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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.

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    POSTPONED Monumental Golden Gate Park(WNP Event)

    Jun 1, 2020 5:00pm-8:00pm (Monday) at WNP Home for History
    IMPORTANT Please note that this event has been rescheduled, first from March 28, 2020 to April 25, 2020 and now until a TBD date pending instructions from state and local officials related to the spread of COVID-19.

    Join us at the opening reception of our new exhibition co-curated by San Francisco Recreation and Parks Historian in Residence, Christopher Pollock.

    Golden Gate Park, known for its natural beauty, is also home to a remarkable collection of cultural landscape features and memorials. Monumental Golden Gate Park explores the history of cultural landscape features by showcasing artifacts from the Park's past never before displayed in public and selections from our OpenSFHistory archive, as well as illustrations and watercolors from Richmond District resident Patrick Mahar.

    This event is free thanks to District 1 Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development's Invest in Neighborhoods program (but RSVP to let us know you're coming). Light refreshments provided.


    map to: WNP Home for History 1617 Balboa
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
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    Film Screening: 5 Blocks by Dan Goldes and Robert Cortlandt(WNP Event)

    Apr 21, 2020 6:30pm-8:30pm (Tuesday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    Market Street was once the grandest boulevard in America. No stranger to civic celebrations since the 1900s and just minutes from City Hall, the area fell into decline and became home to the poorest population in San Francisco. The neighborhood is currently undergoing its most dramatic change in 50 years as tech companies, their employees, and the restaurants and stores that cater to them confront the realities of a neighborhood that still houses some of our most marginalized residents.

    WNP will host a screening of 5 Blocks, a film by Dan Goldes and Robert Cortlandt who used our OpenSFHistory archive as a research tool to explore the complex questions of income disparity, changing demographics, and the very nature of place as they look at contemporary Market Street.

    Join us to see how the past contextualizes the present, meet filmmaker Dan Goldes, and enjoy curated historical images of Market Street from OpenSFHistory. Tickets are $20 for non-members, $10 for members. Light snacks and refreshments provided.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
    more info: https://www.5blocksproject.com
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    VIRTUAL Golden Gate Park 150 Community Day

    Apr 4, 2020 10:00am-5:00pm (Saturday) at Golden Gate Park
    In 2020, Golden Gate Park is celebrating its 150th anniversary, and Western Neighborhoods Project is a community partner of the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department for a year of commemorative events.

    This was originally set to kick-off with a free park-wide community celebration on April 4th, exactly 150 years after the California Legislature created Golden Gate Park,that will include special activities like a much-anticipated 150-foot observation wheel, entertainment, food offerings, and more.

    Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 and San Francisco Mayor London Breed's recommendation, this event has been made virtual! See link below for details.
    map to: Golden Gate Park
    more info: https://www.goldengatepark150.com/virtual
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    OpenSFHistory All-Stars!(WNP Event)

    Feb 28, 2020 7:00pm-8:30pm (Friday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    David Gallagher, Nicole Meldahl, and special guests John Freeman, Lorri Ungaretti, and Peter Linenthal from the San Francisco History Community will give a rundown of their recent favorite pictures and stories from our ever-expanding OpenSFHistory archive. Tickets are $20 for non-members, $10 for members. Light snacks and drinks provided.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
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    Mountain Lake Walk(WNP Event)

    Feb 15, 2020 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday)
    John Martini will lead a Presidio walk along the edge of the Richmond District. Join us to learn about lake and creek natural history, a Spanish colonialist campground, a little-known cemetery and hospital, and a balloon-launch site. Nearby MUNI routes include the 1-California and 28-19th Avenue buses. $5 fee to attend and there is a maximum capacity of 30 people.

    Our thanks to the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development for its support of this event!
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
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    OpenSFHistory Top Ten!(WNP Event)

    Jan 16, 2020 7:00pm-8:30pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    David Gallagher, Nicole Meldahl, and special guests John Martini and Woody LaBounty will give a rundown of their most recent absolute favorites from our ever-expanding OpenSFHistory archive. Like this spectacular view of the Japanese Tea House on a terrace behind the Cliff House, c. 1920s. Tickets are $20 for non-members, $10 for members. Light snacks and drinks provided.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
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    49 Mile Scenic Hike

    Jan 11, 2020 9:00am-11:30am (Saturday) at Angelo Rossi Playground

    map to: Angelo Rossi Playground 600 Arguello Boulevard
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
    more info: https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/event/chronicle-event/totalsf-walking-tour-inner-richmond
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    Holiday Open House(WNP Event)

    Dec 7, 2019 11:00am-2:00pm (Saturday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    Kick off the holiday season at our Home for History! There will be festive decor, gifts to purchase for your seasonal shopping needs, and a crowd of fun-loving history folks in attendance. And back by popular demand, we'll have a grilled cheese station as well as other snacks and beverages. This event is free as a thank you to our WNP community, so stop by and say hello. RSVP not required but appreciated.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
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    Exhibition: SF Ice Arena, 1990(WNP Event)

    Dec 7, 2019 10:00am-4:00pm (Saturday)
    Apr 20, 2020 10:00am-4:00pm (Monday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    In 1990, when news of the demolition of the Outer Sunset's venerable 48th Avenue Ice Arena became public, photographer Darcie Westerlund set out to document the west side landmark's last days. We are proud to inaugurate our new exhibition schedule at our Home for History with a curated set of Darcie's images from her trips to the Ice Arena. Hours 10am-4pm Thursday through Saturday (and by appointment).
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa
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    Greetings from Camp Merritt(WNP Event)

    Nov 7, 2019 7:00pm-8:30pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    Thousands of volunteers came from all over the country to train at the Presidio of San Francisco during the Spanish-American War in 1898. These troops spilled into the Richmond District on land owned by the Crocker Estate Company, which offered up the area between today's Geary Boulevard, Fulton Street, Arguello Street and Sixth Avenue for what came to be known as Camp Merritt.

    In honor of Veterans' Day, come see rare photographs as Amanda Williford, Curator at the Park Archives and Records Center in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), and Nicole Meldahl discuss the history of this Outside Lands Army encampment, as well as WNP's recent collaboration with the GGNRA on OpenSFHistory.

    Special thanks to the Office of Economic and Workforce Development for its support of this Richmond District program. Admission is $20 for the general public, and $10 for WNP members. Light snacks and drinks provided.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
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    Lincoln Park Halloween Eve Walk(WNP Event)

    Oct 30, 2019 5:00pm-6:30pm (Wednesday) at Lincoln Park
    The fairways and greens of Lincoln Park were once the site of San Francisco's most remote and impoverished burial ground, City Cemetery. On this ghoulish guided walk led by historian and author John Martini, we'll learn about the rise and fall of the cemetery, explore a Chinese funerary temple, discover an iron memorial to forgotten sailors, and learn the surprises that lay beneath the Legion of Honor.
    $5 fee to attend and there is a maximum capacity of 30 people.
    Our thanks to the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development for its support of this event!
    map to: Lincoln Park San Francisco
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
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    Anderson Sisters Retrospective(WNP Event)

    Oct 27, 2019 2:00pm-5:00pm (Sunday) at Presidio Golf Concordia Club
    Join us for this free event of refreshments, music, history, and memories of the Anderson Sisters School of Dance. Irene Anderson founded the Inner Richmond District studio in 1935, and her daughters Jean and Lenore instructed thousands of children, adults, and seniors on 6th Avenue near Clement over the next 69 years. The Anderson Sisters and their students participated in innumerable May Day pageants, holiday shows, and performances on Treasure Island during the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939-1940. The studio was the first racially integrated dance school in the city.

    With live performance, rare video, and archival images, we will celebrate the impact of one family on the culture and sociology of the Richmond.

    History buffs, school alumni, dance and performing arts aficionados and fans, please join us for this special one time event with Richmond District notables.

    Please RSVP for this free event on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/anderson-sisters-school-of-dance-retrospective-tickets-67711736627
    map to: Presidio Golf Concordia Club 8 Presidio Terrace
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    Ocean Beach Music & Art Festival(WNP Event)

    Oct 12, 2019 11:00am-5:00pm (Saturday)
    The Ocean Beach Music & Art Festival is sponsored by The Outer Noriega Merchants Association with the help of friends and neighbors. This is a free event with music from local bands, food trucks and beer gardens, a kids zone and a pumpkin patch.

    Western Neighborhoods Project will have a booth highlighting Sunset history, but this will also be the soft launch of our new Education Initiative courtesy of the Sunset Heights Association of Responsible People (SHARP)! Bring the kids and/or pets to Noreiga at 45th Avenue between 11:00am and 5:00pm on October 12th and be the first to test out our new kids activities celebrating the legacy of Adolph Sutro.
    map to: Noriega at 45th Avenue
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
    more info: http://obmusicfestival.com/index.html
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    Fort Miley & Lands End Walk(WNP Event)

    Sep 21, 2019 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday)
    SOLD OUT
    John Martini will lead a two-hour exploration of little-visited East and West Fort Miley and the abandoned El Camino Del Mar highway. Highlights include 1890s fortifications at Fort Miley, a quick walk-through of the Veterans Administration hospital campus, the Octagon House (outside only, sorry) and visit to a forgotten pile of funerary monuments on El Camino Del Mar. A very economical $5 fee to attend and a maximum number of 30 attendees.

    Our thanks to the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development for its support of this event!
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    Richmond District Autumn Moon Festival

    Sep 14, 2019 11:00am-3:00pm (Saturday)
    WNP will be at the third annual Richmond District Autumn Moon Festival on Clement Street between 6th and 9th Avenues. Come visit our booth, see some old images of the neighborhood, and learn about our upcoming "Chinese in the Richmond" history project.



    Our thanks to the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development for its support of our presence at this event!
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    Chinese American History Day

    Sep 1, 2019 11:00am-4:00pm (Sunday) at Waverly Place
    Chinese American History Day
    hosted by the Chinese Historical Society of American
    as part of Chinatown Sunday Play Streets,

    an 8-week block party series on Waverly Place (between Sacramento and Washington Streets).

    There will be performances and several cultural organizations engaging the community with the power of history through activities and crafts.

    CHSA will showcase "Chinese in the Sunset," a traveling exhibition and collaboration between Western Neighborhoods Project and CHSA. At this year's event we will be the launching of a new collaborative project called "Chinese in the Richmond."

    Did you or your parents or grandparents move from Chinatown to the Richmond District? Come visit the Western Neighborhoods Project table, and add your story to this history project.


    map to: Waverly Place San Francisco
    more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sunday-play-streets-chinese-american-history-day-tickets-68183973099
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    Mountain Lake to Lobos Creek Walk(WNP Event)

    Aug 24, 2019 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday)
    SOLD OUT
    John Martini will lead a Presidio walk along the edge of the Richmond District. Join us to learn about lake and creek natural history, a Spanish colonialist campground, a little-known cemetery and hospital, and a balloon-launch site. Nearby MUNI routes include the 1-California and 28-19th Avenue buses. $5 fee to attend and there is a maximum capacity of 30 people.

    Our thanks to the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development for its support of this event!
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    Botanicals & Brews

    Jul 19, 2019 6:30pm-10:00pm (Friday) at Conservatory of Flowers
    At this special Historic Gems edition of Botanicals & Brews we're celebrating 140 years of the Conservatory of Flowers. Join park staff as they highlight some of the oldest plants in our collection while we will share the mysteries and history of the Conservatory.

    Learn about favorite brews of the past from Seismic Brewing Company, Laughing Monk Brewing, and Ghost Town Brewing. The night will also feature old-time music by Fog Holler, a bluegrass trio, and delicious food offerings by food trucks Izzy Cheesesteaks and Taco San Buena. This is the perfect event to bring or buy your very own WNP beer coozie.

    Tickets begin at $29, and can be purchased at https://conservatoryofflowers.org/exhibits-events/botanicals-and-brews-beer-garden/
    map to: Conservatory of Flowers 100 John F. Kennedy Drive
    more info: https://conservatoryofflowers.org/exhibits-events/botanicals-and-brews-beer-garden/
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    1894 Midwinter Fair and the Sunset

    Jun 24, 2019 7:00pm-8:00pm (Monday) at SHARP
    Woody LaBounty will appear at the SHARP monthly meeting to share the connections of the 1894 Midwinter Fair and the Inner Sunset district. In an attempt to jump start the local economy during a depression, boost San Francisco's reputation, and take advantage of the popularity of the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Michael de Young conceived of the California International Midwinter Exposition, better known as the Midwinter Fair. From January to July 1894, Golden Gate Park hosted daily parades and nightly electric light shows amid Moorish palaces, German beer gardens, mock volcanoes, and Eskimo villages. The "fabulous fair" reflected the imperialist desires, mercantile ideals, societal anxieties, and racist philosophies of the time, and left legacies to the park and the Inner Sunset district that survive today.
    map to: SHARP 1736 9th Avenue
    Contact: sharp@sharpsf.com
    more info: https://sharpsf.com/?meeting=june-s-h-a-r-p-meeting-woody-lebounty-recalls-the-midwinter-fair-of-1894
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    Villages and Concessions of the Midwinter Fair(WNP Event)

    Jun 20, 2019 7:00pm-8:00pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    From plaster igloos to German castles to an indoor volcano, the concession exhibits at the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition offered a range of unusual entertainment to visitors. "Villages" of African, Hawaiian, and Inuit performers reinforced imperial ambitions and attitudes of superiority while meeting "interest in foreign humanity." California interpreted and mythologized its own past with the 49 Mining Camp, while people paid dimes and quarters across the fair grounds to ride camels, descend down a dragon's maw, and eat fortune cookies in what became the Japanese Tea Garden.

    For this illustrated program, Woody LaBounty will be joined by Japanese Tea Garden gardener and historian Steven Pitsenbarger and Presidio Trust historian Barbara Berglund Sokolov, author of Making San Francisco American: Cultural Frontiers in the Urban West, 1846-1906. Midwinter Fair items and ephemera from the collection of Ed Herny will be on display as part of the evening. $20 for the general public and $10 for WNP members.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    Sutro Baths/Sutro Heights Walk(WNP Event)

    Jun 8, 2019 10:00am-12:00pm (Saturday)
    John Martini will lead a tour of the Sutro Baths site and Adolph Sutro's former estate. Built in the 1890s, Sutro Baths was the largest indoor bathhouse in the world, featuring seven swimming pools, art works, promenades and museum exhibits, all covered by nearly three acres of glass. Today, only broken concrete ruins remain at Lands End. Even in ruins, the Sutro Baths still draws thousands of people daily who explore its mysterious foundations.

    Free to the public, but RSVP to attend.
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    WNP 20th Anniversary Gala(WNP Event)

    May 19, 2019 6:00pm-10:00pm (Sunday) at The Clubhouse at Presidio Golf Course
    Western Neighborhoods Project will celebrate its twentieth anniversary with a gala benefit of history and friendship at The Clubhouse at the Presidio Golf Course from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Special Guest of Honor will be Peter Hartlaub, reporter, writer, critic, and lover of local history from the San Francisco Chronicle.

    With a theme of "Back to the Neighborhood," the evening will focus on the inspiration for Western Neighborhood Project's creation in 1999---preserving and sharing the history of San Francisco's west side.

    Get more information and purchase tickets at http://outsidelands.org/gala/
    map to: The Clubhouse at Presidio Golf Course 300 Finley Road
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    West Portal History

    May 15, 2019 6:00pm-7:00pm (Wednesday) at BarbCo Real Estate
    Woody LaBounty will show early images of West Portal Avenue's creation and commemorate the first 100 years of an iconic San Francisco neighborhood. Q&A to follow with light bites and wine. Free of charge, but limited seating so RSVP on this page to reserve your spot.
    map to: BarbCo Real Estate 45 West Portal Avenue
    Contact: barbcoadmin@realestatesf.com
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    West Portal's First Century

    May 4, 2019 12:00pm-1:00pm (Saturday) at West Portal Branch Library
    In 1916, in anticipation of the opening of the Twin Peaks streetcar tunnel, developer Fernando Nelson built the first house in what he named "West Portal Park." A community of high-end houses, the new development also became the commercial hub for surrounding West of Twin Peaks neighborhoods, such as St. Francis Wood and Forest Hill. As part of the branch library's 80th anniversary open house, Woody LaBounty will show early images of West Portal Avenue's creation, highlight notable houses, residents, and merchants, and commemorate the first 100 years of an iconic San Francisco neighborhood.
    map to: West Portal Branch Library 190 Lenox Way
    Contact: angela.moffett@sfpl.org
    more info: https://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1036860101
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    Sunset Branch Library Open House

    Apr 20, 2019 1:00pm-5:00pm (Saturday) at Sunset Branch Library
    Come visit us at the Sunset Branch library open house to see historical photos of the neighborhood, meet your favorite historians, and receive a free gift.
    map to: Sunset Branch Library 1305 18th Avenue
    Contact: sunmgr@sfpl.org
    more info: https://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1037877601
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    Play Ball! Baseball in the City(WNP Event)

    Apr 4, 2019 7:00pm-8:00pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    On the eve of the Giants' opener, we will highlight rare and historical baseball images from OpenSFHistory. See the minor league San Francisco Seals playing at 16th Street and Potrero, Candlestick Park under construction, and Willie Mays, Juan Marichal, and other Giant favorites in their prime. Bring your memories and prepare for a whirlwind illustrated tour of America's pastime as played in the city.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: David Gallagher david@outsidelands.org
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    SF Model of 1938 and the Haight

    Mar 23, 2019 3:00pm-4:30pm (Saturday) at Park Branch, SFPL
    Woody LaBounty will give a presentation on the massive, 3-D scale model of San Francisco created by the Works Progress Administration in the late 1930s. Described by someone recently as "a pre-Internet Google Street View," the mostly-wood 37' x 40' model depicts every structure standing in the city at the time. Parks, lakes, theatres, schools, and even the color schemes of individual houses are accurately represented. Today, the model provides a fascinating historical viewpoint of a San Francisco both familiar and alien at the same time. Woody will explain the purpose and creation of the model as well as point out highlights, changes, and the development of the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood using sections of the model on display in the branch.
    map to: Park Branch, SFPL 1833 Page Street
    Contact: parmgr@sfpl.org
    more info: https://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1037136401
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    140 Years of the Conservatory of Flowers(WNP Event)

    Mar 21, 2019 7:00pm-8:00pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    SOLD OUT!

    2019 marks the 140th anniversary of the opening of the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, a building that draws locals and tourists alike to view plants from around the world. Come hear stories from throughout the Conservatory's history, including its mysterious origins, interesting characters, and how it has overcome several disasters. Nicole Meldahl and Chelsea Sellin will share images of the building and surrounding landscape over time for an entertaining and informative evening on one of San Francisco's most recognizable landmarks. Admission is $20 for the general public and $10 for WNP members.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    San Francisco History Days

    Mar 3, 2019 11:00am-4:00pm (Sunday) at Old Mint
    On the weekend of March 2 and 3, 2019, the Old Mint will become a pop-up museum of San Francisco history. Join community historians, archivists, genealogists, archaeologists, researchers, educators, reenactors, and other history enthusiasts for a free Community Open House at this historic site. Previous history weekends at the Old Mint have attracted several thousand participants.

    As always, Western Neighborhoods Project will be there and this year we will have an exhibit focused on the 125th Anniversary of the Midwinter Fair in Golden Gate Park. Free and open to the public.
    map to: Old Mint 5th and Mission Streets
    more info: https://sfhistorydays.org
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    San Francisco History Days

    Mar 2, 2019 11:00am-4:00pm (Saturday) at Old Mint
    On the weekend of March 2 and 3, 2019, the Old Mint will become a pop-up museum of San Francisco history. Join community historians, archivists, genealogists, archaeologists, researchers, educators, reenactors, and other history enthusiasts for a free Community Open House at this historic site. Previous history weekends at the Old Mint have attracted several thousand participants.

    As always, Western Neighborhoods Project will be there and this year we will have an exhibit focused on the 125th Anniversary of the Midwinter Fair in Golden Gate Park. Free and open to the public.
    map to: Old Mint 5th and Mission Streets
    more info: https://sfhistorydays.org
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    West Side Murals: WNP Member Event(WNP Event)

    Feb 23, 2019 10:00am-11:00am (Saturday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    CANCELLED Sorry for the late notice to those that signed up, but we have to postpone this presentation. We will let you know when it is rescheduled!
    WNP Member Richard Rothman will give a presentation on west side murals, including the endangered Noah's Ark piece at the San Francisco Zoo's Mothers Building and the controversial section at George Washington High School depicting a subjected Native American. Free to WNP members and their guests. Reserve your spot by using the contact button at right.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    A New Look at Old City Cemetery(WNP Event)

    Feb 21, 2019 7:00pm-8:00pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    SOLD OUT

    Lincoln Park was once "City Cemetery," the final resting place for thousands of the city's poorer classes, including a Chinese burial ground and sprawling "potters field" for paupers. But the 1906 earthquake and fire destroyed most records of the cemetery. Not even a complete map survived. Then, in the 1990s, over 750 burials were uncovered during rehabilitation of the Palace of the Legion of Honor. In this program, historians John Martini and Alex Ryder will describe their research into the cemetery, sharing clues they've uncovered in old newspapers and city records, and showing seldom seem photos and historic maps.

    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    SF Model of 1938 and the Parkside District

    Feb 20, 2019 7:00pm-8:00pm (Wednesday) at Parkside Branch of SF Public Library
    Neighborhood historians and authors Woody LaBounty and Lorri Ungaretti will give a presentation on the massive, 3-D scale model of San Francisco created by the Works Progress Administration in the late 1930s. Described by someone recently as "a pre-Internet Google Street View," the mostly-wood 37' x 40' model depicts every structure standing in the city at the time. Parks, lakes, theatres, schools, and even the color schemes of individual houses are accurately represented. Today, the model provides a fascinating historical viewpoint of a San Francisco both familiar and alien at the same time. Woody and Lorri will explain the purpose and creation of the model as well as point out highlights, changes, and the development of the Parkside neighborhood using sections of the model on display in the branch. Free and open to the public.

    Woody LaBounty is Executive Director of the Western Neighborhoods Project and Lorri Ungaretti has written five books about the Richmond and Sunset Districts and leads City Guides walking tours of the Inner Sunset, the Parkside, and Sigmund Stern Grove.
    map to: Parkside Branch of SF Public Library 1200 Taraval Street
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    SF Model of 1938 and the Outer Richmond

    Feb 19, 2019 7:00pm-8:00pm (Tuesday) at Anza Branch of SF Public Library
    Woody LaBounty will give a presentation on the massive, 3-D scale model of San Francisco created by the Works Progress Administration in the late 1930s. Described by someone recently as "a pre-Internet Google Street View," the mostly-wood 37' x 40' model depicts every structure standing in the city at the time. Parks, lakes, theatres, schools, and even the color schemes of individual houses are accurately represented. Today, the model provides a fascinating historical viewpoint of a San Francisco both familiar and alien at the same time. Woody will explain the purpose and creation of the model as well as point out highlights, changes, and the development of the Outer Richmond neighborhood using a section of the model on display in the branch. Free and open to the public.
    map to: Anza Branch of SF Public Library 550 37th Avenue
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    Midwinter Fair WNP Member History Walk(WNP Event)

    Feb 16, 2019 11:00am-12:30pm (Saturday) at Golden Gate Park
    Join John Martini on a special history walk exclusively for WNP members and explore the history and legacy of the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition in Golden Gate Park. One hundred twenty-five years ago the Music Concourse was the center of activity with an Electric Tower, the Firth Wheel (a knock-off of the first Ferris Wheel), industrial and art pavilions, statues, and fountains. John will talk about fair legacies in the origins of the Japanese Tea Garden and de Young Museum, and uncover surprising pieces of the fair still to be found in the Music Concourse.

    Free to WNP members, but limited to 30 people. Reserve your spot by using the contact button at right, or phone (415-661-1000), and we will respond with the starting location.
    map to: Golden Gate Park San Francisco
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    SF Model of 1938 and the Ocean View

    Feb 13, 2019 6:00pm-7:00pm (Wednesday) at Ocean View Branch of SF Public Library
    Woody LaBounty will give a presentation on the massive, 3-D scale model of San Francisco created by the Works Progress Administration in the late 1930s. Described by someone recently as "a pre-Internet Google Street View," the mostly-wood 37' x 40' model depicts every structure standing in the city at the time. Parks, lakes, theatres, schools, and even the color schemes of individual houses are accurately represented. Today, the model provides a fascinating historical viewpoint of a San Francisco both familiar and alien at the same time. Woody will explain the purpose and creation of the model as well as point out highlights, changes, and the development of the Ocean View neighborhood using a section of the model on display in the branch. Free and open to the public.
    map to: Ocean View Branch of SF Public Library 345 Randolph Street
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    SF Model of 1938 and the Richmond District

    Feb 2, 2019 2:00pm-3:00pm (Saturday) at Richmond Branch of SF Public Library
    Woody LaBounty will give a presentation on the massive, 3-D scale model of San Francisco created by the Works Progress Administration in the late 1930s. Described by someone recently as "a pre-Internet Google Street View," the mostly-wood 37' x 40' model depicts every structure standing in the city at the time. Parks, lakes, theatres, schools, and even the color schemes of individual houses are accurately represented. Today, the model provides a fascinating historical viewpoint of a San Francisco both familiar and alien at the same time. Woody will explain the purpose and creation of the model as well as point out highlights, changes, and the development of the Richmond District using sections of the model on display in the branch. Free to the public.
    map to: Richmond Branch of SF Public Library 351 9th Avenue
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    SF Model of 1938 and Merced Neighborhoods

    Jan 30, 2019 7:00pm-8:00pm (Wednesday) at Merced Branch of SF Public Library
    Woody LaBounty will give a presentation on the massive, 3-D scale model of San Francisco created by the Works Progress Administration in the late 1930s. Described by someone recently as 'a pre-Internet Google Street View,' the mostly-wood 37' x 40' model depicts every structure standing in the city at the time. Parks, lakes, theatres, schools, and even the color schemes of individual houses are accurately represented. Today, the model provides a fascinating historical viewpoint of a San Francisco both familiar and alien at the same time. Woody will explain the purpose and creation of the model as well as point out highlights, changes, and the development of the Lake Merced neighborhoods using sections of the model on display in the branch. Free to the public.
    map to: Merced Branch of SF Public Library 155 Winston Drive
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    Opening the Midwinter Fair(WNP Event)

    Jan 24, 2019 7:00pm-8:00pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    SOLD OUT!
    One hundred twenty-five years ago, on January 27, 1894, the California Midwinter International Exposition opened in Golden Gate Park. Over the next several months the fair was the site of parades, concerts, and nightly electric light shows, all amid moorish palaces, German beer gardens, mock volcanoes, and Eskimo villages. The fair reflected the imperialist desires, mercantile ideals, societal anxieties, and racist philosophies of the time, and left legacies to the park and surrounding neighborhoods that survive today.

    Join us for a night of amazing historical images and stories.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    Merced Manor WNP Member History Walk(WNP Event)

    Jan 19, 2019 11:00am-12:30pm (Saturday)
    FULL! See you at the next member walk. Join Woody LaBounty on a WNP member history walk through what was advertised as The White City. We will tour a Fernando Nelson development of Spanish-Colonial inspired residences built in the early 1930s between Stern Grove and Stonestown, visit a classically-designed water pumping station, and explore the sensibilities and the fantasies of Depression-era home builders and buyers. Free to WNP members, but limited to 30 people. Reserve your spot by using the contact button at right, or phone (415-661-1000), and we will respond with the starting location.
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    Holiday Member Mingle & Open House(WNP Event)

    Dec 1, 2018 11:00am-2:00pm (Saturday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    Celebrate the first year of our home for history, meet fellow WNP members, maybe do a little gift shopping... We will have food, beverages, and good cheer! Just come by... We would love to see you.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    West Side Movie Theatres 2(WNP Event)

    Nov 3, 2018 11:00am-12:30pm (Saturday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    One hundred years ago the Coliseum Theatre opened on Clement Street. By the dawn of World War II, the Richmond District alone had five neighborhood theatres. Join us for an presentation of historical images, music, ephemera, and memories of west side neighborhood movie houses from Geary to Irving to Taraval to Stonestown. We will hit them all, and discuss the future of those we have left. Prizes will be part of the morning as well. Admission is $20 for the general public, and $10 for WNP members.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    Washington High School WNP Member Tour(WNP Event)

    Nov 1, 2018 3:00pm-4:30pm (Thursday) at Washington High School
    SOLD OUT
    Richard Rothman will lead a WNP member tour of George Washington High School with highlights including a mural by Victor Arnautoff, football field frieze by Sargent Johnson, and other important artwork incorporated into the school. Learn the history of the Timothy Pfleuger-designed campus and its importance to the architectural history of San Francisco. The tour is free, but limited to 20 WNP members.

    To reserve your space, use the "Contact Us about this Event" button link at right and let us know the names of attendees. We will respond with the starting point meeting place. (Not a WNP member? Become one now!)
    map to: Washington High School 600 32nd Avenue
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    West Portal History Pub Crawl(WNP Event)

    Oct 27, 2018 1:00pm-3:30pm (Saturday) at West Portal Avenue
    SOLD OUT!

    Join Nicole Meldahl and Richard Brandi for an afternoon of history, strolling, and liquid refreshment stops on West Portal Avenue. In addition to touring neighborhood architecture, learning some local bar origin stories, hearing about the creation and impact of the Twin Peaks Tunnel, and meeting new local history friends, attendees will get drink discounts and a special WNP souvenir. Tickets are $30 to general public, but just $20 to WNP members (join now!)
    map to: West Portal Avenue San Francisco
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
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    West Side Movie Theatres(WNP Event)

    Oct 25, 2018 7:00pm-8:30pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    One hundred years ago the Coliseum Theatre opened on Clement Street. By the dawn of World War II, the Richmond District alone had five neighborhood theatres. Join us for an evening of historical images, music, ephemera, and memories of west side neighborhood movie houses from Geary to Irving to Taraval to Stonestown. We will hit them all, and discuss the future of those we have left. Special guests and prizes will be part of the evening as well. Admission is $20 for the general public, and $10 for WNP members.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    150th Anniversary of 1868 Earthquake(WNP Event)

    Oct 20, 2018 11:00am-12:00pm (Saturday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    Join us for the 150th anniversary of the October 21, 1868 earthquake, the tremor which had the title of "the Big One" before the disaster of April 18, 1906.

    We will show rare images of the way the city looked before and after the 1868 earthquake, read eyewitness accounts and memories from those who were there, and discuss how ready 1868 made the city for 1906. Plus, are we ready for the next "Big One?" Admission is $20 for the general public, and $10 for WNP members.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    West Portal History Pub Crawl(WNP Event)

    Sep 22, 2018 1:00pm-3:30pm (Saturday) at West Portal Avenue
    SOLD OUT. We do have space on the Oct 27 replay, but sign up soon!
    Join Nicole Meldahl and Richard Brandi for an afternoon of history, strolling, and liquid refreshment stops on West Portal Avenue. In addition to touring neighborhood architecture, learning some local bar origin stories, hearing about the creation and impact of the Twin Peaks Tunnel, and meeting new local history friends, attendees will get drink discounts and a special WNP souvenir.

    Tickets are $30 to general public, but just $20 to WNP members (join now!). Limited to 30 people and it will sell out, so reserve your spot today!


    map to: West Portal Avenue San Francisco
    Contact: Nicole Meldahl nicole@outsidelands.org
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    Ocean Avenue Bar & History Crawl

    Sep 15, 2018 4:00pm-8:00pm (Saturday) at Unity Plaza
    The Ocean Avenue Bar & History Crawl will benefit Ocean Avenue arts projects. Enjoy premium craft beer and history talks from Woody LaBounty of Western Neighborhoods Project. Tickets are available now for $20 and give holders access to $1 craft beers. For more information and tickets: https://oceanbarcrawl2018.brownpapertickets.com
    map to: Unity Plaza 1002 Ocean Avenue
    Contact: Neil Ballard info.oacbd@gmail.com
    more info: https://oceanbarcrawl2018.brownpapertickets.com
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    Richmond District Autumn Moon Festival

    Sep 8, 2018 11:00am-3:00pm (Saturday)
    WNP will be at the second Richmond District Autumn Moon Festival on Clement Street between 5th and 8th Avenues. Come visit our booth, see some old images of the neighborhood, and say hello!
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    Kezar Stadium Memories(WNP Event)

    Sep 6, 2018 7:00pm-8:30pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    Now the ’San Francisco’ 49ers play in a massive state-of-the-art stadium in Santa Clara, but it wasn’t that long ago that the city’s professional football team played in Golden Gate Park, with fans pouring out into the Haight and Inner Sunset after games. For the opening weekend of the 2018 National Football League season we will take a look back with rare historic memories and images of football days at Kezar Stadium.

    Tickets $10. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    Outside Lands Music Festival

    Aug 12, 2018 12:00pm-8:00pm (Sunday)
    Coming to the Outside Lands Music and Art Festival in Golden Gate Park? Drop by the Western Neighborhoods Project tent for a dose of local history between hearing the bands and seeing the sights.
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    Outside Lands Music Festival

    Aug 11, 2018 12:00pm-8:00pm (Saturday)
    Coming to the Outside Lands Music and Art Festival in Golden Gate Park? Drop by the Western Neighborhoods Project tent for a dose of local history between hearing the bands and seeing the sights.
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    Outside Lands Music Festival

    Aug 10, 2018 12:00pm-8:00pm (Friday)
    Coming to the Outside Lands Music and Art Festival in Golden Gate Park? Drop by the Western Neighborhoods Project tent for a dose of local history between hearing the bands and seeing the sights.
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    Playland Balboa Music Festival

    Aug 4, 2018 12:00pm-4:00pm (Saturday)
    We’ll be in front of the Balboa Theatre (Balboa Street near 38th) with Playland memorabilia and photos at this neighborhood street celebration. Free of charge. Come say hi!
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    Vanished Golden Gate Park(WNP Event)

    Jul 26, 2018 7:00pm-8:30pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    SOLD OUT

    Renowned Golden Gate Park historian Christopher Pollock will join Woody LaBounty in a conversation and presentation on the vanished landmarks, structures, and oddities of the park. From an iron suspension bridge over Middle Drive, to a casino next to the Conservatory of Flowers, to deer, sheep, and kangaroos, we will explore the park of the past using historical photographs, maps, and postcards. With the 150th anniversary of Golden Gate Park’s creation just two years away, we will also speculate on its future and what may be next to vanish.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    OpenSFHistory: Top Ten of the Month(WNP Event)

    Jul 14, 2018 11:00am-12:00pm (Saturday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    Come join Nicole Meldahl, David Gallagher, and Woody LaBounty for a fast-paced illustrated presentation of the top ten historical San Francisco images scanned in the past month for OpenSFHistory.org

    (See the video of our last OpenSFHistory: Top Ten show.)

    Tickets are $10 (a mere dollar an image). Space is limited, so reserve your spot today.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    Where the Streetcars Used to Go(WNP Event)

    Jun 21, 2018 7:00pm-8:00pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project
    SOLD OUT

    Drawing on OpenSFHistory images, designer Chris Arvin has created an interactive historic streetcar map that allows users to explore the routes San Francisco streetcars took and those that remain today. Join us as we foray into a discussion with Chris about the making of this map and the history he discovered in the process.

    Tickets are $10, but space is limited so reserve your seat today.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    One Richmond Community Party

    Jun 16, 2018 11:00am-3:00pm (Saturday) at Argonne Elementary School
    We will join Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer & the Richmond District Neighborhood Center for a free party to celebrate the launch of the new neighborhood initiative: One Richmond! Local Food, music, resources, and more, including us! A good time to see our new home just around the block too, so come say hello.
    map to: Argonne Elementary School 680 18th Avenue
    Contact: Ian Fregosi ian.fregosi@sfgov.org
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    Golden Gate Heights Member Walk(WNP Event)

    Jun 16, 2018 11:00am-12:30pm (Saturday)
    FULL - COME TO A FUTURE EVENT!
    Woody LaBounty will lead a walking tour of the western slope of Golden Gate Heights for Western Neighborhoods Project members and their guests. The walk will feature vast views, natural curiosities, surprising architecture, odd tales, and some beautiful public art. There will be some inclines (although we will avoid the worst). Heavy rain will cancel.
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org
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    Lone Mountain Cemeteries and Discovering Edith Cook(WNP Event)

    May 24, 2018 7:00pm-8:30pm (Thursday) at Western Neighborhoods Project at 1617 Balboa Street
    SOLD OUT

    In 2016, a backyard landscaping project at a home near Rossi Park turned up a small metal casket with two viewing windows. Inside, a young girl lay suspended in an exceptional state of preservation. In early March 2018, dozens of grave markers and cut stones were unearthed during a parking lot renovation.

    From the 1850s until the 1930s, San Francisco’s dead rested in four large cemeteries around Lone Mountain. Why were they removed and what remains of them both above and below ground in the city? Join us for an illustrated presentation on the cemeteries and a conversation with L. J. Moore and Alex Snyder, who was part of the investigative team that discovered the identity of the little girl found 140 years after being laid to her ’final’ rest.
    map to: Western Neighborhoods Project at 1617 Balboa Street 1617 Balboa Street
    Contact: Woody LaBounty woody@outsidelands.org

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