The devastating 1987 fire destroyed a long-standing pier, a local landmark that held an amusement park, and accelerated the decline.

WSJ: Battle of the Beach

The music teacher standing on the pier looked smaller and smaller until he became a mere speck.

NPR: Literature and Lullabies from the 'Axis of Evil'

If Apple or Google services know I am at standing at the San Francisco Embarcadero pier with a friend and that I live in Sausalito, it can suggest restaurants nearby and tell me which ferries I can catch.

FORBES: Is Mobile Dead or Entering a New BattleGround?