In 1912, Richard Schirrmann, a teacher, created the hostel industry at the medieval Altena Castle in western Germany; the hostel is still operating today. The first hostel in the United States opened in 1934, and now more than 4,000 are operated by Hostel International. The one at Fort Mason, with 170 beds, opened in 1980.

WHO, WHERE, WHEN

Fort Mason, which was built in the 1800s to defend the coast, was named for Richard Barnes Mason, the first and only military governor. The Golden Gate was given its name for its similarity to the Golden Horn in Istanbul; it was named before gold was discovered in California. During World War II, the fort was responsible for shipping 1.5 million soldiers to the South Pacific .

RISE AND FALL

In front of the hostel, a “bridge thermometer,” created by the nearby Exploratorium science museum, measures the height of the Golden Gate Bridge. In cold weather, the steel suspension cables tighten and may cause a rise of up to 5 feet; in warm weather the bridge can drop 11 feet.

WILLING TO DIE FOR IT

East of the hostel, a sign commemorates the death of Senator David Broderick in a duel with David Terry, chief justice of California, in 1859. Broderick was staunchly antislavery. The pro-slavery Terry blamed Broderick for his loss in an election. Duels were illegal in San Francisco, so the match was held outside city limits, though Broderick died here three days later.

HOSTEL NEIGHBORS

A private room at the 10-bed hostel runs from $65 to over $100. Homes neighboring the hostel in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area rent for up to $12,000 per month.

AMBIENCE

In the common room, visitors chat in several languages, though many stare at cellphones or laptops. Quiet time begins at 11 p.m., but foghorns sound through the night. Jeff Coquery, 23, from Paris, wore a T-shirt reading “no phone, no address.” It was the first day of his first solo trip abroad, and he was deliberately off the grid.

lrafkin@baycitizen.org

Article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/us/fishermans-wharf-youth-hostel-in-san-francisco.html