Western Neighborhoods Project is dedicated to the history of San Francisco's Richmond, Sunset, OMI and West of Twin Peaks districts.   read more ...

WNP Events Calendar

Western Neighborhoods Project shares local history at events for community organizations, clubs, businesses, schools, and fairs. We also host our own events, including special walks and symposiums exclusively for WNP members.

Contact us to bring some San Francisco history to your next gathering.

  • Shipwreck Week Hangout at The Riptide
    WNP Event

    Oct 10, 2023 6:00pm-9:00pm (Tuesday) at The Riptide 3639 Taraval Street

    Ahoy, mateys! You are cordially invited to join WNP for a hangout at The Riptide bar from 6:00-9:00pm on Tuesday, October 10th, the first in-person event for our first-ever Shipwreck Week! We’re gathering at The Riptide for a casual evening of salty fun - feel free to drop by anytime. Happy hour pricing will be in place until 7:00pm and the bar will be serving a spicy rum drink special for the evening. Plus, we’ll have a robust Chantey Sing at 7pm thanks to our friends at San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. Festive nautical attire is encouraged but not required.

    This event is free but we do request you RSVP in advance through Eventbrite, so bar staff know how many to expect for the night and, as always, donations are appreciated to keep our nonprofit afloat!


  • ShipWRECKED!
    WNP Event

    Oct 12, 2023 6:30pm-9:00pm (Thursday) at Balboa Theater 3630 Balboa Street

    Get ready to set sail for an epic evening of tales from the deep. Join Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) at the Richmond District’s beloved Balboa Theater on Thursday, October 12 for an illustrated, lively conversation between two former National Park Service historians and longtime friends: Stephen Haller and John Martini, moderated by Executive Director Nicole Meldahl. Steve and John got their start locally at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and have since gone on to esteemed careers; Steve is the co-author of the seminal book “Shipwrecks at the Golden Gate.”

    The main program will run from 7:00-9:00pm and will include time for Q&A. Steve and John will share stories and photos of Ocean Beach and Lands End shipwrecks. Then we’ll screen a grab bag of actual shipwreck footage from our friends at the Prelinger Archives.

    General Admission tickets are $40 and include access to the theater when the doors open at 6:30pm. VIP tickets are $70 and include:

    Early access to the theater at 5:45pm to secure your favorite seats.

    An exclusive meet-and-greet with our speakers until 6:30pm. This is a great opportunity to have your old (or new!) copy of “Shipwrecks at the Golden Gate” signed.

    A complimentary beverage of your choice served in authentic Cliff House glassware, which VIP guests can take home with them.

    Food and drink are available for purchase at the Balboa’s concession stand. WNP will also be selling merchandise in the lobby, including $35 hardcover copies of “Shipwrecks at the Golden Gate,” which is currently out of print. Quantities are limited!

    Come on out to support WNP and this historic local theater for what promises to be a memorable evening. Please purchase tickets through Eventbrite.

    Speaker Bios

    Stephen A. Haller’s 42-year career with the National Park Service included tours as Park Historian and Chief of Cultural Resources at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Curator of Historic Documents for the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. He has also been an interpreter at a number of historic sites in the San Francisco Bay Area, including Alcatraz, Fort Point, and the Maritime Museum. His academic background is in 19th century American history and he has specialized in the study of shipwrecks, naval and military history. He is the author and co-author of several books and was editor of the Sea Letter, the journal of the National Maritime Museum Association. He has been the principal investigator for World War II oral history projects at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial National Historic Site in Hawaii and at the War in the Pacific National Historic Site on Guam.

    John A. Martini is a life-long researcher and storyteller of the history of California and the American West. He worked as a National Park Ranger for more than 25 years at parks around the country including the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, and Teddy Roosevelt’s country estate at Sagamore Hill in New York. John retired to pursue a career as a writer, historian, researcher, and lecturer. He is a renowned expert in San Francisco’s many military posts and the Lands End-Sutro Baths area. In addition to authoring several books, John offers historical research and technical writing services. He appears regularly on local television and radio broadcasts, as well as The History Channel, A&E Network, The Discovery Channel and PBS specials.


  • Lands End History Walk
    WNP Event

    Oct 14, 2023 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday)

    Join historian and retired park ranger John Martini for a scenic tour of the wild northwest corner of San Francisco known as Lands End. We’ll follow the right of way for the famous Ferries & Cliff House steam train, see the remains of two shipwrecks (if the tides are right), visit the site of the vanished community of Ocean Terrace, and explore the once-lavish grounds of Adolph Sutro’s estate at Sutro Heights.

    Our journey begins at 10:00am and takes about 2 hours. Grade: moderately strenuous

    Please register through Eventbrite. $10 for WNP members (and we absorb your Eventbrite fees) and $20 for non-members. The super secret meeting location will be emailed to you when tickets are purchased. The walk is limited to 30 people.


  • Lost Cemetery of Lincoln Park History Walk
    WNP Event

    Oct 28, 2023 5:00pm-7:00pm (Saturday)

    Join historian and retired park ranger John Martini on this twilight exploration of Lincoln Park and discover forgotten funerary monuments along the golf course fairways. Few people realize that today's Lincoln Park Golf Course was once "City Cemetery," the final resting place for tens of thousands of San Franciscans, including a Chinese burial ground and the municipal paupers' graveyard called Potter's Field. The walk ends at the Palace of the Legion of Honor.

    Our journey begins at 5:00pm and takes about 1.5 hours. Grade: moderate with some uphill sections and lawn.

    Please register through Eventbrite. $10 for WNP members (and we absorb your Eventbrite fees) and $20 for non-members. The super secret meeting location will be emailed to you when tickets are purchased. The walk is limited to 30 people.


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