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History Articles & Columns

History Articles & Columns

Browse articles, profiles, and memories on the history of western San Francisco, including Frank Dunnigan's popular monthly "Streetwise" column.

Articles: Most Recent 20 (default) - All Articles
Popular Authors: Woody LaBounty - Frank Dunnigan - John Freeman - John A. Martini - Angus Macfarlane - Lorri Ungaretti

The Golden Gate Park Windmills
Online Exhibition ( May 25, 2023)
Streetwise: SF Police Department On Duty
Frank Dunnigan shares photos of the SFPD in the western neighborhoods. ( May 11, 2023)
Streetwise: Signs of the Times
Frank Dunnigan checks out some of the iconic signage of the western neighborhoods. ( Apr 14, 2023)
Streetwise: Stormy Weather in the Western Neighborhoods
Revisit rainy days on the west side. ( Mar 9, 2023)
Streetwise: Western Neighborhoods Landmarks
Frank Dunnigan shares west side landmarks famous enough to know by one-word names. ( Feb 10, 2023)
Streetwise: A Look Back to 1923 in the Western Neighborhoods
Frank Dunnigan looks back 100 years at what was happening in the remarkable year of 1923. ( Jan 14, 2023)
Streetwise: December Celebrations in the Outside Lands
Frank Dunnigan remembers the west side December traditions of the past. ( Dec 8, 2022)
Streetwise: Thanksgiving Memories in the Outside Lands
Frank Dunnigan looks back at the years of Thanksgiving traditions in the Outside Lands in this month's Streetwise column. ( Nov 11, 2022)
Streetwise: Changing Westside Businesses
Frank Dunnigan looks at the evolving west side business landscape over the years. ( Oct 14, 2022)
Streetwise: Deep Underground in the Western Neighborhoods
Frank Dunnigan goes underground to find how the Western Neighborhoods was constructed. ( Aug 13, 2022)
Streetwise: All Dressed Up In The Outside Lands
What did the Outside Lands get dressed up for? Frank Dunnigan reviews some of the fashion choices over the last century plus. ( Jul 15, 2022)
Streetwise: Fires in the Western Neighborhoods
Fire has long been a fact of life in the Outside Lands. Frank Dunnigan checks some of the fires in the Western Neighborhoods in the post-World War II era. ( Jun 11, 2022)
Chinese in the Richmond: Rodney and Russell Jeung
( May 30, 2022)
Chinese In The Richmond: Lenore Chinn
( May 29, 2022)
Chinese In The Richmond: Alfred John Young and Connie Young Yu
. ( May 14, 2022)
Streetwise: West Side Murals and Mosaics
Art can be found in many unexpected places in the Outside Lands. Frank Dunnigan looks at some of the great murals and mosaics that are or were found here. ( May 13, 2022)
Streetwise: Western Neighborhoods Under Construction
The Outside Lands were developed over a long period of time. Frank Dunnigan takes us through a tour of some of these developments. ( Apr 9, 2022)
Chinese In The Richmond
Exploring the lives of Chinese Americans in San Francisco's Richmond District from the community's point of view. ( Apr 5, 2022)
Streetwise: Old-Time Food & Drink
What was your favorite place to dine in the Outside Lands? Frank Dunnigan reviews where we used to eat. ( Mar 10, 2022)
The Competition for Great Highway: A Historical Analysis - Introduction
The history of the Great Highway is a long and complicated one. ( Feb 18, 2022)