Herb Caen, a noted columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, on occasion would mention this legend in his column...not in a sneering disbelieving way...but rather it was mentioned as part of the serious lore of San Francisco. Again, in "Tales of the City" by Armisted Maupin, this legend was also mentioned both in his book(s) and in the television mini-series.
Research on the subject will reveal a few alluring clues. Mystery upon mystery. It is enough to stir up anyone's imagination. For instance, here is something I found tonight on the internet and it is in the author's words not mine:
"According to lore dating back to the 19th century, Golden Gate Park and its surroundings were once the Atlantean city of Tlamco. Whether you believe in Tlamco or not, you can hunt for the location of one of its temples and locate its letterbox. What you are about to read has been esoteric speculation that seems to persist. There are San Franciscans who like to think that they were citizens of Atlantis’ city, Tlamco, in their past lives, and by moving to San Francisco from other places in this lifetime, they are returning “home”.
Some sources say that the civilization of Atlantis was destroyed by an asteroid that struck North America and triggered a series of powerful earthquakes. At that time, upon the site now known as San Francisco, the magnificent city of Tlamco rose to meet the stars (or was swallowed by water and submerged, only to rise once again as Babylon by the Bay).
Tlamco was constructed around seven sacred sites, each of which had a temple dedicated to planets and other heavenly bodies. It also formed a map of the cluster of stars known as the Pleiades. Ethereal evidence of these temple sites remains to this day, and to find this letterbox, you will have to locate the best preserved Atlantean “power spot”, the Temple of Neptune, located in Golden Gate Park."
Does this not pique the imagination?
There are so many of us that have traveled hundreds and maybe thousands of miles to live in San Francisco. Most times the decision to move here is caused by nothing more than a simple visit and knowing that one has arrived home. This was and is true with me. Did we truly at one time all live and die in Atlantis?
However, there is even a lesser known legend. This is the legend of the ghost ship that arrives through the Golden Gate whispering out of the fog. The ship changes with the times. In the late 1800's it was a majestic clipper emerging from the fog, all lights lit, people crowding the deck in celebration. The last time it was seen was in the late 1940s and then it was an all white steamer with three funnels...emerging through the fog, all portholes flooded with light, the main decks fully lighted, and each and every deck flooded with people waving and calling to each other in excitement. It is said, that this ship...whatever it will be this time...is scheduled to arrive again and the time is "soon."
Do you want to learn more about this legendary ship and the souls upon it? Well, you will have to check back on the eve of Halloween...