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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

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)
Streetwise: Changing School Enrollments
West side schools are ever changing. Frank Dunnigan looks at the past and present of education in the Outside Lands. ( Feb 12, 2022)
Streetwise: Monument to the Deceased
Frank Dunnigan looks at the last remnant of the Big 4 cemeteries that once surrounded Lone Mountain. ( Jan 13, 2022)
Streetwise: Splendid Survivors
The pandemic has closed many long-time outside lands dining establishments. Frank Dunnigan takes a look at the places that survived. ( Dec 16, 2021)
Streetwise: Never-Built West Side Landmarks
What never was in the Outside Lands. Frank Dunnigan takes a look at the proposals for the Western Neighborhoods that never came to fruition. ( Nov 22, 2021)
Streetwise: Preserving a Sunset District Block
Located at 1601 19th Avenue is the brick-fronted building that was constructed as Shriners Hospital in 1922-23. Frank Dunnigan takes a look remaking of this important Sunset District block. ( Jun 2, 2021)
Streetwise: Residential Architecture of the Outside Lands
Homes in the west side possess many different styles, depending on the era of construction. Whether single-family or multi-family units, there were usually some standard features present. ( Feb 2, 2021)
Streetwise: Getting Caught Up
Frank is back! A lot has happened on the west side in the last couple years. Here's an A-Z by Dunnigan. ( Jan 11, 2021)
Robert Emmet Statue
The Story of Irish Patriot Robert Emmet and his Monument in Golden Gate Park ( May 7, 2020)
Goethe-Schiller Monument
Just off the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park, a large statue memorializes two friends, Germany's most famous philosopher poets, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller. ( May 1, 2020)