Enjoy the View of Seal Rocks -- January 19, 2024

San Francisco Examiner, 28-January-1950

There is a chance that the Cliff House will reopen this year or the next. Sadly, the sea lions (not seals) no longer enjoy the view from Seal Rocks.

Sutro Baths 125 -- March 14, 2021

 

San Francisco Call, 13-March-1896

125 years ago today, on 14-March-2021, Sutro Baths, built by Mayor Adolph Sutro, opened to the public, just up the hill from the second Cliff House and across the road from Sutro Heights. The article below, from the 16-March-1896 San Francisco Call, describes the events of opening day and other recreational activities in the city. The museum is the former museum of the Mid-Winter Fair, at this point the ancestor of the De Young Museum. It is interesting to see the Baths referred to as Sutro Coney Island. 

THE DAY AT THE PARK

Sutro's Baths Were Well

Attended in Spite of the

Rain.

Music and an Entertaining Aquatic

Programme— Work at the Museum.

In consequence of the weather yesterday Golden Gate Park was almost deserted. There was no music, the drives were vacant except for a half a dozen yonng cyclers, who seemed to enjoy the mud. However, John McLaren, the superintendent, was happy.

"This is a glorious rain," said he, "just what we needed at this time. Yesterday afternoon the men finished planting a little forest of trees on the artificial hill south of the grand court, which is to serve as a break wind, when down came this gentle rain which will invigorate the trees."

Considerable work has been done in the court in the past week. A large number of tall shade trees have been set out and when they are in foliage they will furnish ample shade for those who will gather under them to listen to the music.

The grounds around the new lodge are being laid out by the gardeners and the designers will make them very attractive. Some of the trees that stand in front and obstruct the view of the main driva will be cut down.

Work on the annex to the museum has been delayed on account of the strike which has been on several days. This delays the inside work. As soon as it is finished the work of placing the new exhibits in position will be commenced under the suggestions of Director-General de Young, who is expected home this week.

Travel to the ocean beach in the forenoon was very light. In the afternoon the cars of all the lines were carrying many passengers, all bound for the entertainment in the Sutro Baths. During the afternoon there was, considering the day, a very good attendance of spectators and bathers. Up to 4 o'clock over four hundred had robed themselves in bathing suits and tested the temperature of the clear, invigorating water from the ocean. Colonel T. P. Robinson had provided a pleasing programme, which was given between 1 and' 3 o'clock. It was an exhibition by members of the Olympic Club and included a 100-yard race, water polo, tub-race, candle race, spring-board diving, trapeze diving and high diving.

During the afternoon tbe spectators were greeted with delightful music by Cassasa's Exposition Band, choice and popular selections being rendered until 5 o'clock. In the evening the baths were brilliantly illuminated with electric lights and there was given an exhibition of fancy swimming and diving by members of the Olympic Club and the Pacific Swimming Club. There was also a grand concert by Cassasa's Band.

There will not be any performance to-night, but there will be a gala night to-morrow, when a special programme in honor of the day will be offered.

On account of the moisture the Haight street grounds were not opened yesterday.

Sutro Baths Fire, 50 Years -- June 26, 2016

Sutro Baths was built by Adolph Sutro, San Francisco philanthropist, at the western edge of the city, near Sutro Heights, his home, and the third Cliff House (depending on how you count them), which he built. Both are visible behind the Baths in this postcard.

My grandfather took me to Sutro Baths several times when I was little. The pools had been converted into ice skating rinks. I remember the Egyptian mummies, the Tucker automobile, and Tom Thumb's carriage. Some years before, in 1958, the Baths had appeared in the movie version of The Lineup, directed by Don Siegel.

I was playing in my backyard on 26-June-1966 when the sky grew dark and black embers started flying overhead. Sutro Baths, which was being demolished to make way for apartments, had caught fire. The mummies and the Tucker and Tom Thumb's carriage had already been removed.

The developer went bankrupt, and the cove where the baths stood is a nice place to hike.

The western edge of San Francisco, around Land's End, has always been one of my favorite places.

 I took this photo of the ruins on 06-December-2008. 

San Francisco Call, 17-April-1897

I would like to see "Mr. Charles Cavill in his Wonderful Monte Cristo Drowning Act." I suppose he got sewn into a sack and thrown into the pool, so it was an escape act.

Cliff House 150 -- July 17, 2013

There has been a Cliff House at Land's End in San Francisco since 1863. Today and tomorrow the Cliff House is holding events to celebrate its 150th birthday. Learn more about them on the Cliff House website (http://www.cliffhouse.com).

There is some debate over whether the present structure, shown here not too long after it opened in 1909, is the third or the fourth building. It was recently renovated and I don't care for what the Golden Gate National Recreation Area did with it. The front is almost blank. The inside is unattractive.

When I lived in the Richmond District, I used to love to walk out to the Cliff House, especially on extra-foggy days.

Golden Gate Express Railway #4 -- January 14, 2012

Today we went to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. For the fourth year, in the special exhibit room at the west end was the Golden Gate Express Railway, a garden scale layout designed by by members of the Bay Area Garden Railway Society. The famous San Francisco structures were made from recycled materials.  This year they had a theme based on Playland-at-the-Beach, Sutro Baths and the Cliff House.  The only electric trains were a Third Avenue Railway streetcar, a cable car, and two PCCs that went back and forth.  There was a bumper car, a Laughing Sal that laughed but did not move, and a few games.

The Right Lion -- January 8, 2012

Two lions have guarded the entrance to Sutro Heights since the 1880s.  This is the right lion.  The originals were made by Belgian sculptor Guillaume Geefs. The GGNRA replaced them with copies about 100 years later.

Yesterday my daughter took a test at George Washington High School.  I drove up to the San Francisco monument and took some photos.  Then I parked at the lot which replace Merrie Way.  The new visitor center is making progress.  I walked up to Sutro Heights and walked around.  Then I went down the road and took photos of Sutro Baths and the Cliff House.

After the test, we had lunch at Bill's Place.  We both had the Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins Burger.

Cliff House #2 -- July 15, 2011

There has been a Cliff House at Land's End in San Francisco since 1863. There is some debate over whether this elaborate structure, built by Adolph Sutro in 1896 after the previous Cliff House was nearly destroyed by an explosion, was number three or number two. Historians like to point out the irony that it survived the 18-April-1906 Earthquake and Fire, but burned the next year, on 07-September-1907.

The Lion at the Entrance Escaped With a Black Eye -- February 21, 2010

This image is from the 17-December-1894 San Francisco Call, about the burning of the second Cliff House.

Cliff House Centennial -- November 6, 2009

Last night there was a celebration for the centennial of the current (Third or Fourth, depending how one counts) Cliff House. I took the photo in December, 2008.

It rained today.

Umpire -- March 28, 2009

Tuesday I was a little early for the bus going home so I walked up to Market. A guy who plays the saxophone said I looked like an umpire. Thursday a receptionist told me I looked like an umpire. Next week I'll wear khaki pants.

Today relatives came from out of town. We met at the Cliff House for lunch. It was bright and sunny out to about 45th Avenue. Then there was fog. It was comfortable sitting outside waiting for a table.

Good Shepherd had a Lenten reconcilliation service at 3:30. There were a lot of people, so it barely finished before 5 o'cl0ck mass. We were eucharistic ministers. At the end, Father Vince announced that he had received an obedience letter from the Franciscans, so he's off to Los Angeles in August. After mass there was a ministry fair. My wife worked the table for the school.

Visitors -- December 7, 2008

Yesterday family visited from out of town. We went to the Cliff House for breakfast/lunch. I think this is the first time I have eaten there since the remodeling. We were upstairs. The food was good. It was windy and cold outside.

We took two young ones downtown. They enjoyed looking at the painted Victorians in the Western Addition. Fifth and Mission was very crowded, but we found a space. We went across the street to the San Francisco Center. Under the Emporium dome, we told them about the Roof Rides. Then we walked up Powell. They were interested in the guy with the "Jesus Saves" signs and the other guy who preaches with the loudspeaker. We watched a cable car turn around.

We looked at the animals in the windows at Macys. We went in and looked at the Christmas stuff on the first floor. Then we visited the FAO Schwarz stuff on five.

We went to Union Square and took a photo with a guy dressed as the Grinch, then went to See's Candy.

Everyone got together for dinner at the Outback Steak House near Serramonte.

I was sad to read that Forrest J Ackerman, creator of Famous Monsters of Filmland

had passed away. I enjoyed reading it when I was in grammar school.

Pacquiao beat De La Hoya. The pay-per-view people are probably very unhappy.

Cliff House #1 - September 5, 2007

There has been a Cliff House at Land's End in San Francisco since 1863. There is some debate over whether the present structure, shown here not too long after it opened in 1909, is the third or the fourth building. It was recently renovated and I don't care for what the Golden Gate National Recreation Area did with it. The front is almost blank. The inside is unattractive.

When I lived in the city, I used to love to walk out to the Cliff House, especially on extra-foggy days.

Sutro Baths #1 -- June 29, 2007

Sutro Baths was built by Adolph Sutro, San Francisco philanthropist, at the western edge of the city, near Sutro Heights, his home, and the third Cliff House (depending on how you count them), which he built. Both are visible behind the Baths in this postcard.

My grandfather took me to Sutro Baths several times when I was little. The pools had been converted into ice skating rinks. I remember the Egyptian mummies, the Tucker automobile, and Tom Thumb's carriage. Some years before, in 1958, the Baths had appeared in the movie version of The Lineup, directed by Don Siegel.

I was playing in my backyard one day in 1966 when the sky grew dark and ashes started flying overhead. Sutro Baths, which was being demolished to make way for apartments, had caught fire. The mummies and the Tucker and Tom Thumb's carriage had already been removed.

The developer went bankrupt, and the cove where the baths stood is a nice place to hike.

The western edge of San Francisco, around Land's End, has always been one of my favorite places. I will return there in this blog.