sounds like getting rid of it was the preferred option.

[@richardmourdock2719]

Yeah, they could have.. but you have a bunch of military guys, right after the Civil War and construction of the transcontinental railroad.. picture the debate.. "Do we put up a light or have some fun with explosives?" It likely was not a long discussion...

[@quillmaurer6563]

@@richardmourdock2719 True, I'd think not just a matter of "blowing it up sounds more fun," but the idea of the time that, with the coming Industrial Age, man could conquer nature, adapt the environment to suit our needs rather than adapt ourselves to the environment. Eradicate entire species that were problematic or we just didn't like. Build railroads, and later highways, anywhere regardless of terrain. Dig a ditch across Panama for easier shipping. With electric lighting, basically do away with night. Build ships powered by steam and large enough to be impervious to storms, hence not at mercy to weather. Build dams allowing the arid West to be inhabited and agricultural. Over that century or so we could see this with almost everything, every industry, every human activity, every aspect of life. After that (starting in the 1970s) we started to realize that maybe this was having some adverse effects on the environment (something nobody cared about before) and our own quality of life, leading to a mindset of trying to reduce impacts and finding ways that working with rather than against nature might be more beneficial.

[@shawnr771]

The coffer dam would only have to last until the end of the project. Building a more permanent structure subjected to the tidal flow would be a significantly more complex task.

[@tedgalacci8428]

@@shawnr771 Light houses have been built to withstand far worse: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2i1hKWvqq90rac And note that, at the end of the video, THG tells us the spot is now marked by buoy.

[@ppate5439]

Related is the fact that SF's Marina district is built on rubble from the 1906 earthquake. Rubble is infamous in its ability to shake on further seismic activity. Your chart at the end shows huge amounts of fill, jello in the coming "big one".

[@allenra530]

The Marina District also has several Gold Rush era ships buried under it as the docks and anchorages were filled in to make more land for warehouses in the 1880's and later. This unstable land is responsible for the destruction and death toll in the area from the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989.

[@r.hill.2369]

As a born in 1963 native of the city, I never knew about this story. Astonishing.

[@KRscience]

Never thought I'd be so captivated by a story about blowing up a rock. Great job, THG!

[@johnathandavis3693]

The Bay Area has to be one of the most history-rich areas in the world. As a construction worker, I had the pleasure of working and living in the area over several years. There was always something interesting to do and see. Some of the coolest stuff I learned about was from the locals. One fellow was a local co-worker, and he was a member of local Native American Tribe. He had lots of stories and info about the area....I love the area, it is truly beautiful...

[@doodleblockwell2610]

I lived in San Francisco from 1981-2001. If I could still afford it, I would still be there. I still miss it after 20 years.

[@johnathandavis3693]

@@doodleblockwell2610 Yeah- I got FAT from the bakeries and Chinese food- LOL...cheers...

[@peep139]

You're kidding right? A square foot of Africa has more history than all of any US city

[@chucknorris277]

@@peep139 not sub Sahara, they didn't build much. North Africa is a different story. Mesopotamia, Turkey. Top comment wasn't thought out well. I got a RR bed in my back yard built in 1810.

[@adizmal]

@@chucknorris277 Turkey isn't in Africa, ffs people learn simple geography.

[@korbell1089]

Its always a blast to listen to your stories.

[@johntaylor-lo8qx]

Love the fact you told us what dead head means below. This is a excellent documentary!!! Thank you History Guy and Wife..

[@ianfitzpatrick2230]

I love when you share stories from around my corner of the world, I’ve lived my whole life in the same area and while I feel like I know my home, I enjoy hearing stories about it! Northern nevada is a magical place once you get past the noise of the casinos. Venturing into the mountains towards San Francisco and everything in between is still so new to the American story. The whole boom bust of nevada helped California to populate well. Today Reno where I live is a huge spot for both going to the Bay Area and coming from there. Reno honestly is the Bay Area “playground” as for us in northern nevada nearly everyone strives to take a trip to the Bay Area. Las Vegas and La/orange county function much that way. Lost in the lights and not the history that deserves to be remembered!

[@Psychol-Snooper]

I wish there were pictures of the process. I love Victorian engineering!

[@keirangray902]

If The History Guy reads this could you please cover the Career the of battleship HMS Warspite

[@jwv6985]

I have never heard of this before. Thanks History Guy!

[@paulburkholder9690]

This was truly unknown to me, thanks for sharing.

[@memathews]

An amazing story that I never heard. My family ama my wife's have been long time residents of San Francisco, but this explosion happened before even my great grandmother was born in 1879, although I'm sure her parents knew of this event. Great-grandma had many stories, including leaving her house and living in Golden Gate Park during the fires following the great earthquake (the house survived the fires, was the only house remaining on the block, and survives today on Commonwealth Avenue). There are other family stories of herding cattle from the Midwest to feed miners in the goldfields and gold mining in Colorado, but this explosion story would standout as a singular event.

[@64maxpower]

The tragedy of this story were the 2 redwoods that were cut down

[@dougc190]

Exactly, you would think but the loggers would know or somebody would know that those were navigational beacons per se

[@jamessmithson99]

Famously in the 2010s, the national park service contracted for the removal of a dying tree in Farragut Square in DC. Completely by accident the company instead removed a healthy black walnut worth 10s of thousands when then sold it for lumbar. Completely by accident. Accident

[@64maxpower]

@@jamessmithson99 I hope they were accidentally fined too

[@dougc190]

I'm here from the government and I'm here to help. Every construction site I've been on there's always been somebody to watch us do that stuff

[@ElValuador]

Unfortunately a lot more than two were cut down back then.

[@rowdyrx6109]

Great episode! Thank you

[@morenofranco9235]

Thanks, History Guy. As ALWAYS... a great education.

[@QuantumRift]

Ah, back in the day when you could blast the hell out of anything in your way with impunity!!!

[@JimGobetz]

Didn't think there were Deadheads in San Francisco until the 1960's!

[@tolfan4438]

They were there they just didn't have anything to listen to

[@alwaysbearded1]

I know you are joking but there are at least two other meanings of the word, one the History Guy alluded to, the other is an object floating at the surface, as a verb deadhead is a trip without a paying cargo, like later trips to the West Coast where they would haul paving stone just to have ballast.

[@JimGobetz]

@@alwaysbearded1 Also when training as a Paramedic (back in the '80's) the first three runs on an ambulance where you just watched were called Deadhead runs

[@RetiredSailor60]

Sailed in and out of San Francisco Bay 3 times while stationed on USS Cape Cod AD 43 and USS Kinkaid DD 965. Took the BART from Alameda to San Francisco several times.

[@Peasmouldia]

R.H.Dana Jr's. "Two Years Before the Mast" gives an excellent insight into San Francisco before its remarkably rapid expansion. His account of the journey rounding the Horn twice is quite harrowing. Not for those of a delicate disposition! Thanks THG.

[@peterway7867]

How about a video on the failed 1914 to 1916 Shackleton expedition to traverse the Antarctic.

[@RGC-gn2nm]

Myth busters showed a massive model of the bay used since ww2 to map tides and currents

[@rainydaylady6596]

That was from the escape video wasn't it? Where they made a raft out of some kind of garment (?). I loved that episode.

[@TucsonBillD]

The Bay Model is located in Sausalito and is open to the public. However, these analogue models are no longer used, having been superseded by computer modeling.

[@markmckeen5705]

Good Quality History once again. Bravo.

[@BlacksburgEV]

What an amazing piece of history! Thanks for your continued hard work!

[@the_original_Bilb_Ono]

Man, it is so sad looking at those pictures of that beautiful majestic and ancient tree chopped down and killed after over *a thousand years* managing to be alive on earth. Many humans still scoff at "tree huggers". I bet youve never met a tree hugger like me, im a hunter, fisherman, and in general the opposite of the stereotypical "hippy" type, but i actually care about the world i live in. Absolutely a tragedy that tree was used when any number of trees wouldve sufficed. Build a giant raft and anchor it to the rock! They couldn't drill bolts into Blossom Rock!? Then you can anchor buoys to it!

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

They can keep buoys there today. Presumably the problem was the durability of the rope holding the buoy.

[@dougearnest7590]

It's sad when a hunter and fisherman feels the need to point out he "actually cares" about the world we live in because it's not obvious to everyone that those folks are our real conservationists.

[@ronfullerton3162]

@@dougearnest7590 Each group of people have their good and their bad members. Many hunters, fishermen, farmers, and ranchers truly realize and respect their environment. And in turn, they plan their choice of action to preserve or even enhance their world. But unfortunately the ones who are self centered upon what is good for them, or do not care, are the ones that get the press. Today we have those who want to keep mankind away from our cherished outdoor world, and mandate us to only the urban areas. We truly need to conserve and nuture our wildlife and ag areas. Over use and under use are neither responsible management of these wonder resources.

[@shawnr771]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel I watched a documentary with Neils Degrasse Tyson where he was speaking about the strength of relative materials. The steel cables that arrest US Navy planes on carriers are 2 inches in diameter and have to be replaced every 125 catches. He then show Kevlar fiber. If the cables were made out of that material they would only have to be 1 inch in diameter. However the unknown would be the damage caused by salt water. The last material was carbon nanofiber of which he only showed a thread. That material would only have to be as big around as a pencil to be as strong as the original 2 in steel cable.

[@njpaddler]

Wow !

[@douglascox9996]

A similar hazard to navigation - a huge rock - was removed by the Army Corps of Engineers from the East River at New York City by tunneling from Brooklyn underwater to within the rock, then excavating blasting chambers. Though the effort made commercial passage of the East River safer and easier, this gut of water between NY harbor (with its connection with the Atlantic and the Hudson River) and Long Island Sound has frequent tidal conflicts making navigation tricky for smaller boats.

[@christian-michaelhansen471]

Thanks History Guy for another fine presentation...it was a blast to watch!

[@stenbak88]

It’s so disgusting how our ancestors just clear cut entire forests and completely ruined parts of nature. My favorite President Teddy is my favorite in part bc he protected lands that his own friends wanted to build on

[@matthewellisor5835]

Maybe it's just on my end but I see a lot of dead-air at the conclusion.

[@denniswhite166]

Nah, it's there. After the video there is about 15 mins. of dead air.

[@euansmith3699]

@@denniswhite166 You've got to stick around for the secret "after credits" scene ;)

[@dougearnest7590]

Eventually, Matthew Broderick will appear to inform you the video has ended.

[@pbobaggins6904]

Good afternoon mr history guy. I love your videos and thank you for your uploads. You remind me of a teacher i had long ago, thank you for what you do! i hope all is well with you and your family, peace and blessings.

[@glenohs8521]

I’d like to see you make an episode about blasting Ripple Rock, Campbell River BC. In 1958 it was the world's largest non-nuclear peacetime explosion.

[@Sevenigma777]

The second half of this video was a demonstration of what it would be like to be Hellen Keller watching KZbin lol

[@elfpimp1]

And that's history that deserved to be remembered!

[@patmitskey839]

Crap..... I didn't get it.... Till I spit my toast out 😂😭

[@jetsons101]

Calling San Francisco the Paris of the west today would be a stretch and a insult to Paris. This was a great story, as a local we learned about it in school as a kids. Moved away as the City isn't what it was years back. Thanks H.G. for posting a great local story.....

[@RCAvhstape]

You mean they don't shit in the streets in Paris?

[@jetsons101]

@@RCAvhstape Paris has less crime than S.F., there both big cities but Paris is a cleaner city to live in and the cost of living is less. It's sad that the three jewels of the west, Seattle, Portland and San Francisco are now crap holes.

[@RCAvhstape]

@@jetsons101 communism'l do that

[@kingkarlito]

@@jetsons101 "the city isn't what it was years back" because of selfish boomers like you. you're complaining about these cities being crap holes now, they've been crap holes since before we were born, but you were there throughout the decline.

[@jetsons101]

@@kingkarlito Don't blame anybody but the politicians that ran San Francisco into the ground. I changed where I live because there are many more places it live that aren't run by a bunch of blood sucking lib's. Look at California and New York, U-Hall can't keep up with the rentals for the people leaving. Well, time for work........

[@leonidaslantz5249]

Awesome video!

[@richardmourdock2719]

Fascinating. If this were done today, delays (measured in milli-seconds) would set off the exterior charges first with those moving toward the interior milli-seconds later causing the later explosions to cast the prior ones away from the site... so no "rake" would be required. But, given the middle of the 19th Century pretty amazing stuff and time..

[@jeffbangkok]

Remembering the last time you left us hanging with dead air. haha

[@heyapoc]

The pictures of the old loggers atop those massive fell trees is literally painful. We've destroyed so much that we'll never see again.

[@chuckotto7021]

Thank you for this report.

[@shamoy1000]

Thanks

[@masterimbecile]

"Paris in the west" indeed: housing there is stupid expensive.

[@timdumler5628]

is there any history worth exploring behind our use of Jane and John Doe, and why we employ those names to label our unknowns?

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

It is actually an interesting history, and might become an episode.

[@cat637d]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Please😃

[@brianbrewster6532]

What an amazing story. I know a few engineer friends who would love to watch this 19th century engineering challenge. Thanks, History Guy.

[@jeffd3201]

well done video..very informative!

[@wv171]

Was there a actress name Blossom Rock at 1 time? If so I always wonder how she got her name. Now I know.

[@idiotidiot5821]

She had an actor son as well that went by the name The

[@bluegrassengineer]

She played the grandma on the original Addams Family.

[@christineparis5607]

@@bluegrassengineer I had to look that up, and it was incredible! She had a fantastic career from the 1920s (in vaudeville) to movies in the 30s, 40s and 50s, then tv, when, as you said. She played the grandma on the Addams Family. What's even more unusual is that her sister was Jeannette Macdonald, was a big box office star in the 40s. She was the operatic singer who always played with another singer, Nelson Eddy, and Maurice Chevalier. She had gold records, hit after hit films and lives on today in cartoons where she and Eddy were often imitated as the Canadian mountie who sang while riding his horse through the snow and the damsel in distress. I think Dudley Do Right was copied from them. Older people will recognize these names immediately, but they are still worth looking up on utube. Hilariously camp today, but loved back in the old days!

[@bryanjohnson3666]

[@rexmyers991]

Very well balanced narrative. Great story. Thanks, HG

[@7rays]

I lived in the bay area for many years from the late 80s through 2000, and this is such a great little history lesson. What a great accounting!