RetroBayArea

These photos were taken in 1971, before the changes and challenges of the late seventies and eighties. They show a city that still held its shape before everything that followed. 📸: Nick DeWolf 🧵5/5

In the 1980s, Oakland was hit hard by job loss, the crack epidemic, gang violence, and homelessness. Crime rose, policing intensified, and mass incarceration took hold. The revolutionary spirit faded, replaced by a fight for survival. 🧵4/5

This series of photos was shot in Oakland in 1971. 🧵1/5

The FBI was spying on San Francisco’s gay community for decades. They ran the exact same playbook during the counterculture movement in the Bay Area. Same tactics, identical script, different decade. There’s a really good chance it never stopped and is still happening today. San Francisco was one of eight cities targeted and orders came straight from J. Edgar Hoover. In the 1980s, San Franciscans were furious when they learned the FBI had infiltrated gay and lesbian organizations for over 30 years with zero evidence of wrongdoing. Civil liberties lawyers were able to obtain 4000 heavily redacted pages of evidence from the FBI and were working to get more. source footage 🎥: KRON, 1984

@RobotCentaurSD I liked the Redwood City one better. Vallejo was still great though.

@RetroBayArea Redwood city..... Or Vallejo CA?

Scenes from Marine World Africa USA in Redwood City, 1985. I loved this place. The original Marine World was better than what Six Flags in Vallejo became. Not that it didn't have its own charm, it did, but Redwood City had something that never got replicated. 🎥: Ken Peterson

@AGRothenpieler Nothing was better than Marine World Africa USA in Redwood City.

@RetroBayArea Lion Country Safari in Irvine, CA was better.

@DoveSeed Uncle Junior from Sopranos. I instantly recognized it. No way I’m clicking play, don’t want it stuck in my head for weeks.

@RetroBayArea For your cred: youtu.be/MRuvboi3nIU

I’m not sure how many different songs Marine World used in their commercials over the years, but this is the one I remember most.

It really was the best time ever! I have a great video of Malibu Grand Prix that I’ll be posting here soon.

Here’s a THEN/NOW look at the old Marine World site in Redwood City. Today it’s home to Oracle’s offices.

@TourBusGo Just posted this edit. I loved those zip lines so much. I’ll be posting a water slides edit soon. x.com/RetroBayArea/s…

@RetroBayArea The zip line and water slides were my favorites there. Good days.

This is what it looked like in Redwood City back in the 1970s, when Marine World was still there. 🐬🌴🏝️🦁🐯🦒🐵⛵️❤️ Today, Oracle stands in its former location. 🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢🏢

@rukiddingme3590 I’ll check.

@RetroBayArea Any pics of the Marine World barge with the animals heading to Vallejo to their new home.

Marine World Africa USA in 1974. Anytime I heard the words "Redwood City" as a little kid, I would always think of these places: - Marine World - Malibu Grand Prix - the Redwood City roller rink. - the movie theater near the end of Whipple 🧵1/6

@720Birdman That’s it. Thanks. I couldn’t remember the name of it.

@RetroBayArea The movie theater at the end of Whipple was Century Park 12

@rukiddingme3590 @JohnRileyPoway That’s it. Here’s another view.

@JohnRileyPoway @RetroBayArea This is the area where Marine World was. #MarinePkwy #Oracle

@2shy2fly2025 Man! I remember it well. 💪💪

@RetroBayArea Don’t forget the AMPEX sign. AMPEX invented video tape.

@mrdude21526 The one in Redwood City is also still going strong.

@RetroBayArea Last Harry’s is in San Leandro.

@bjackson2718 That’s right. Chuck’s is still going strong. I like to stop by there as often as I can.

@RetroBayArea I have many fond memories of Malibu Grand Prix. Long live Chuck’s!