Western Neighborhoods Project is dedicated to the history of San Francisco's Richmond, Sunset, OMI and West of Twin Peaks districts. read more ...
Hello History Friend,
Here we are at the end of another remarkable year together. This one was a milestone for Western Neighborhoods Project, celebrating 25 years of preserving and sharing the diverse history and culture of San Francisco’s west side.
In 2024, we partnered with the San Francisco Planning Department to connect longtime residents from the Richmond District with two critical documents: the Chinese American and Russian American Historic Context Statements. These Historic Context Statements are part of a multi-year program by SF Planning to identify and document places and resources of cultural, historical, and architectural importance to San Francisco’s diverse communities. By incorporating feedback from events we hosted at the Internet Archive throughout the year, these living documents help protect Chinese and Russian heritage in the neighborhoods as San Francisco navigates future development. Since WNP was founded in 1999, we've contributed to many of these statements, and we’re honored to be given opportunities to do meaningful work like this that shines a light on communities historically marginalized by traditional history.
WNP also found time to have some fun! Now in my fifth year as Executive Director, I can see one of the things that makes our nonprofit unique is the playfulness that we bring to serious work. We research the people and places that make the west side special with academic rigor. And, we share that work with you in entertaining ways that utilize a broad definition of History; crafting programs that support local businesses, include artists, and highlight familiar landmarks in unusual ways.
This approach was most definitely at play during the Family Dinner with Paul Madonna that we recently hosted at Gaspare’s Pizza House and Italian Restaurant. If you weren’t able to join us, let me paint the scene. We ate Neapolitan pizza, played games, and got to know each other while honoring artist Paul Madonna, perhaps best known for his San Francisco Chronicle series “All Over Coffee.” The night also celebrated our omnipresent Sutro Tower, which has been a recent focus of Paul’s work. We thoroughly researched the history of the restaurant’s location as well, tracing Gaspare’s still-in-use pizza oven back to 1955, when the business transitioned from one of the neighborhood’s early Chinese restaurants (The Rice Bowl) to Mario’s Pizza House. Not only was this research of interest to our community, but it benefits Gaspare’s: this family-owned business now has the information it needs to apply for Legacy Business status–a program that can provide financial support and other protections for this iconic restaurant.
This, in my opinion, is the best that history can be: a nexus that enables people to bond over a shared sense of place and supports the places that bring us together. Programs like these, as well as our regular happenings–our free podcast and low-cost walks, talks, and film screenings–are what make us a true community history group.
As we look into our 26th year, end-of-year donations in addition to membership contributions from friends like you are key to our survival and will make these programs a reality in 2025. So, what’s on tap for next year? I’m so glad you asked…
I hope you will consider helping us continue to do the work of providing vital context to our city in a critical time, and bringing people together in joyous celebration of neighborhood staples by making a donation today.
Thank you for being with us!
All my best,
Nicole Meldahl
Executive Director, WNP
