Past Events - Western Neighborhoods Project

WNP Past Events

Here are some of our recent events. Did you attend? Do you wish you had? Click the title of any event and send us a message about what you thought or a request for a re do.

We're happy to appear at street fairs, festivals, and other community events to show old photos of the neighborhood, give out free booklets, and chat with people about west SF history.

Residence Parks of West Portal by ShapingSF
Oct 1, 2022 12:00pm-3:00pm (Saturday) at The Great Outdoors at West Portal

You may be living in a residence park and not know it. Between 1905 and 1924, 36 residence parks were planned or launched in San Francisco, with picturesque streets, landscaping, detached houses, and setbacks to convey the feeling of living in a park. Only a few are well known such as St Francis Wood, Forest Hill, and Seacliff. The developers were colorful characters who left a legacy of attractive, landscaped neighborhoods that have lasted more than 100 years.

Author, West Portal resident, and former WNP Board Member Richard Brandi will lead a bike tour for ShapingSF based on his new book, Garden Neighborhoods of San Francisco, the Development of Residence Parks 1905-1924, by McFarland Publishing.

You will see upwards of 10 residence parks in the greater West Portal and Ocean Avenue areas. The 2-hour bike ride will have multiple stops so Richard can point out the unique figures of each neighborhood. The route is on city street and is not too steep. There are no restrooms on the route.

This event is co-sponsored by WNP and ShapingSF. RSVP required in advance by emailing shaping [at] foundsf [dot] org.

map to: The Great Outdoors at West Portal San Francisco
Contact: Hardworking Historians shaping [at] foundsf [dot] org
Combo Curator Tour of Naiad Cove(WNP Event)
Sep 23, 2022 6:00pm-8:00pm (Friday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Join us for a special evening hosted by Western Neighborhoods Project in the former Cliff House Restaurant when The Museum at The Cliff is closed to the public. We will serve you complimentary refreshments as John Lindsey of The Great Highway gallery and WNP Executive Director Nicole Meldahl lead you on an art and history curator's tour of the contemporary art and historic artifacts they chose to feature in "Naiad Cove."

The Museum at The Cliff's special show, "Naiad Cove" is an immersive exhibition that showcases the mythical heritage of Lands End and Ocean Beach by placing site-specific contemporary artworks in conversation with historic artifacts--both in situ with the landscape that created them.

The artifacts on display have far more complex stories than we can tell in small captions. Nicole Meldahl will explain the secrets behind her selections and provide entertaining anecdotes about all things on display related to Sutro Baths, Cliff House, and Playland-at-the-Beach. But, of course, a key part of this experience centers on contemporary photography. John Lindsey has included fourteen submissions from local photographers that explore the landscape surrounding the Cliff House, placing them within a long lineage of photographers who also came to the coast with a camera in hand. Additional works on loan from The Great Highway gallery highlight the intersection of land and water, and foster a deeper connection to this unique part of San Francisco.

You're getting two curators for the price of one! This program is $10 for Western Neighborhoods Project members and $20 for non-members. Doors to The Museum will open at 6:00pm on Friday, September 9, 2022. The curator's tour will begin at 6:15pm and is expected to take about 45 minutes. Afterwards, attendees are invited to explore the full exhibition or simply hang out, sip a beverage, and enjoy the view.

The Museum at The Cliff closes on September 25, 2022 so this is your last chance to experience "Naiad Cove" with the folks who poured their blood, sweat, and tears into it. And we look forward to hosting you for the final time!

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/combo-curators-tour-of-naiad-cove-tickets-411647838767?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Sutro Heights History Walk(WNP Event)
Sep 17, 2022 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday) at Sutro Heights

Join Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) for this in-person scenic and historic walk led by our pal John Martini through his old stomping grounds at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

John's tour brings Sutro's "Pleasure Grounds" alive and recreates the area San Franciscans long considered their very own seaside wonderland. The walk, which features an easy grade with one uphill section and one area of unpaved paths, will include an overview of the Cliff House and ruins of Sutro Baths, Sutro's midway of Merrie Way, and a loop walk through Sutro Heights, the faded formal estate of San Francisco mayor and Comstock millionaire Adolph Sutro.

Tour begins at 10:00am and is expected to take about 1.5 to 2 hours. The super-secret meeting location will be emailed when tickets are purchased: $10 for members (and we absorb your Eventbrite fees!) and $20 for non-members.
The walk is limited to 30 people and we will follow whatever San Francisco Department of Health regulations are in place at the time.

map to: Sutro Heights San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-sutro-heights-history-walk-tickets-386531384777
WNP History Happy Hour with Kristine Poggioli and Carolyn Eidson(WNP Event)
Sep 14, 2022 6:30pm-8:30pm (Wednesday) at The Museum at The Cliff

History Happy Hours hosted by Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) are now in-person!
Join Nicole Meldahl and Chelsea Sellin as they enjoy adult beverages while chatting with local historians, artists, longtime west side residents and other surprise guests on Wednesday evenings at The Museum at The Cliff.

On Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 6:30pm, we invite you to the former Cliff House Restaurant at 1090 Point Lobos Avenue for complimentary refreshments and a casual discussion with Kristine Poggioli and coauthor Carolyn Eidson--the first people known to have walked San Francisco's historic 49 Mile Scenic Drive (over one year, not it one day: sheesh!).

They did it by dividing the route into 17 neighborhood walks. Wanting to share this with other fun-loving people who love San Francisco, they researched the history along each mile of the Drive and turned their adventure into a turn-by-turn walking guidebook, cleverly titled: Walking San Francisco’s 49 Mile Scenic Drive.

Then, they challenged San Francisco to walk it too! Did the challenge succeed? Did they uncover any shocking SF history? How did their marriage survive while writing a book together? What is the 49 Mile Scenic Drive? So many questions...so many secrets to be spilled. Bring your questions, too, and be part of this friendly conversation as the authors tell us all about their adventure. It'll be a hoot!

Doors open at 6:30pm for check-in and the main program will begin at 7:00pm, running for approximately one hour. Afterwards, guests are free to explore our newest exhibition, "Naiad Cove," or simply hang out, mingle, and enjoy the view.
This program is $10 for WNP Members (and we absorb your Eventbrite fees) and $30 for non-members. If you aren't part of the WNP family already, you can fix this problem by joining WNP for the low low price of $50 a year.
Plus, for this event only, we have a special offer...If you donate $20 to WNP in advance, the authors will give you a signed book. BUT if you donate $100 to WNP in advance, the authors will give you a signed book AND an 18x22-inch metal replica of the iconic seagull SIGN! How cool is that?!

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-history-happy-hour-with-kristine-poggioli-and-carolyn-eidson-tickets-411420749537?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
WNP Curator Tour of Naiad Cove(WNP Event)
Sep 10, 2022 6:00pm-8:00pm (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Join us for a special evening hosted by Western Neighborhoods Project in the former Cliff House Restaurant when The Museum at The Cliff is closed to the public. We will serve you complimentary refreshments as WNP Executive Director Nicole Meldahl guides you through historic art and artifacts she chose to feature in "Naiad Cove."

The Museum at The Cliff's special show, "Naiad Cove" is an immersive exhibition that showcases the mythical heritage of Lands End and Ocean Beach by placing site-specific contemporary artworks in conversation with historic artifacts--both in situ with the landscape that created them.

The artifacts on display have far more complex stories than we can tell in small captions. Nicole will explain the secrets behind her selections and provide entertaining anecdotes about all things on display related to Sutro Baths, Cliff House, and Playland-at-the-Beach.

This program is $10 for Western Neighborhoods Project members and $30 for non-members. Doors to The Museum will open at 6:00pm on Friday, September 9, 2022. The curator's tour will begin at 6:15pm and is expected to take about 45 minutes. Afterwards, attendees are invited to explore the full exhibition or simply hang out, sip a beverage, and enjoy the view.

Time is running out to see "Naiad Cove" after hours. The Museum at The Cliff closes on September 25, 2022! The tour is limited to 40 people so snag your tickets soon.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture 50th Anniversary Open House
Sep 10, 2022 11:00am-1:00pm (Saturday) at Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture

The Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture at the San Francisco Botanical Garden is celebrating its 50th Anniversary with an open house on Saturday, September 10, from 10am-4:00pm!

There will be a book sale featuring hundreds of gently used plant and gardening titles; an exhibition titled "From Sand Dunes to Forest: Canopy Trees of Golden Gate Park;" hourly raffles, and all kinds of fun for all ages.

Our own Nicole Meldahl will take part with a storytime that starts at 11:00am. She'll read a very special book from the Library and then everyone gets to put their imaginations to work with vintage crafts for kids.

This event is absolutely free and no registration is required. Masks are strongly recommended for all attendees over the age of 2.

map to: Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture 1199 9th Avenue
Contact: Library Director: Brandy Kuhl library@sfbg.org
more info: https://sfbg.secure.force.com/ticket/#/events/a0S6Q00000UQYRZUA5
The Great Highway Curator Tour of Naiad Cove(WNP Event)
Sep 9, 2022 6:00pm-8:00pm (Friday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Join us for a special evening hosted by Western Neighborhoods Project in the former Cliff House Restaurant when The Museum at The Cliff is closed to the public. We will serve you complimentary refreshments as John Lindsey of The Great Highway gallery leads you on a curator's tour of the contemporary art he chose to feature in "Naiad Cove."

The Museum at The Cliff's newest activation, "Naiad Cove" is an immersive exhibition that showcases the mythical heritage of Lands End and Ocean Beach by placing site-specific contemporary artworks in conversation with historic artifacts--both in situ with the landscape that created them.

A key part of this experience centers on contemporary photography. John Lindsey has included fourteen submissions from local photographers that explore the landscape surrounding the Cliff House, placing them within a long lineage of photographers who also came to the coast with a camera in hand. Additional works on loan from The Great Highway gallery highlight the intersection of land and water, and foster a deeper connection to this unique part of San Francisco.

This program is $10 for Western Neighborhoods Project members and $30 for non-members. Doors to The Museum will open at 6:00pm on Friday, September 9, 2022. The curator's tour will begin at 6:15pm and is expected to take about 45 minutes. Afterwards, attendees are invited to explore the full exhibition or simply hang out, sip a beverage, and enjoy the view.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-great-highway-curators-tour-of-naiad-cove-tickets-411643716437?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
WNP History Happy Hour with San Francisco Neon(WNP Event)
Sep 7, 2022 6:30pm-8:30pm (Wednesday) at The Museum at The Cliff

History Happy Hours hosted by Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) are now in-person!
Join Nicole Meldahl and (sometimes) Chelsea Sellin as they enjoy adult beverages while chatting with local historians, artists, longtime west side residents and other surprise guests on Wednesday evenings at The Museum at The Cliff.

On Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at 6:30pm, we invite you to the former Cliff House Restaurant at 1090 Point Lobos Avenue for complimentary refreshments and a casual discussion with Randall Ann Homan and Al Barna of San Francisco Neon. This dynamic duo advocates for the artistic legacy of historic neon signs in San Francisco by helping to actively preserve survivors in the city, as well as hosting tours, talks, and other events, including an annual international festival and symposium called Neon Speaks. We adore them and their work and are so excited to chat about what they've been up to lately, some of their favorite neon signs, and more.

Doors open at 6:30pm for check-in and the main program will begin at 7:00pm, running for approximately one hour. Afterwards, guests are free to explore our newest exhibition, "Naiad Cove," or simply hang out, mingle, and enjoy the view.
This program is $10 for WNP Members (and we absorb your Eventbrite fees) and $30 for non-members. Plus, for this event only, an extra $8 donation means you can go home with your very own Trad'r Sam enamel pin!
If you aren't part of the WNP family already, you can fix this problem by joining WNP for the low low price of $50 a year.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-history-happy-hour-with-san-francisco-neon-tickets-405927529167?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Projection Party at The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Sep 3, 2022 6:00pm-9:00pm (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) is thrilled to premiere new artwork by Ben Wood animating local history at The Museum at The Cliff on Saturday, September 3, 2022.

This installation will illuminate windows in the former Cliff House Restaurant facing east, overlooking the lower terrace and Ocean Beach. Using a variety of photographic media, Ben will showcase the bohemian surf culture of Kelly's Cove and the vibrant legacy of Playland at the Beach, which once graced Great Highway until its demolition 50 years ago this month. His animated projections bring toghether newly-digitized and never before seen films with photographs submitted by members of the public and historic snapshots from the OpenSFHistory Archive.

And if you can believe it, this work is a companion piece to Ben's projection illuminating three northerly-facing windows of the former Cliff House Gift Shop with diverse cenes of the Cliff House and connected sites that has been showing nightly from sundown to 10:00pm since December 2021! What better way to celebrate Labor Day Weekend than by celebrating the artistic labor of Ben Wood, his indispensable collaborator, Rick Bellamy, and everyone who contributed to the piece than by joining us for a Projection Party?!

The party begins with a Fancy Pants Reception inside The Museum from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Guests at the Reception will receive complimentary refreshments and have access to the special exhibition, "Naiad Cove," while enjoying the fabulous accompaniment of the Aloha Uke Squad. Then, we'll move outside to see the projection which will be viewed from the lower terrace after sundown, beginning at 8:00pm(ish). Here, members of the general public will join us to see Ben's projection for the first time.

Tickets to the Fancy Pants Reception, which will take place inside The Museum at The Cliff from 6:00-8:00pm, are $15 for WNP Members and $30 for Non-Members. The screening will be outside and is free to the public but reservation in advance is appreciated. You can BYOB and register now by selecting "I Wanna See Ben's Projection!"

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/projection-party-at-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-402113661787
The Great Highway Curator Tour of Naiad Cove(WNP Event)
Aug 26, 2022 6:00pm-8:00pm (Friday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Join us for a special evening hosted by Western Neighborhoods Project in the former Cliff House Restaurant when The Museum at The Cliff is closed to the public. We will serve you complimentary refreshments as John Lindsey of The Great Highway gallery leads you on a curator's tour of the contemporary art he chose to feature in "Naiad Cove."

The Museum at The Cliff's newest activation, "Naiad Cove" is an immersive exhibition that showcases the mythical heritage of Lands End and Ocean Beach by placing site-specific contemporary artworks in conversation with historic artifacts--both in situ with the landscape that created them.

A key part of this experience centers on contemporary photography. John Lindsey has included fourteen submissions from local photographers that explore the landscape surrounding the Cliff House, placing them within a long lineage of photographers who also came to the coast with a camera in hand. Additional works on loan from The Great Highway gallery highlight the intersection of land and water, and foster a deeper connection to this unique part of San Francisco.

This program is free for Western Neighborhoods Project members and $30 for non-members. Doors to The Museum will open at 6:00pm on Friday, August 26, 2022. The curator's tour will begin at 6:15pm and is expected to take about 45 minutes. Afterwards, attendees are invited to explore the full exhibition or simply hang out, sip a beverage, and enjoy the view.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-great-highway-curators-tour-of-naiad-cove-tickets-388895726587
SOLD OUT WNP History Happy Hour with Woody LaBounty SOLD OUT(WNP Event)
Aug 24, 2022 6:00pm-8:00pm (Wednesday) at The Museum at The Cliff

History Happy Hours hosted by Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) are now in-person!

Join Nicole Meldahl and Chelsea Sellin as they enjoy adult beverages while chatting with local historians, artists, longtime west side residents and other surprise guests on Wednesday evenings at The Museum at The Cliff.

On August 24, 2022 at 6:00pm, we invite you to the former Cliff House Restaurant at 1090 Point Lobos Avenue for complimentary refreshments and a casual discussion with Woody LaBounty, WNP's co-founder and lifelong San Francisco historian. Guests will hear Woody talk about his newest venture, San Francisco Story, and share some of his favorite Cliff House stories (naturally). We encourage you to wear your best hat in honor of Mr. LaBounty's iconic fedora, but the presence of a jaunty hat will not be required.

Doors open at 6:00pm for check-in and the main program will begin at 6:30pm, running for approximately one hour. Afterwards, guests are free to explore our newest exhibition, "Naiad Cove," and the history gallery in the former Cliff House Gift Shop or simply hang out, mingle, and enjoy the view.

This program is free for WNP Members and Friends of Woody. Members of the general public can purchase tickets for $30 each. If you aren't part of the WNP family or a registered friend of Woody, you can fix this problem by joining WNP for the low low price of $50 a year and/or joining the San Francisco Story squad for just $70 a year.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-history-happy-hour-with-woody-labounty-tickets-388907782647
Cliff House & Sutro Baths History Walk(WNP Event)
Aug 20, 2022 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday) at The Cliff House

Join Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) as we explore the fabled Cliff House and the ruins of Sutro Baths on this in-person history walk led by historian John Martini.

We'll venture around the Cliff House to learn about the history of San Francisco's most incendiary landmark (poof!). The Baths visit will include a steep walk downhill into the ruins to visit the mysterious tunnels through Point Lobos, followed by an uphill climb to the old Sky Tram overlook where we'll see the wave catch basin constructed by Adolph Sutro that trapped Pacific waves and sent roiling seawater to the Baths.

Our two-hour tour begins at 10:00am and please note that the grade is strenuous with steep downhill sections, unpaved trails, stairs, and walking across sandy areas. The super-secret meeting location will be emailed when tickets are purchased: $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Each ticket includes a complimentary pass to see "Naiad Cove," WNP's new special exhibition on view at The Museum at The Cliff after the walk.

The walk is limited to 30 people and we will be following whatever San Francisco Department of Health regulations are in place at that time.

map to: The Cliff House 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-cliff-house-sutro-baths-history-walk-tickets-386478275927
The Great Highway Curator Tour of Naiad Cove(WNP Event)
Aug 19, 2022 6:00pm-8:00pm (Friday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Join us for a special evening hosted by Western Neighborhoods Project in the former Cliff House Restaurant when The Museum at The Cliff is closed to the public. We will serve you complimentary refreshments as John Lindsey of The Great Highway gallery leads you on a curator's tour of the contemporary art he chose to feature in "Naiad Cove."

The Museum at The Cliff's newest activation, "Naiad Cove" is an immersive exhibition that showcases the mythical heritage of Lands End and Ocean Beach by placing site-specific contemporary artworks in conversation with historic artifacts--both in situ with the landscape that created them.

A key part of this experience centers on contemporary photography. John Lindsey has included fourteen submissions from local photographers that explore the landscape surrounding the Cliff House, placing them within a long lineage of photographers who also came to the coast with a camera in hand. Additional works on loan from The Great Highway gallery highlight the intersection of land and water, and foster a deeper connection to this unique part of San Francisco.

This program is free for Western Neighborhoods Project members and $30 for non-members. Doors to The Museum will open at 6:00pm on Friday, August 19, 2022. The curator's tour will begin at 6:15pm and is expected to take about 45 minutes. Afterwards, attendees are invited to explore the full exhibition or simply hang out, sip a beverage, and enjoy the view.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-great-highway-curators-tour-of-naiad-cove-tickets-388873550257
History Happy Hour with Reino Niemela Jr.(WNP Event)
Aug 17, 2022 6:00pm-8:00pm (Wednesday) at The Museum at The Cliff

History Happy Hours hosted by Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) are now in-person!

Join Nicole Meldahl and (sometimes) Chelsea Sellin as they enjoy adult beverages while chatting with local historians, artists, longtime west side residents and other surprise guests on Wednesday evenings at The Museum at The Cliff.

On Wednesday, August 17, 2022 at 6:00pm, we invite you to the former Cliff House Restaurant at 1090 Point Lobos Avenue for complimentary refreshments and a casual discussion with Reino Niemala Jr.. His father, Rey Niemala Sr., was an artist and designer who began working for the Whitney Family in the 1930s and was responsible for all the hand-painted signage at Playland at the Beach. "Naiad Cove" is the first expansive exhibition of his work thanks to Reino's generoisty. Guests will hear Reino talk about his dad, his memories of Playland, and more!

Doors open at 6:00pm for check-in and the main program will begin at 6:30pm, running for approximately one hour. Afterwards, guests are free to explore our newest exhibition, "Naiad Cove," or simply hang out, mingle, and enjoy the view.
This program is free for WNP Members and $30 each non-members. If you aren't part of the WNP family already, you can fix this problem by joining WNP for the low low price of $50 a year.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-history-happy-hour-with-reino-niemela-jr-tickets-390634467207
WNP History Happy Hour with Patrick Moser(WNP Event)
Aug 10, 2022 6:00pm-8:00pm (Wednesday) at The Museum at The Cliff

History Happy Hours hosted by Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) are now in-person!

Join Nicole Meldahl and (sometimes) Chelsea Sellin as they enjoy adult beverages while chatting with local historians, artists, longtime west side residents and other surprise guests on Wednesday evenings at The Museum at The Cliff

On Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 6:00pm, we invite you to the former Cliff House Restaurant at 1090 Point Lobos Avenue for complimentary refreshments and a casual discussion with author Patrick Moser. Guests will hear Patrick talk about his book, "Surf & Rescue: George Freeth and the Birth of California Beach Culture," its connection to Sutro Baths and San Francisco, and how he got interested in the subject in the first place!

Doors open at 6:00pm for check-in and the main program will begin at 6:30pm, running for approximately one hour. Afterwards, guests are free to explore our newest exhibition, "Naiad Cove," or simply hang out, mingle, and enjoy the view.

This program is free for WNP Members and $30 each non-members. If you aren't part of the WNP family already, you can fix this problem by joining WNP for the low low price of $50 a year.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-history-happy-hour-with-patrick-moser-tickets-390576824797
Surf & Rescue: George Freeth and the Birth of California Beach Culture(WNP Event)
Jul 28, 2022 6:00pm-7:30pm (Thursday) at Virtual Event

Western Neighborhoods Project is thrilled to host a virtual author talk by Patrick Moser, who recently published "Surf & Rescue: George Freeth and the Birth of California Beach Culture," on Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 6:00pm.

"Surf & Rescue" is about a mixed-race Hawaiian athlete named George Freeth who brought surfing to Venice, California in 1907. Over the next twelve years, Freeth taught Southern Californians to surf and swim while creating a modern lifeguard service that transformed the beach into a destination for fun, leisure, and excitement.

Patrick Moser places Freeth's inspiring life story against the rise of the Southern California beach culture he helped shape and define. Freeth made headlines with his rescue of seven fishermen, an act of heroism that highlighted his innovative lifequarding techniques. But he also founded California's first surf club and coached both male and female athletes, including Olympic swimming champion and "father of modern surfing" Duke Kahanamoku.

Moser's work contextualizes the surf history we've long held dear at Kelly's Cove on Ocean Beach, and the book also features several photographs from our OpenSFHistory Archive. Hear how Freeth and Kahanamoku are connected to Sutro Baths and San Francisco and so much more.

This online event is free but you do need to register in advance and donations are always appreciated.

map to: Virtual Event San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/surf-rescue-george-freeth-and-the-birth-of-california-beach-culture-tickets-386546851037
The Museum at The Cliff: Now Showing, Naiad Cove(WNP Event)
Jun 25, 2022 11:00am-5:00pm (Saturday)
Sep 25, 2022 11:00am-5:00pm (Sunday) at The Museum at The Cliff

The Museum at The Cliff's history gallery in the former Cliff House Gift Shop and special exhibition, Naiad Cove, in the former Cliff House Restaurant are open to the public on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays),11:00am to 5:00pm, from June 25, 2022 until September 25, 2022. Although we encourage you to regularly visit our Events Page to see a list of special programs held at The Museum on weekdays and evenings.

Visitors will begin in the history gallery for an overview of what was once here in this area known as Lands End, with stories told through pieces on display from WNP's Cliff House Collection, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area's Park Archives collection, and the Global Museum at SF State, which has loaned authentic Egyptian artifacts once collected by Adolph Sutro to The Museum. This provides an overview of the Cliff House and Adolph Sutro, as well as his glass palace, the Sutro Baths, and public gardens at Sutro Heights.

With this context in place, visitors will enjoy the special exhibition. Curated by John Lindsey of The Great Highway gallery and Nicole Meldahl, Executive Director of WNP, Naiad Cove is an immersive experience that instills a deeper sense of place by placing site-specific contemporary artworks in conversation with historic artifactsâ€“both in situ with the landscape that created them.

Enter through San Francisco's iconic fog to meet old friends from the Cliff House Collection “the porcelain muses, carved wooden bear, and Playland cowboy“ who will once again greet visitors at the door. Once inside, guests will experience a simulation of the Sutro Baths mezzanine, where you could once explore a museum, relax with friends, or peer into swimming tanks on the lower level. Walking through the former restaurant's bar and bistro, you'll see what it was like to dine at the Cliff House, which was constructed in 1909 but went through several significant transformations as proprietors catered to changing tastes. Then you'll travel along Great Highway, with a rollercoaster ride and a gallery of contemporary photographs on your way to an area that commemorates the 50th anniversary of Playland at the Beach's closure in 1972.

Projections by Ben Wood and immersive sound installations by Andrew Roth of Roth Audio Design throughout Naiad Cove transport you to another era, and kid-friendly activities in both the history gallery and special exhibition hall make this fun for the whole family.

There is nothing more powerful than experiencing this history in place and we look forward to hosting you at the Cliff House once again.
Tickets are free but you must register in advance through Eventbrite.

Thank you to District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development for making this exhibition possible.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-351326465917
Steam Trains, Shipwrecks, and Statues History Walk(WNP Event)
Jun 11, 2022 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday) at Lands End

Join us for this in-person history walk led by our pal John Martini through his old stomping grounds at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

The wild northwest corner of San Francisco known as Lands End will be highlighted in this moderately strenuous walk. Along the way weâ€™ll follow the right of way for the famous â€œFerries & Cliff Houseâ€ steam train, see the remains of the oil tanker SS Lyman Stewart that wrecked in 1922, visit the site of the vanished community of Ocean Terrace, and explore the once-lavish grounds of Adolph Sutroâ€™s estate of Sutro Heights.

Our journey begins at 10:00am and is expected the to take about 2 hours. The super secret meeting location will be emailed when tickets are purchased: $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Please register through Eventbrite.

The walk is limited to 30 people and we will follow whatever San Francisco Department of Health regulations are in place at the time.

map to: Lands End San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-steam-trains-shipwrecks-statues-history-walk-tickets-252270757627
Residence Parks of San Francisco with Richard Brandi(WNP Event)
Jun 2, 2022 6:30pm-7:30pm (Thursday) at Online

Recently, the State Historic Resources Commission voted to nominate St. Francis Wood as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. It's a remarkably intact residence park featuring homes by some of San Francisco's most significant architects and a landscaping plan conceived by the Olmstead Brothers. But what exactly is a residence park and what's the deal with these racist covenants you might be hearing about?

Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) has answers for you. Join us on Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 6:30pm via Zoom for a virtual history talk by Richard Brandi, former WNP board member and author of the book "Garden Neighborhoods of San Francisco: The Development of Residence Parks, 1905-1924."

In that time period, residence parks were either planned or created with picturesque streets, landscaping, detached houses, and setbacks to convey the feeling of living in a park. St Francis Wood, Forest Hill, Seacliff, and Ingleside Terraces are all residence parks, which were located mostly on the west side of San Francisco, with a few on Twin Peaks, the Outer Mission, the Marina, and Visitation Valley. Learn about how these neighborhoods came to be and their complicated but colorful history from the man who literally wrote the book on this subject.

This WNP event is free but donations are appreciated, and you must register in advance via Eventbrite. We're trying a new event registration format for this program so bear with us as we learn together. If you have any questions about this event or problems receiving the link, please email Executive Director Nicole Meldahl.

map to: Online San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/san-franciscos-residence-parks-with-richard-brandi-tickets-336678814397?keep_tld=1
Fort Funston History Walk(WNP Event)
May 28, 2022 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday) at Fort Funston

Join us for this in-person history walk led by our pal John Martini through his old stomping grounds at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Fort Funston is more than hang gliders and dog walkers. It began its history as San Franciscoâ€™s most remote (some said desolate) military fort in 1900. From World War I to the Cold War, the sandy post featured barracks, massive gun emplacements, trenches, antiaircraft guns, and NIKE missiles that protected the southern approach to San Francisco Bay. Today, the remains of many of these fortifications lie buried beneath the cityâ€™s last large expanse of natural dunes.

Our journey begins at 10:00am and is expected to take about two hours. This is a moderately difficult walk with terrain that includes walking unpaved and sandy areas. The super secret meeting location will be emailed when tickets are purchased: $10 for WNP members and $20 for non-members. Please register through Eventbrite.

The walk is limited to 30 people and we will follow whatever San Francisco Department of Health regulations are in place at the time.

map to: Fort Funston San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-fort-funston-history-walk-tickets-252259694537
Giving My Father Back His Name: Talk and Book Signing with Jerry Strauss
May 21, 2022 1:00pm-3:00pm (Saturday) at de Young Museum

This talk will illuminate and celebrate the life of Dewald Strauss, portrayed by Alice Neel in her painting Fuller Brush Man. In this talk and book signing, Jerry Strauss will share the true story behind the painting of his father, a Holocaust survivor and door-to-door salesman. Book signing to follow.

This event is put on by the Public Programs team at the de Young Museum and is not a WNP event. It will be held in the Koret Auditorium at the de Young on May 21, 2022 at 1:00pm. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come first-served basis an hour before the lecture begins in front of the Auditorium. Free exhibition tickets will be available onsite. Seating is limited and unassigned.

Can't join us in person? You can watch the livestream on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfYMP1FoFPlxUwed1BkWz5Q
About the Speaker: Jerry Strauss has always loved music, art, and a good story. As a longtime employee of The Met, he had the chance to experience art on a daily basis. One day, during a TED event at the museum, he got an opportunity to tell the story of his dad, a Holocaust survivor, war hero, and subject of the very famous portrait Fuller Brush Man by Alice Neel. That story evolved into his book, Giving My Father Back His Name, which teaches us that there is a profound tale behind every picture.

About the Exhibition: Alice Neel (1900â€“1984) was one of the centuryâ€™s most radical painters, a champion of social justice whose longstanding commitment to humanist principles inspired her life as well as her art. Alice Neel: People Come First is the first comprehensive West Coast retrospective of Neelâ€™s work. The award-winning exhibition includes paintings, drawings, and watercolors, along with additional artworks and media exclusive to the San Francisco presentation.

Neel spent most of her life in New York City, and her work testifies to the diversity, resilience, and passion of the people she encountered there. The exhibition includes depictions of Neelâ€™s neighbors in Spanish Harlem, political leaders, queer cultural figures, activists, and mothers, along with a diverse representation of nude figures, including visibly pregnant women. Neel's "pictures of people" embody a rare candor and irreverence. Together they emphasize her belief in the dignity and worth of all individuals, a view that remains critical to the social and cultural politics of our time.

COVID-19 Guidance: Masking is strongly recommended, but no longer required for members of the public or employees while in the museum.

map to: de Young Museum 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
Contact: de Young Public Programs publicprograms@famsf.org
more info: https://deyoung.famsf.org/calendar/giving-my-father-back-his-name-talk-and-book-signing-jerry-strauss-0
WNP Gala 2022!(WNP Event)
May 15, 2022 6:00pm-10:00pm (Sunday) at The Clubhouse at Presidio Golf Club

Join us for a celebration of all things Outside Lands at our annual fundraising benefiting Western Neighborhoods Project!

April 15, 2022 ONLY: In honor of 4-1-5 Day, we're doing a flash sale of early bird tickets. These discounted tickets will be available starting on April 14, 2022 at 11:30pm and the sale will end at Midnight on 4/15. Don't delay, get your tickets today and we'll also cover the Eventbrite fees for you!

We're thrilled to FINALLY be able to hold our biggest party of the year and we're doing it in style. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of its closing, our 2022 gala will have a Playland-at-the-Beach theme. We'll provide passed appetizers and a hearty meal, complimentary wine, and of course all kinds of entertainment. You won't want to miss this special evening where you can greet neighbors and make new friends, maybe see old classmates, and even spot some local history "celebrities."

JUST ANNOUNCED. Program highlights include but are not limited to: performances by the Golden Gate Park Band; west side merchandise for sale as well as special raffle and silent auction items available for bid; and the first-ever presentation of our Founders' Award to our co-founder, Woody LaBounty, now Vice President of Advocacy and Public Programs for San Francisco Heritage, and our History Hero Award to Palma You and Steve Haines of the Chinese Historical Society of America for their tireless work on our collaborative project, "Chinese in the Richmond."

We hope you'll join us on Sunday, May 15th at 6:00pm at The Clubhouse at the Presidio Golf Club. Tickets are $225 each plus Eventbrite fees. All tickets purchased (and not previously refunded) for our cancelled gala in 2020 will be honored at this event.

You can also sponsor a student seat for the event, make a donation to our silent auction, or fully co-sponsor our biggest night of the year; see full sponsorship details at https://www.outsidelands.org/gala or email Executive Director Nicole Meldahl, nicole@outsidelands.org

COVID-19 Policy: we will be following guidance from the San Francisco Department of Public Health at the time of the event. Please be prepared to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 24-hours of the event if it's necessary. Thank you for helping us to ensure this is a safe and worry-free gala!

map to: The Clubhouse at Presidio Golf Club 300 Finley Road
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-gala-2022-tickets-267177203207
SFPL Presentation: Uprooting Chinatown
May 9, 2022 7:00pm-8:00pm (Monday) at SFPL Virtual Library

Sponsored by the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, Ranger Hector Falero, Education Program Manager at Fort Point National Historic Site, will lead a discussion of the uprooting of San Franciscoâ€™s Chinatown in several instances throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, highlighting the places in the Presidio where segregated camps existed for Chinese and Chinese Americans escaping the damage of the 1906 Earthquake.

Unable to make the live Zoom event? You can also watch it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW3iZCHGTGM

This is not a WNP hosted event but is too amazing not to share. It is free but you do need to register in advance in order to receive a Zoom link. Please use the link in the more info field below to register.

Questions about the program or problems registering? Contact sfplcpp@sfpl.org. For accommodations (such as ASL interpretation or captioning), call (415) 557-4400 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 72 hours in advance will help ensure availability.

map to: SFPL Virtual Library San Francisco
Contact: sfplcpp@sfpl.org
more info: https://sfpl-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lP7FEm64SQeCGKWfXMDJsg
SFPL Presentation: Introductory Family History Research
May 6, 2022 2:00pm-3:30pm (Friday) at SFPL Virtual Library

Sponsored by the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, this is an introductory session on how to access and use the San Francisco Public Libraryâ€™s resources, genealogical databases, online tools and government records to trace your Asian American ancestors.

Learn how to conduct genealogical research and find people using billions of records of U.S. census data, vital records, directories, old photos and government records. This workshop is ideal for beginners, students and novice researchers.

This is not a WNP hosted event but is too amazing not to share. It is free but you do need to register in advance in order to receive a Zoom link. Please use the link in the more info field below to register.

Questions about the program or problems registering? Contact sfplcpp@sfpl.org. For accommodations (such as ASL interpretation or captioning), call (415) 557-4400 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 72 hours in advance will help ensure availability.

map to: SFPL Virtual Library
Contact: nbemgr@sfpl.org
more info: https://sfpl-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_92dXpHxoRFa9OoJm85Ip-A
Ingleside Gallery Storytelling Night
Apr 30, 2022 5:00pm-6:00pm (Saturday) at Ingleside Gallery

To celebrate the closing weekend of their current show, "Inside/Outside Lands," the Ingleside Gallery is hosting a Storytelling Night on Saturday, April 30, 2022 from 5:00-6:00pm.

The Ingleside Gallery is an artist-run gallery at 1507 Ocean Avenue operated by artist-curators Shrey Purohit and Neil Ballard. They feature works from emerging and mid-career artists to celebrate the beauty in life that is all around us. And we at WNP love their community approach to west side art and culture.

The April group show features still lifes, landscapes and portraits by forty artists from the Bay Area and beyond. To close out this show in anticipation of next month's installation, "Visions for the Future" (accepting submissions now), they're hosting an evening of storytelling by Don Collier, Clayton Curtice, Nik Greene and Geri Hunt.

This is not a WNP-hosted event, just an awesome program we felt you needed to know about. It is free but the Gallery would like you to register in advance using the link provided in the More Info field below.

map to: Ingleside Gallery 1507 Ocean Avenue
more info: https://www.inglesidegallery.com
Among the Ruins with Jim Ganz
Apr 30, 2022 10:00am-11:00am (Saturday) at Legion of Honor Museum

Jim Ganz, a contributor to the recently published book Among the Ruins: Arnold Gentheâ€™s Photographs of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Firestorm, will provide an overview of the multi-year curatorial and conservation initiative that resulted in many new discoveries concerning Arnold Gentheâ€™s powerful body of work. Ganz will also revisit some of the key sites that Genthe photographed on April 18, 1906 using the artistâ€™s images and other contemporary resources.

This lecture is sponsored by the Achenbach Graphics Arts Council and is not a WNP event. It will be held in the Gunn Theater at the Legion of Honor museum on April 30, 2022 from 10:00-11:00am. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come first-served basis an hour before the lecture begins in front of the Theater. Seating is limited and unassigned.

Can't join us in person? You can watch the livestream on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfYMP1FoFPlxUwed1BkWz5Q

About the Speaker: Jim Ganz has been senior curator and department head of photographs at the J. Paul Getty Museum since 2018, when he left his position as curator at the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts which he held for a decade. During his tenure in San Francisco, he was responsible for numerous exhibitions and publications, including Jewel City: Art from San Franciscoâ€™s Panama-Pacific International Exposition shown at the de Young museum in 2015. Prior to his time in San Francisco, he was curator of prints, drawings, and photographs at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He has a doctorate in art history from Yale University.

COVID-19 Guidance: Masking is strongly recommended, but no longer required for members of the public or employees while in the museum.

map to: Legion of Honor Museum 100 34th Avenue
Contact: Achenbach Graphic Arts Council agac@famsf.org
more info: https://legionofhonor.famsf.org/calendar/among-ruins-jim-ganz
Total SF presents: An evening with Emperor Norton(WNP Event)
Apr 28, 2022 6:30pm-7:30pm (Thursday) at Mannys

Manny's and the Total SF team will be recording a live podcast that showcases the rich history of the Bay Area by highlighting Joseph Amster.

Weâ€™ll celebrate Norton I., Emperor of the United States, whose life and love of San Francisco continues to resonate 204 years after his birth, while recording a live Total SF podcast. Chronicle columnist Heather Knight and culture critic Peter Hartlaub will be joined by Joseph Amster, who celebrates the Emperor and his city by taking on his persona and giving tours through his business Emperor Nortonâ€™s Fantastic San Francisco Time Machine.

Also joining Hartlaub and Knight is Western Neighborhoods Project board president Arnold Woods (subbing in for executive director Nicole Meldahl), who will help us mine the history of the Emperor and his era of San Francisco. Expect good vibes, trivia, prizes, images from the San Francisco Chronicle archive and audience participation as we pay tribute to the Emperor â€” and we fire up our time machines to talk about which eras of San Francisco weâ€™d like to visit the most.

Manny's never turns away anyone for lack of funds. To receive a complimentary ticket just email the word "grapefruit" and the title of this event angelina@welcometomannys.com. Otherwise, tickets are a sliding scale from $5-$12. See link below.

About Total SF: A San Francisco culture podcast featuring celebrity guests, non-celebrity guests, personalities from the San Francisco Chronicle and a celebration of Bay Area life. Hosted by culture critic Peter Hartlaub and columnist Heather Knight and recorded on the streets, hilltops, parks and landmarks of San Francisco. The pair's focus on the whimsy and wonder of San Francisco began in 2018 when they rode every bus, train, cable car and street car in the city in one day. They believe in highlighting the eccentric characters, independent bookstores, burger joints and bars that make the bay so great.

map to: Mannys 3092 16th Street
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/total-sf-presents-an-evening-with-emperor-norton-tickets-315720547657
Paddle Out for Bill Hickey
Apr 24, 2022 11:00am-7:00pm (Sunday) at Kellys Cove

On March 16, 2022, Western Neighborhoods Project and The Great Highway gallery staged a Virtual Paddle Out in honor of Bill Hickey, a local legend who recently passed away. Now his daughters, Amber and Jennifer, are holding the real deal to remember and celebrate the life of their father

If you don't know, Bill Hickey worked at the original O'Neill surfshop on Wawona Street in the Sunset District. He began making surfboards in the late 1950s and eventually opened his own shop in 1964. His name pops up in just about every interview from our Kelly's Cove oral history series spearheaded by Woody LaBounty, and the west side simply won't be the same without him. Listen to Outside Lands San Francisco Podcast Episode #452 to learn more.

Please join Amber Brosnan and Jennifer Hickey along with other members of the Ocean Beach community at Kelly's Cove at 11:00am for the actual paddle out and a small celebration on April 24, 2022. A reception will be held afterwards at the United Irish Cultural Center at Wawona Gates.

This event is not hosted by WNP and we have no hand in its organization, it just feels right to spread the word. As always, we're here to hold your memories if you'd like to share them with us.

map to: Kellys Cove Ocean Beach
Native Plant Sale at Sutro Nursery
Apr 16, 2022 10:00am-2:00pm (Saturday) at Sutro Native Plant Nursery

It's planting season! California native plants create habitat for local birds, bees, and butterflies and are well adapted for our San Francisco climate. Help support the Sutro Nursery by picking out the perfect additions to your garden.

Since 2006, Sutro Stewards have mobilized volunteers to build trails, remove invasive species, and grow and install native plants. Their mission is to build community, connect people with nature, and protect and enhance Mount Sutro, one of the city's wildest and most beautiful green spaces. Their work conserves habitat through ecological restoration and native plant propagation while providing recreational opportunities in the UCSF Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve.

Who wouldn't want to support an organization like this?! Be sure to join Sutro Stewards at their native plant nursery to purchase local plants for your garden on Saturday, April 16, 2022 from 10:00am through 2:00pm. All proceeds from the plant sale help to support their nursery operations and increasing biodiversity on Mount Sutro.

Masks are required to enter the nursery and they recommend you bring a box to carry out plant pots. Cash, card, and check are accepted. Parking is available in spaces directly above the nursery marked "Aldea Center Parking Only" in red. Additional street parking available along Clarendon Avenue at Johnstone Drive.

map to: Sutro Native Plant Nursery 476 Johnstone Drive
Contact: Nursery Manager abigail@sutrostewards.org
more info: https://www.sutrostewards.org/event-details/native-plant-sale-at-sutro-nursery
NOW VIRTUAL Presidio Main Post History Walk (WNP Event)
Apr 16, 2022 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday) at The Interwebs

Join Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) for this NOW VIRTUAL history walk led by our pal John Martini through his old stomping grounds at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

The Main Post of the Presidio of San Francisco encompasses more history than another other site within the GGNRA: Ohlone people, Spanish colonists, Buffalo Soldiers, Japanese Internment. Highlights of this mile-long walk include the newly renovated Presidio Officers Club and Heritage Center, the Inn at the Presidio, the San Francisco Film Institute, and the new Presidio Tunnel Tops project.

Originally intended as an in-person history walk, we've pivoted to a live Zoom presentation due to a historian injury. We apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience. Refunds for the walk will be made upon request.

This online event is now free but donations are still appreciated and will go directly to John Martini. You must register in advance to receive the super secret Zoom link. Our journey begins at 10:00am and is expected the to take about 2 hours..

map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-presidio-main-post-history-walk-tickets-252254288367
Saving The San Francisco Earthquake Shacks(WNP Event)
Apr 14, 2022 6:00pm-7:30pm (Thursday) at The Interwebs

To commemorate the 116th anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire on April 18th, Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) is hosting a Zoom program that highlights the tireless efforts to identify and preserve surviving refugee cottages, alternately referred to as "shacks."

Over 5,600 cottages were constructed by the Relief Corporation's Department of Lands and Buildings at 11 refugee camps across the city to house those left homeless by one of San Francisco's worst disasters. When the camps closed, nearly 5,340 were relocated and repurposed but now only a handful of certified "shacks" are still standing.

Join us via Zoom on Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 6:00pm as we speak with Jane Cryan, whose successful efforts to preserve a complex of several shacks at 1227 24th Avenue (City Landmark #171) has evolved into a lifetime passion. Cryan was also instrumental in saving the shacks on display at the Presidio of San Francisco and she was our first phone call when WNP launched its own successful compaign to save endangered shacks on Kirkham Street in 2002. And we'll have Woody LaBounty, former Executive Director of WNP and current Vice President of Advocacy and Programs for San Francisco Heritage, to regale you with tales from this community effort.

More recently, Cryan has been a critical advisor for the San Francisco Planning Department's effort to survey and document the remaining shacks. We'll have Preservation Planner Melanie Bishop with us to explain how the Earthquake Shacks Theme Document, which was adopted in November 2021, came together and how it fits into the broader mission of the Citywide Cultural Resource Survey & Landmarks Team.

Don't miss this opportunity to chat with San Francisco's most famous "Cottage Lady" and hear what the Planning Department is doing to provide historic context for a rapidly changing city. This event is free but donations are appreciated, and you do need to register in advance in order to receive your Zoom link.

map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/saving-the-san-francisco-earthquake-shacks-tickets-304221975117
Saving the Cliff House Collection: A Never-Ending Story
Mar 29, 2022 7:00pm-8:00pm (Tuesday) at The Interwebs

WNP is hosted by our friends at the San Francisco History Association to speak on our journey to save the Cliff House Collection from auction and make those pieces accessible to the public at their monthly Zoom lecture on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 7:00pm.

Join Executive Director Nicole Meldahl for an insiderâ€™s look at the historic art and artifacts that we saved with partners ACT Art Conservation, The Great Highway gallery, and Minnesota Street Project. Items include Muses, a cowboy, a carved bear ... OH MY! Nicole's presentation will introduce you to a whole cast of San Francisco characters and explain how this Dream Team saved them, where you can see them on display, and what will happen to them next.

Please RSVP before Sunday, March 27, by emailing info@sanfranciscohistory.org. The San Francisco History Association will send out the Zoom link and password the morning of March 29. Please add info@sanfranciscohistory.org to your email address book, and check your spam or bulk mail folder.

map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: San Francisco History Association info@sanfranciscohistory.org
Ingleside Fest(WNP Event)
Mar 26, 2022 12:00pm (Saturday) at Ingleside Branch Library

WNP is excited to participate in Ingleside Fest, a family-friendly celebration of the Ingleside District featuring refreshments, activities, and entertainment at the Ingleside Branch Library on March 26, 2022 from 12:00pm - 3:00pm.

Chat with WNP Board Members and staff at our table featuring neighborhood history alongside a flower craft table by the Horticulture and Floristry Department at City College, Ingleside Gallery plain air painters, and live music from Aptos Middle School musicians and more. Plus, you can enjoy food and drink from local restaurants.

This event is free and registration is appreciated but not required. Thank you to the Ingleside Merchants Association for including us in this fun day.

map to: Ingleside Branch Library 1298 Ocean Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ingleside-fest-tickets-266486697887
NOW VIRTUAL: Cliff House and Sutro Baths History Walk(WNP Event)
Mar 26, 2022 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday) at Cliff House and Sutro Baths

Start your weekend with Western Neighborhoods Project (WNP) as we explore the fabled Cliff House and the ruins of Sutro Baths on this virtual history walk led by historian John Martini on Saturday, March 26th at 10:00am.

Weâ€™ll venture around the Cliff House to learn about the history of San Franciscoâ€™s most incendiary landmark (poof!). The Baths visit will include a survey of the ruins and the mysterious tunnels through Point Lobos, followed by trip back in time to see the old Sky Tram in action and explore the wave catch basin constructed by Adolph Sutro that trapped Pacific waves and sent roiling seawater to the Baths.

Originally intended as an in-person history walk, we've pivoted to a live Zoom presentation due to a historian injury. We apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience. Refunds for the walk will be made upon request. This online event is free but donations are still appreciated and you must register in advance to receive the super secret Zoom link.

map to: Cliff House and Sutro Baths San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cliff-house-and-sutro-baths-history-walk-tickets-252242232307
CAM Across California: San Francisco
Mar 24, 2022 10:00am-9:00pm (Thursday) at California Academy of Sciences

The California Association of Museums (CAM) is hosting its second min-conference of the CAM Across California series in San Francisco at the California Academic of Sciences on March 24, 2022. And members from the WNP family will be participating in two sessions!

First, WNP Board Member Eva Laflamme is part of a panel discussion titled "Creating and Sustaining Access." Eva (wearing her Kelley House Program and Exhibition manager hat) is joined by Independent Curator Fran Osborne; Lori Gray, Program Director for Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program; and Tina Keegan, Exhibits Director for the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoom, to talk about their work developing accessible programs, exhibitions, tours, and experiences for people of all ages in art museums, historic houses, and children's museums. You won't want to miss this discussion moderated by Karen Kienzle, Director of the Palo Alto Art Center.

Second, two-thirds of the Dream Team that Saved the Cliff House Collection (with your help) will present the thrilling tale of saving artifacts at auction and then making them accessible to the public again at The Museum at The Cliff. Hear Executive Director Nicole Meldahl and John Lindsey of The Great Highway gallery relive this amazing experience in a case study titled "Community Vision: How We Opened at Temporary Museum in The Cliff House Gift Shop."

Attendees of this day-long mini-conference will experience thought provoking sessions and case studies like these, and then enjoy the Academy's popular NightLife event.

You must register in advance to attend this conference. Tickets for CAM Members are $75 and $100 for non-members. See link in the more info field below to register today.

map to: California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Contact: Lacey Lieberthal, CAM Operations Manager admin@calmuseums.org
more info: https://www.calmuseums.org/Public/Public/LEARN/Conference/CAM%20Across%20California%20Registration.aspx
SOLD OUT Guided Tour of The Museum at The Cliff SOLD OUT(WNP Event)
Mar 19, 2022 10:00am-11:00am (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Join our Executive Director Nicole Meldahl as she takes you an an intimate tour of The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop, on Saturday, March 19, 2022 at 10:00am.

With her noted enthusiasm, Nicole will walk you through the stories behind the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, and Sutro Heights on this one hour tour. See souvenirs, one of Adolph Sutro's taxidermy monkeys, a collection of 4,000 year-old Egyptian artifacts, and more as she highlights her favorite pieces on display and provides context that will help you better appreciate the special history of this area known as Lands End. Plus, you can't beat the view...

This will be the last tour of The Museum before it closes in April and it is limited to 12 people. It is free for WNP Members and $20 for non-members and will take place before the museum opens. Please arrive 5 minutes early and be prepared to wear a pandemic-appropriate mask while touring the exhibition.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/curators-tour-of-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-210191978867
Virtual Paddle Out for Bill Hickey(WNP Event)
Mar 16, 2022 6:00pm-6:30pm (Wednesday) at The Interwebs

Western Neighborhoods Project and The Great Highway gallery are staging a Virtual Paddle Out in honor of a local legend who recently passed away: Bill Hickey.

If you don't know, Bill Hickey worked at the original O'Neill surfshop on Wawona Street in the Sunset District. He began making surfboards in the late 1950s and eventually opened his own shop in 1964. His name pops up in just about every interview from our Kelly's Cove oral history series spearheaded by Woody LaBounty, and the west side simply won't be the same without him.

Please join us on Wednesday, March 16th at 6:00pm to share your memories of this amazing and talented human who shaped our Ocean Beach community as surely as he shaped his boards. We'll provide a little bit of biographical background and then give attendees the mic at the Zoom meeting as we record Episode #452 of the WNP podcast, "Outside Lands San Francisco," which will air on Saturday, March 19th.

This event is free but donations to that cover recording costs are appreciated, and you do need to register in advance to receive a Zoom link.

map to: The Interwebs
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-paddle-out-for-bill-hickey-tickets-289954510747
ADVOCACY ALERT: Trocadero Clubhouse Historic Landmark Designation
Mar 14, 2022 1:30pm-2:00pm (Monday) at San Francisco City Hall, Board of Supervisors Chamber Room 250

A hearing on an ordinance spearheaded by Supervisor Gordon Mar with support from Parkside Heritage, San Francisco Heritage, and Western Neighborhoods Project to formally designate the Trocadero Clubhouse as an historic landmark will be held on Monday 3/14 at 1:30pm in the Boardâ€™s Land Use and Transportation Committee.

This ordinance is a follow-up to the resolution adopted by the Board in March 2021 that initiated the landmarking process for the Trocadero. Over the past year, the San Francisco Planning Department and Historic Preservation Commission have conducted their analysis and have recommended landmarking of the Trocadero.

The hearing will be in person in the City Hall Board of Supes Chamber, Room 250. Public comment can be made either in person or remotely through telephone call in. For those wanting to watch the hearing remotely and speak during public comment by phone, watch www.sfgovtv.org and use this public comment call-in number: 1 (415) 655-0001 / Meeting ID: 2499 229 4882 # #

Background information about the ordinance can be found here: https://sfgov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5256001&GUID=54EAC4DB-86F3-47BB-9968-CB949FBB6469

The meeting agenda is here: https://sfbos.org/sites/default/files/lut031422_agenda.pdf

map to: San Francisco City Hall, Board of Supervisors Chamber Room 250 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl
Contact: Natalie Simotas parksideheritage@gmail.com
Projection Party at The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Mar 12, 2022 5:30pm-7:30pm (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

With support from the Prelinger Archives and submissions from members of our community, we are thrilled to celebrate the final projected video artwork by Ben Wood animating local history at The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop at 1090 Point Lobs Avenue, on March 12, 2022.

This installation, naturally secluded from Point Lobos Avenue for an intimate viewing experience, will illuminate three northerly-facing windows with diverse scenes of the Cliff House and connected sites. Imagery shows change over time at the Cliff House through the sequenced montage of commercial photography and studio portraits, amateur snapshots, found footage and B-roll that also show the Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights Park, and Playland at the Beach. This creates silent yet enthralling historic context for the Sutro District and also supports artifacts from the WNP, PARC, and Global Museum collections on display inside The Museum at The Cliff and nearby at The Lands End Lookout.

Join us at 5:30pm on Saturday, March 12, 2022 and and enjoy this special installation with our extended WNP family. The Museum at The Cliff will be open late for viewing, and there will be refreshments to keep us warm.

Speaking of staying warm, please bring layers as the projected video will be experienced outside. Pandemic-appropriate masks and proof of vaccination will be required to visit The Museum. This event is free but donations are appreciated to keep our nonprofit going. Registration in advance is not mandatory but appreciated.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/projection-premiere-at-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-253497577077
Christine Huhn Day at The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Mar 5, 2022 11:00am-4:00pm (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Join us for Christine Huhn Day at The Museum at The Cliff on Saturday, March 5, 2022!

Christine Huhn is the only contemporary photographer to be featured at The Museum, and her work enables us to show the enduring facets of the Lands End landscape, particularly Seal Rocks and the Sutro Baths, over time. Huhn is a visual artist and cultural heritage professional whose connection to the landscape of northeastern Pennsylvania, where she grew up, has deeply influenced her work, which focuses on preserving cultural landscapes through film photography and historic photographic processes. And to top it all off, she is a delightful human being who let us use a photograph of an overweight sea lion named Big Ben Butler to advertise this event.

Visit The Museum at The Cliff between 11:00am and 4:00pm to chat with Huhn and experience her photography in situ with the environment that inspired it. Plus, every visitor who signs up for a WNP membership while visiting The Museum that day will receive a complimentary poster of the Victorian-era Cliff House from Marilyn Blaisdell's former Cliff House Gift Shop, San Francisciana.

As always, The Museum at The Cliff is free and does not require reservations to visit. However, you will need to provide proof of vaccination and wear a mask to step into the gallery.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.christinehuhn.com
Global Museum Day at The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Feb 26, 2022 11:00am-4:00pm (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Join us for SF State's Global Museum Day at The Museum at The Cliff on Saturday, February 26, 2022!

The Global Museum at SF State now stewards Egyptian objects that were collected by SF Mayor Adolph Sutro in the 1890s and once displayed in a museum at the Sutro Baths. Selections from this collection are presented at The Museum alongside other pieces acquired by Sutro that are now part of the Western Neighborhoods Project and Golden Gate National Recreation Area collections. Incredibly, we've reunited them for the first time since they were removed from Sutro's Glass Palace in 1966.

Visit The Museum at The Cliff between 11:00am and 4:00pm to meet Global Museum staff and Registrar Gina Caprari, who will share her insights into the complex history of these 4,000-year-old objects and answer any other questions that come to mind. Plus, every San Francisco State University student who signs up for a free WNP student membership while visiting The Museum that day will receive a complimentary poster of the Victorian-era Cliff House from Marilyn Blaisdell's former Cliff House Gift Shop, San Francisciana.

As always, The Museum at The Cliff is free and does not require reservations to visit. However, you will need to provide proof of vaccination and wear a mask to step into the gallery.

More information about the Global Museum at museum.sfsu.edu.

Follow the Global Museum:

Instagram/Facebook: @GlobalMuseumSFSU

Twitter: @GlobalSFSU

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
Parkside Heritage Meeting(WNP Event)
Feb 24, 2022 7:00pm-8:00pm (Thursday) at The Interwebs

Join historic preservationists, west side residents, and more in a collective effort to protect historic places in the Parkside District by attending the Parkside Heritage Meeting on Thursday, February 24 at 7:00pm via Zoom.

In August 2020, SF Heritage convened a group of community members in the Parkside District to work on preservation projects and address the neighborhood's underrepresentation in the city's official inventory of historic buildings as part of its initiative, "Heritage in the Neighborhoods." The group's first campaign was to have the Trocadero Clubhouse in Stern Grove designated as a city landmark. And it worked: the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved to support the effort in March 2021. WNP has been a member from the start and now we're helping to get this work rolling again in 2022. Parkside Heritage is discussing what to do next and wants you to get involved. On the docket for discussion will be the Edgewood Center for Children and Families (1801 Vicente) and Pinehurst Lodge Women's Treatment Center (2685 30th Avenue), but all in attendance are encouraged to bring their own ideas to the table!

This meeting, led by Natalie Simotas with logistical support from Western Neighborhoods Project, is free but you do need to register in advance to receive a Zoom link. Have questions or feedback prior to the meeting? Email Natalie at: Bluesgyrl1@gmail.com

Please use the link in the "More Info" field below to register or visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parkside-heritage-meeting-tickets-246318604577

map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: Natalie Simotas Bluesgyrl1@gmail.com
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parkside-heritage-meeting-tickets-246318604577
Removing Collector Names from Museum Legacy Collections: A Case Study and Discussion Panel with the Global Museum at SF State
Feb 23, 2022 12:10pm-1:00pm (Wednesday) at Virtual

Have you visited The Museum at The Cliff and left wanting to know more about the Egyptian artifacts on loan from our partner, the Global Museum at SF State? Well, you're in luck! They're part of a virtual panel discussion sponsored by the Berkeley Archaeological Research Facility that will discuss the complicated legacy of artifacts collected by Adolph Sutro on Wednesday, February 23, 12:10-1:00pm.

Museum legacy collections often comprise archaeological objects and human remains purchased from the antiquities market. From a 21st century museum and archaeological perspective, these collections require a level of care and research that necessitates examining their legacy, meaning, and use. Acknowledging these inherited histories and reevaluating these legacies often means museums must address the loss of object context, the problematic practices of colonial collecting, and the traumatic histories of racial bias and racist narratives often presented to the public.

This talk examines the case study of removing a collectorâ€™s name from the title of a collection of Egyptian antiquities formerly known as the Sutro Egyptian Collection stewarded by the Global Museum at San Francisco State University. By examining this case study through a diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion lens, this brief lecture will explore how the Global Museum is reckoning with the legacy of this collection that was formed in the late 19th c. and publicly displayed throughout the 20th c. in an institution (the Sutro Baths) that was the site of racial discrimination in the 1890s.

Speakers include Lisette M. Jimenez, Assistant Professor, SFSU Museum Studies Program; Edward M. Luby, Professor and Director of the SFSU Museum Studies Program as well as Interim Director and Chief Curator of the Global Museum; Christine A. Fogarty, Associate Director of the Global Museum and Lecturer in the SFSU Museum Studies Program; and Gina Caprari, Registrar of the Global Museum and Lecturer in the SFSU Museum Studies Program. This panel will discuss some of the practical steps taken by the Global Museum to address problematic issues of ownership and the colonial history of this collection while also being more transparent and providing public access to the collection. Together, we will advocate for a self-reflective curatorial and educational process that explores past legacies and creates more inclusive legacies in the Global Museum.

See the link below in the "More Info" section to register for this virtual Zoom event and please contact the Berkeley Archaeological Research Facility with any questions: arf-programs@berkeley.edu.

map to: Virtual
Contact: Berkeley Archaeological Research Facility arf-programs@berkeley.edu
more info: https://berkeley.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwudemtrTwrGtZI3YUIDBlkdKv70b0emYZI
Guided Tour of The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Feb 19, 2022 10:00am-11:00am (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Join our Executive Director Nicole Meldahl as she takes you an an intimate tour of The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop, on Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 10:00am.

With her noted enthusiasm, Nicole will walk you through the stories behind the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, and Sutro Heights on this one hour tour. See souvenirs, one of Adolph Sutro's taxidermy monkeys, a collection of 4,000 year-old Egyptian artifacts, and more as she highlights her favorite pieces on display and provides context that will help you better appreciate the special history of this area known as Lands End. Plus, you can't beat the view...

This tour is free for WNP Members and $20 for non-members. It is limited to 12 people and will take place before the museum opens. Please arrive 5 minutes early and be prepared to wear a pandemic-appropriate mask while touring the exhibition.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/curators-tour-of-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-210186823447
Projection Party at The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Feb 12, 2022 5:30pm-6:30pm (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

With support from the Prelinger Archives, we are thrilled to celebrate the third of four projected video artworks by Ben Wood animating local history The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop at 1090 Point Lobs Avenue, on February 12, 2022.

This installation, naturally secluded from Point Lobos Avenue for an intimate viewing experience, will illuminate three northerly-facing windows with diverse scenes of the Cliff House and connected sites. Imagery shows change over time at the Cliff House through the sequenced montage of commercial photography and studio portraits, amateur snapshots, found footage and B-roll that also show the Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights Park, and Playland at the Beach. This creates silent yet enthralling historic context for the Sutro District and also supports artifacts from the WNP, PARC, and Global Museum collections on display inside The Museum at The Cliff and nearby at The Lands End Lookout.

Join us at 5:30pm on Saturday, February 12, 2022 and enjoy this special installation with our extended WNP family. The Museum at The Cliff will be open late for viewing, and there will be refreshments to keep us warm.

Speaking of staying warm, please bring layers as the projected video will be experienced outside. Pandemic-appropriate masks and proof of vaccination will be required to visit The Museum. This event is free but donations are appreciated to keep our nonprofit going. Registration in advance is not mandatory but appreciated.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/projection-premiere-at-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-215338963637
Access = Empowerment: Parks, Public Land, and Reconsidering the "American Landscape"
Feb 9, 2022 5:00pm-6:30pm (Wednesday) at Virtual

Please join the University of San Francisco Museum Studies MA Program for this special roundtable conversation, featuring special guest, Katherine Toy, the first-ever Deputy Secretary for Access to the California Natural Resources Agency. As Deputy Secretary for Access, Toy leads the Agencyâ€™s efforts to expand equitable access to the public lands, museums, and historic spaces operated and managed by the Natural Resources Agency for all Californians.

Katherine will lead an exciting roundtable discussion with USF Museum Studies MA alumnae, Nicole Meldahl â€™16, Executive Director at the Western Neighborhoods Project and former Archives and Museum Technician with the National Park Service; Sabrina Oliveros â€™15, Park Guide with the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park; and Kaylee Pinola â€™20, Park Interpretive Specialist with California State Parks.

This will be an exciting opportunity to learn more about issues of access, empowerment, and equality within the field of parks and public lands and will provide greater insight into the contemporary challenges and rewards of working within these spaces. This event is sponsored by the USF Museum Studies MA Program in conjunction with Elemental Exposures, on view in Thacher Gallery.

Pre-registration is required to attend this free Zoom event on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 from 5:00pm to 6:30pm. Please register using the link in the "More Info" field below or by copying and pasting it into your browser.

map to: Virtual San Francisco
Contact: Javier Plasencia, USF Museum Studies Program Manager jplasencia3@usfca.edu
more info: https://usfca.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqc-mhrzMsGNzNGsRwN8rZVtzWLjr0_HB9
Lunar New Year Celebration
Feb 6, 2022 9:00am-3:00pm (Sunday) at The Outer Sunset Farmers Market

Our friends, the Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA), will be presenting "Chinese in the Sunset" at the Outer Sunset Famers Market to celebrate Lunar New Year on Sunday, February 6, 2022. We supported the creation of this exhibition and have partnered with CHSA on its companion, "Chinese in the Richmond"--debuting this month!

Hosted by Sunset Mercantile, the Farmers Market is located at 37th Avenue from Ortega to Quintara, and is open between 9:00am and 3:00pm. In addition to CHSA, the market features local makers, merchants, artists, food artisans, agricultural producers, children's activities and live entertainment. There's something for everybody.

This market is free and reservations are not required. Eat, drink, shop, play, connect and be local. See https://sunsetmercantilesf.com for more details.

map to: The Outer Sunset Farmers Market San Francisco
more info: https://sunsetmercantilesf.com
SOLD OUT Guided Tour of The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Jan 15, 2022 10:00am-11:00am (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Join our Executive Director Nicole Meldahl as she takes you an an intimate tour of The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop, on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at 10:00am.

With her noted enthusiasm, Nicole will walk you through the stories behind the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, and Sutro Heights on this one hour tour. See souvenirs, one of Adolph Sutro's taxidermy monkeys, a collection of 4,000 year-old Egyptian artifacts, and more as she highlights her favorite pieces on display and provides context that will help you better appreciate the special history of this area known as Lands End. Plus, you can't beat the view...

This tour is free for WNP Members and $20 for non-members. It is limited to 12 people and will take place before the museum opens. Please arrive 5 minutes early and be prepared to wear a pandemic-appropriate mask while touring the exhibition.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/curators-tour-of-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-210185509517
EVENT CANCELLED Projection Premiere at The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Jan 8, 2022 5:30pm-6:30pm (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

EVENT CANCELLED due to an abundance of caution in light of the Omicron surge
HOWEVER, the new projection is currently on view! While we can't convene together we do encourage you to individually visit the secluded deck bechind The Museum at The Cliff in the evenings from 5:00pm to 10:00pm. The Cliff Moving Picture Gallery #2 features rarely seen motion pictures of the Cliff House, Lands End shipwrecks, and other incredible views of the area--including footage from the Prelinger Archive. And if you missed last month's sequence, worry not: you can now see them both and we look forward to hopefully seeing you at next month's Premiere.

With support from the Prelinger Archives, we are thrilled to premiere the second of four projected video artworks by Ben Wood animating local history The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop at 1090 Point Lobs Avenue, on Saturday, January 8, 2022.

This installation, naturally secluded from Point Lobos Avenue for an intimate viewing experience, will illuminate three northerly-facing windows with diverse scenes of the Cliff House and connected sites. Imagery shows change over time at the Cliff House through the sequenced montage of commercial photography and studio portraits, amateur snapshots, found footage and B-roll that also show the Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights Park, and Playland at the Beach. This creates silent yet enthralling historic context for the Sutro District and also supports artifacts from the WNP, PARC, and Global Museum collections on display inside The Museum at The Cliff and nearby at The Lands End Lookout.

Join us at 5:30pm on Saturday, January 8, 2022 and be the first to see this special installation. The Museum at The Cliff will be open late for viewing, and there will be drinks to keep us warm.

Speaking of staying warm, please bring layers as the projected video will be experienced outside. Pandemic-appropriate masks will be required to visit The Museum. This event is free but donations are appreciated to keep our nonprofit going. Registration in advance is not mandatory but appreciated.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/projection-premiere-at-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-215337599557
Guided Tour of The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Dec 18, 2021 10:00am-11:00am (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

Join our Executive Director Nicole Meldahl as she takes you an an intimate tour of The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop, on Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 10:00am.

With her noted enthusiasm, Nicole will walk you through the stories behind the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, and Sutro Heights on this one hour tour. See souvenirs, one of Adolph Sutro's taxidermy monkeys, a collection of 4,000 year-old Egyptian artifacts, and more as she highlights her favorite pieces on display and provides context that will help you better appreciate the special history of this area known as Lands End. Plus, you can't beat the view...

This tour is free for WNP Members and $20 for non-members. It is limited to 12 people and will take place before the museum opens. Please arrive 5 minutes early and be prepared to wear a pandemic-appropriate mask while touring the exhibition.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/curators-tour-of-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-210176382217
Holiday Open House(WNP Event)
Dec 11, 2021 1:00pm-5:00pm (Saturday) at Home for History

Join us to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with a Holiday Open House at our office and gallery in the Richmond District!

We'll have festive decor, gifts to purchase for your seasonal shopping needs, and, back by popular demand, a grilled cheese station. Grab a snack, view our exhibition of art and artifacts from the Cliff House, and enjoy a beverage of your choice while we commune around local history.

They say you can't go home again, but you're always welcome at our Home for History. Reservations are not required but RSVPs are appreciated so we can estimate our catering needs.
Please note that we will be following pandemic protocols as outlined by the City of San Francisco at the time of our event. Since we'll be enjoying food and drinks inside, please be prepared to show your proof of COVID-19 vaccination at the door.
map to: Home for History 1617 Balboa Street, San Francisco, CA, 94121
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-holiday-open-house-tickets-207675652467
History Happy Hour with Shaping San Francisco(WNP Event)
Dec 9, 2021 5:30pm-6:30pm (Thursday) at The Interwebs

Nicole Meldahl and Chelsea Sellin in conversation with local historians, artists, longtime west side residents, and other surprise guests, chatting about a variety of historical subjects in a very relaxed atmosphere. Audience members are encouraged to participate and, of course, bring their beverage of choice.

For the final History Happy Hour of 2021, we're going out strong with Chris Carlsson and LisaRuth Elliott of Shaping San Francisco. It's no exaggeration to say their history talks and tours are legendary, and somehow they also find the time to make art, write books, manage an incredible online archive of history articles called FoundSF.org, and so much more. But most importantly, they are delightful human beings. We can't wait to chat with them about their history and some of their favorite western neighborhood haunts.

This event is free but donations are appreciated and pre-registration is required through Eventbrite. A Zoom link will be emailed to you with the confirmation email. Please let us know if you have any trouble finding it.

map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-history-happy-hour-with-shaping-san-francisco-tickets-205307469167
Projection Premiere at The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Dec 4, 2021 5:30pm-6:30pm (Saturday) at The Museum at The Cliff

With support from the Prelinger Archives, we are thrilled to premiere the first of four projected video artworks by Ben Wood animating local history The Museum at The Cliff, located in the former Cliff House Gift Shop at 1090 Point Lobs Avenue, on December 4, 2021.

This installation, naturally secluded from Point Lobos Avenue for an intimate viewing experience, will illuminate three northerly-facing windows with diverse scenes of the Cliff House and connected sites. Imagery will show change over time at the Cliff House through the sequenced montage of commercial photography and studio portraits, amateur snapshots, found footage and B-roll that also show the Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights Park, and Playland at the Beach. This creates silent yet enthralling historic context for the Sutro District and also supports artifacts from the WNP, PARC, and Global Museum collections on display inside The Museum at The Cliff and nearby at The Lands End Lookout.

Join us at 5:30pm on Saturday, December 4, 2021 and be the first to see this special installation. The Museum at The Cliff will be open late for viewing, and there will be drinks to keep us warm.

Speaking of staying warm, please bring layers as the projected video will be experienced outside. Pandemic-appropriate masks will be required to visit The Museum. This event is free but donations are appreciated to keep our nonprofit going. Registration in advance is not mandatory but appreciated.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/projection-premiere-at-the-museum-at-the-cliff-tickets-215294400347
History Happy Hour with Monica Poletti(WNP Event)
Nov 11, 2021 5:30pm-6:30pm (Thursday) at The Interwebs

Nicole Meldahl and Chelsea Sellin in conversation with local historians, artists, longtime west side residents, and other surprise guests, chatting about a variety of historical subjects in a very relaxed atmosphere. Audience members are encouraged to participate and, of course, bring their beverage of choice.

You never know who you'll meet at the Outside Lands Music Festival, and that sure turned out to be true this year. The festival (maybe fate?) introduced us to Monica Poletti, who recently purchased a Sunset District beach cottage that predates the 1906 earthquake and fire. We toured this gem when it went up for sale at the beginning of 2021 and feared greatly for its future so we are thrilled she's taking good care it. Join us as we chat with Monica about her experience while giving you a sneak peak inside her home and an OpenSFHistory overview of the neighborhood over time.

This event is free but donations are appreciated and pre-registration is required through Eventbrite. A Zoom link will be emailed to you with the confirmation email. Please let us know if you have any trouble finding it.

map to: The Interwebs San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-history-happy-hour-with-monica-poletti-tickets-204800532907
WNP at Outside Lands Music + Art Festival(WNP Event)
Oct 29, 2021 11:00am-8:00pm (Friday)
Oct 31, 2021 11:00am-8:00pm (Sunday) at Polo Field, Golden Gate Park

Despite the fact that our website is www.outsidelands.org, we have nothing to do with the Outside Lands Music + Art Festival. EXCEPT, we will have a booth showcasing local history during the festival this year on October 29-31, 2021.

If you're going, stop by our booth in Eco Lands to take a break from festival shenanigans and chat with friendly local history buffs, peruse historic photos of the neighborhoods, and pick up a surprise souvenir. Because who loves history, music, and art more that we do?!

map to: Polo Field, Golden Gate Park San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
The Life and Library of Adolph Sutro(WNP Event)
Oct 28, 2021 6:00pm-7:00pm (Thursday) at Online Event

Join us on Thursday, October 28, 2021 at 6pm as Diana Kohnke of the Sutro Library speaks about the life and library of San Francisco mayor, engineer, businessman, and philanthropist Adolph Sutro via Zoom.

Sutro, who came to San Francisco in 1850, is omnipresent throughout the city. Whether it be the ruins of his baths at Landâ€™s End, the educational legacy he left in the form of a land grant of UCSF Parnassas, his introducing of Arbor Day, his stewardship of the Cliff House, and his gardens which he opened to the public every week, his mark is felt throughout San Francisco. Little known is his amazing library, which not only was Sutroâ€™s gift to the city, but its story reflects the ever-changing culture and environs of this beautiful city by the bay.

This program presented by WNP and the Sutro Library is free but pre-registration through Eventbrite is required and donations are always appreciated. The Zoom link will be included in the ticket attached to your confirmation email.

Diana Kohnke has been with the Sutro Library since 2011. Before that, she had the opportunity to work at several archives and special collections in the San Francisco Bay Area such as the Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies and Stanfordâ€™s Green Library. Her graduate research focused on the Black experience in American History 1865-Present, as well as on archives and special collections.

map to: Online Event San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-life-and-library-of-adolph-sutro-tickets-169354378505
Lost Cemetery of Lincoln Park History Walk(WNP Event)
Oct 24, 2021 5:00pm-7:00pm (Sunday) at Lincoln Park Golf Course

Few people realize that todayâ€™s Lincoln Park Golf Course was once â€œCity Cemetery,â€ the final resting place for tens of thousands of San Francisco's dead, including a Chinese burial ground and the municipal paupersâ€™ graveyard called Potterâ€™s Field.

Join historian and retired ranger John Martini on this twilight exploration and discover forgotten funerary monuments along the golf course fairways. The walk starts at a super-secret location and proceeds along uphill paved paths and across some stretches of lawn before ending at the Palace of the Legion of Honor. Gradeis moderate with some uphill sections and lawn

Tour begins at 5:00pm and is expected to take about 1.5 hours. The super-secret meeting location will be emailed when tickets are purchased: $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Please register through Eventbrite, which you can access by clicking in the link in the More Info field below this description, or by copying and pasting the following url into your browser: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-lost-cemetery-of-lincoln-park-history-walk-tickets-157691428307

The walk is limited to 30 people and we will follow whatever San Francisco Department of Health regulations are in place at the time.

map to: Lincoln Park Golf Course San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-lost-cemetery-of-lincoln-park-history-walk-tickets-157691428307
The Museum at The Cliff(WNP Event)
Oct 23, 2021 11:00am-12:00am (Saturday)
Apr 10, 2022 11:00am-12:00am (Sunday) at The Museum at The Cliff

We're opening a temporary museum in the former Cliff House Gift Shop, in partnership with ACT Art Conservation and The Great Highway gallery, and with support from the Golden Gate National Recreation Areaâ€™s Park Archives and Records Center (PARC) and the Global Museum at SF State.

This temporary exhibition showcases a selection of art and artifacts WNP recently saved from an auction that liquidated historical holdings of the Hountalas family--longtime proprietors of the iconic Cliff House restaurant, which closed in December 2020--and will support an exhibition currently on display at the WNP Office + Gallery at 1617 Balboa Street in the Richmond District. Both are free to the public.

The Museum opened to the general public on Saturday, October 23, 2021 and will welcome visitors to the western edge of San Francisco until April 10th. Historic photographs of the area, bathing suits from the Sutro Baths, charming vintage Cliff House souvenirs, and more from WNP will be displayed alongside archaeological remnants of Sutro Heights statuary, a taxidermied monkey from the Sutro Baths Museum, and other pieces rarely seen from the PARC collection.

Selections from the Egyptian collection amassed by Adolph Sutro, stewarded by the Global Museum, will also be on display in addition to works from local artists. Rounding out the exhibition will be kid-friendly interactives and friendly volunteers to welcome you.

Museum hours are Thursdays through Sundays, 11:00am until 4:00pm.

Special thanks to so many people, but especially to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Grants for the Arts, and District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan for their support of this exhibition.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Ave, SF, CA, 94121
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
The Museum at The Cliff: Friends + Family Preview(WNP Event)
Oct 17, 2021 11:00am-4:00pm (Sunday) at The Museum at The Cliff

We're opening a temporary museum in the former Cliff House Gift Shop in partnership with ACT Art Conservation and The Great Highway gallery with support from the Golden Gate National Recreation Areaâ€™s Park Archives and Records Center (PARC) and the Global Museum at SF State.

If you're a part of the extended WNP family, you're invited to attend our Friends + Family Preview on Saturday, October 17, 2021 between 11:00am and 4:00pm. The first 50 people to visit on this day will receive a limited-edition poster of the Victorian-era Cliff House that was once sold in Marilyn Blaisdell's store, San Francisciana. RSVP not required but but you'll have to know the Secret Password to enter. We'll email it to all WNP insiders the week of October 11th. Wanna be in the know? Sign up for our newsletter!

This pop-up exhibition will showcase a selection of art and artifacts WNP recently saved from an auction that liquidated historical holdings of the Hountalas family--longtime proprietors of the iconic Cliff House restaurant, which closed in December 2020--and will support an exhibition currently on display at the WNP Office + Gallery at 1617 Balboa Street in the Richmond District. Both are free to the public.

The Museum opens to the general public on Saturday, October 23, 2021 and will welcome visitors to the western edge of San Francisco until mid-April 2022. Historic photographs of the area, bathing suits from the Sutro Baths, charming vintage Cliff House souvenirs and more from WNP will be displayed alongside archaeological remnants of Sutro Heights statuary, a taxidermied monkey from the Sutro Baths Museum, and other pieces rarely seen from the PARC collection.

Selections from the Egyptian collection amassed by Adolph Sutro, stewarded by the Global Museum, will also be on display in addition to works from local artists. Rounding out the exhibition will be kid-friendly interactives, a team member from Artifact to record your memories of The Cliff House, and friendly volunteers to welcome you.

Special thanks to so many people, but especially to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Global Museum at SF State, Grants for the Arts and District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan for their support of this exhibition.

map to: The Museum at The Cliff 1090 Point Lobos Avenue, SF, CA, 94121
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
History Happy Hour with Gary Stark + Cliffhouseproject.com Friends(WNP Event)
Oct 14, 2021 5:30pm-6:30pm (Thursday) at Online

Nicole Meldahl and (usually) Chelsea Sellin in conversation with local historians, artists, longtime west side residents, and other surprise guests, chatting about a variety of historical subjects in a very relaxed atmosphere. Audience members are encouraged to participate and, of course, bring their beverage of choice.

In celebration of Gary Stark allowing WNP to safeguard his incredible creation, www.cliffhouseproject.com, for decades to come, we sit down with him and others who helped make this website so special. Join us as Gary, former NPS ranger and local historian John Martini, and perhaps other special guests share how they've built this incredible west side resource and chat all things Cliff House. It will be delightfully nerdy, you won't want to miss it!

This event is free but donations are appreciated and pre-registration is required through Eventbrite. A Zoom link will be emailed to you with the confirmation email. Please let us know if you have any trouble finding it.

map to: Online San Francisco
Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wnp-history-happy-hour-gary-stark-cliffhouseprojectcom-friends-tickets-170035447601