20 Amazing Black and White Photographs of San Francisco From Between the 1940s and 1960s

With a landmark around every corner and a picture perfect view atop every hill, San Francisco might be the world's most picturesque city. And yet, the Golden City is so much more than postcard vistas.

It's a town alive with history, culture, and a palpable sense of grandeur best captured by a man known as San Francisco's Brassai, Fred Lyon. Walking the city's foggy streets, the fourth-generation San Franciscan captures the local's view in dramatic black-and-white photos— from fog-drenched mornings in North Beach and cable cars on Market Street to moody night shots of Coit Tower and the twists and turns of Lombard Street.

Below is a collection of stunning black and white photographs of San Francisco taken by Fred Lyon from between the 1940s and '60s.

(Images © Fred Lyon, via Shooting Film)