Nicole and Chelsea are joined by friends and family to remember the First Gentleman of WNP, our dearly departed Arnold Woods.

The California Academy of Sciences Head Librarian, Rebekah Kim, joins the podcast to talk about the history of Steinhart Aquarium. Come for the fish, stay for the manatees. Part 1 of 2.

In honor of the recent makeover of Tradr Sam, please enjoy this classic episode on the favorite west side watering hole.

Learn all about the former street and cable carbarns of the west side with special guest Drew Moss.

Revisit this classic episode to mark the 57th anniversary of the Human Be-In this month.

Stow Lake was just renamed Blue Heron Lake, so let's revisit this classic podcast episode on the lakes of Golden Gate Park.

Nicole announces the untimely passing of podcast co-host Arnold Woods.

How do you solve a branding nightmare like WNP? Nicole talks with new board member Michelle Forshner about her background and tackling the branding issues.

How does one become a San Francisco baseball legend without winning championships? Nicole & Arnold tell the remarkable tale of Dante Benedetti.

The Alexandria Theatre's 100th anniversary is upon us, so Nicole talks with theater preservationist and expert, Gary Parks, about his life and movie palaces.

In November 1928, San Francisco lost a favorite restauranteur, businessman, and benefactor. So, let's revisit this classic podcast about the life of the Gentle Dane, Carl Larsen.

We get lengthy this week as Arnold talks with Casey Dexter-Lee, Russell Nauman, and Professor Charles Egan about the station where immigrants coming into San Francisco used to have to go through.

Nicole talks with Daniel Lucas from Problem Library about a historic Sunset District church.

Shipwreck Week concludes with a conversation between Nicole and San Francisco Maritime's Sabrina Oliveros.

Nicole & Chelsea kick off Shipwreck Week with the stories of two schooners that ended up as wrecks, the George Louis and the Bessie Everding.

Nicole talks with the person keeping newspapers alive in the Outside Lands, Michael Durand, owner and editor of the Richmond Review and Sunset Beacon.

We're taking another drink on Clement Street as Nicole & Arnold share the history of two more buildings that house two more of our favorite watering holes in the Inner Richmond District.

The Bazaar Cafe at 5927 California Street is celebrating its 25th anniversary, so Nicole & Arnold look at the history of the building and its occupants.

Have a drink with us as Nicole & Arnold share the history of a couple of the buildings that now house two of our favorite bars on Clement Street in the Inner Richmond District.

There are some replicas of famous French buildings on the West side. Nicole & Arnold look at the Koshland House on Washington Street, modeled on Le Petit Trianon.

Have you ever wanted to see, or participate, in art in action? Find out how as Nicole interviews Douglas Gorney about his art, B0ardside and the Sunset Sketchers.

It's fire season, so we are revisiting the terrible fires that destroyed much of the Point Lobos Avenue buildings at Lands End over the years.

There are a number of residence parks on the West side. Not all were finished. Nicole & Arnold talk with architectural historian Richard Brandi about Outer Richmond residence parks.

Next weekend, a music festival is happening in Golden Gate Park, so let's revisit our podcast about an earlier music festival, the SNACK at Kezar.

We were shook by the recent passing of West side icon, Pat Cunneen. Nicole & Arnold are joined by a number of very special guests to remember Pat.

Colma is the new Lone Mountain. Nicole & Arnold visit Lone Mountain's past to dig into the Odd Fellows Cemetery.

WNP is hosting museum studies students from Johns Hopkins University this week, so Nicole talks with Professor Stephanie Brown about the program and her own path.

Sutro Tower turned 50 this week, so let's revisit this classic Outside Lands Podcast about it.

Nicole & Arnold stroll down Ocean Avenue for a Beep's Burger and to discover the history of 1051 Ocean Avenue.

Arnold and Nicole dive into a short history of The Ave Bar and its building, one of Ingleside's oldest businesses.

Did you known that a huge cultural event got its start right here on the West side at Baker Beach? Nicole and Arnold investigate the origins of Burning Man.

Ever wonder how the sausage gets made? We give you another peek behind the curtains as Nicole interviews key contributors, Laura Macias and Nicole Smahlik.

One of the Library's many branches is tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood. Nicole & Arnold look into the story behind the Anza Branch Library.

As the Golden Gate Bridge turns 86, we look back to this classic podcast about it that we did when it turned 80.

We sit down with photographer Michael Jang before a live podcast audience to talk his career, life in the Richmond District, and wheat paste.

William Hammond Hall and John McLaren are the names that come to mind when talking about how Golden Gate Park was created, but let us introduce you to the Quigleys, who were in charge of much of the construction in this classic episode.

Nicole & Arnold visit 834 Irving Street to look back at the fascinating people and their businesses there from its early days as a grocery store to today's Blackthorn Tavern.

Academy Head Librarian Rebekah Kim again joins Nicole & Arnold to finish the lengthy history of the California Academy of Sciences.

It is one of San Francisco's oldest institutions. Nicole & Arnold reveal the long history of the California Academy of Sciences with its head librarian, Rebekah Kim.

Today's Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences features the latest state-of-the-art digital technology. But when the Morrison Planetarium was built in 1952, it featured an optical star projector.

Did you know there was a cartoonist collective in the Sunset? Nicole talks with Kevin Brady about growing up in San Francisco and how he got started in art.

Did you know that Craigslist, the classified ad website, got its start on the West side? Nicole talks with Craigslist founder Craig Newmark about how it all happened.

USF sits atop Lone Mountain now, but Nicole & Arnold tell the story of the first school there, the ground-breaking San Francisco College for Women.

Judi Leff & Joseph Amster join Nicole & Arnold to explore the fascinating histories of some San Francisco animals.

Golden Gate Park has both natural and man-made lakes. Nicole & Arnold look at the history of the Chain of Lakes which are a little bit of both.

Nicole sits down with John Lindsey to talk about his life in art and food and the closing of his Great Highway Gallery.

41-47 West Portal Avenue had bakeries, delis, hairdressers, toy shops, candy shops, and realtors over the years. Nicole & Arnold take a look at the building's history.

Nicole interviews Richard Rothman about his life with the murals of Washington High, Coit Tower, and the Mother's Building and his work trying to preserve the latter.

Guest David Friedlander returns to join Nicole and Arnold in the final part of their recounting of the 1968-1969 Third World Liberation Strike. SF State students and faculty went on strike to protest racism in both admissions and curriculum, resulting in the creation of the Departments of Black Studies and Ethnic Studies.

Guest David Friedlander returns to join Nicole and Arnold in part 2 of their recounting of the Third World Liberation Strike. SF State students and faculty went on strike in 1968-69 to protest racism in both admissions and curriculum, resulting in the creation of the Departments of Black Studies and Ethnic Studies.

The oldest sourdough French bread bakery in the West dates back all the way to 1849. Nicole talks with Mike Giraudo about the history of Boudin Bakery.

52 years ago, a tanker collision spilled oil around the Golden Gate. Woody and David speak with Susan McCarthy who took part in the subsequent bird rescue.

Arnold Woods is joined by Robert Tacchetto, the owner-operator of the current Giant Camera at the Cliff House; Gary Stark, creator of the Cliff House Project website; and John Martini, former National Park Service ranger to talk about the Cliff House Camera Obscuras and to update the damage suffered during recent storms.

St. Cecilia's Parish was established 105 years ago. Frank Dunnigan guested on the Podcast five years ago to talk about it's first century.

Guest David Friedlander joins Nicole and Arnold to recount the Third World Liberation Strike. SF State students and faculty went on strike in 1968-69 to protest racism in both admissions and curriculum, resulting in the creation of the Departments of Black Studies and Ethnic Studies.

One block in the Sunset used to go all out for the holidays. Nicole & Arnold talk with Frank Dunnigan about the 18th Avenue Christmas.

Longtime friend of WNP and historian Angus Macfarlane visits the podcast to chat about his personal history in San Francisco and some of the big local history topics he's researching.

Nicole and Arnold dig into the history of the MacArthur Tunnel, which connects the west side to the Golden Gate Bridge by running through the Presidio.

Winter rains have arrived, but we're hoping for something different. So we're repodcasting this week with this classic episode about the times when snow has fallen in San Francisco.

Meet (or re-meet) Chelsea Sellin, WNP's Director of Programs and newest employee. Chelsea chats with Nicole about her background, their origin story, what's going on right now at WNP, and what they're looking forward to in 2023.

Nicole and Arnold explore the long history of San Francisco National Cemetery. Located in the Presidio, it is one of only two final resting places still active on the west side.

It's time for the fourth (and final) installment in our history of the Great Highway. Join Nicole and Arnold for the journey from WWII to today. And if you need to catch up with Parts 1-3, check out Podcasts #468, #470, and #475.

Arnold Woods chats with Woody LaBounty about the process of creating a historical landmark; then they go over some recently-designated west side landmarks: City Cemetery, Trocadero Clubhouse, and the Ingleside Terraces Sundial.

Buckle up as Nicole and Arnold unpack the fascinating history of 46 Cook Street and the lives of the people who called it home.

Nicole & Arnold deep-dive into one of Golden Gate Park's earliest man-made water features, Alvord Lake, and the nearby and quite unique Alvord Bridge.

Special guest and author Lloyd Kahn joins the podcast this week to talk about growing up in West Portal.

We previously told the story of the GGIE's Art in Action, now Nicole and Arnold dig a little deeper into Diego Rivera's masterpiece, Pan American Unity.

Nicole and Arnold dive in to our third installment on the history of the Great Highway, taking us from the 1910s into midcentury. For Parts One and Two, see Podcast #468 and Podcast #470.

Since we just had the anniversary of the Broderick-Terry Duel on September 13, we're repodcasting this classic episode. In 1859, a California State Supreme Court Judge and a United States Senator fought a duel beside Lake Merced. Here's the story, and its importance to local and national politics.

We welcome special guest Reino Niemela, Jr. His father was the artist and designer responsible for all the hand-painted signage at Playland at the Beach from the 1930s until it closed in 1972.

Part 2 of Nicole & Arnold's conversation with people who visited Playland before it was town down in 1972.

Playland closed 50 years ago this weekend, so Nicole & Arnold talk with people who visited there in their youth. Part 1 of a two-part Podcast.

The first African-American heavyweight boxing champion made Ocean Beach his headquarters for a few years, including while training for the "Fight of the Century."

We resume our Great Highway story, covering the 1890s into the first two decades of the 20th century. You could say this period was when the Great Highway really came into its own. It was during this time, that several iconic landmarks made their first appearances, including the rise of Carville.

Special guest, Robert Thomson joins Nicole in conversation about his responsibilities as Federal Preservation Officer and that of his organization, the Presidio Trust.

Eight (eight!) years ago, in episode #77, we did our first podcast on the Great Highway. Now we're back and chock-full of even more history. This week, Nicole and Arnold take a deeper look at the Great Highway and its early beginnings.

In 1969, Chet Helms opened a new music venue called the Family Dog. Located in the building formerly known as the Ocean Beach Pavilion and later, Topsy's Roost, the Family Dog featured performances by bands that epitomized the late 60s/early 70s like the Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, Santana, and more.

This week, Woody LaBounty makes a glorious return to the pod to talk about his origin story and time since handing over the reins nearly two years ago, to current WNP Executive Director and your podcast host, Nicole Meldahl.

In 1913, the Pacific Coast Swimming Championships were held on the West Side. Can you guess who was the superstar athlete and toast of the 1912 Olympics who dominated the meet? This week, Nicole and Arnold describe the exciting competition at, surprise, the Sutro Baths.

To celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, post-Civil War San Francisco in 1876 was ready to party. Celebration events were held throughout the young City and even on the West Side.

The Museum at the Cliff has reopened! There's even more Cliff House and Sutro Baths ephemera on display and has expanded beyond its Gift Shop exhibit space and into former restaurant. John Lindsey of The Great Highway Gallery, joins the pod along with photographers, Dave Glass and Rob Brodman, to talk about the new photography exhibition in the Cliff House restaurant.

In 1897, John Harris filed suit against the Sutro Baths for race discrimination. Learn about this early case that happened decades before the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Who was General John J. Pershing and why is there a statue of him in Golden Gate Park? And what is his connection to San Francisco? Find out as Nicole and Arnold discuss the man and how the Pershing statue came to be.

Nicole sits down for an oral history conversation with photographer, Christine Huhn.

In the early days, Playland's carousel was called the Hippodrome. The oceanside attraction has an intriguing history and a wonderful happy ending.

We visited Mountain Lake waaaay back in WNP Podcast #76. Now we tackle the park around it. Mountain Lake Park as we know it today, has evolved over its 150 year span as one of the City's oldest recreational areas. Link to Podcast #76: bit.ly/WNPPOD076

Nicole hosts a conversation with two WNP Board members, Eva Laflamme and Carissa Tonner who share their backgrounds and enthusiasm for San Francisco history. We pull back the veil on how Board members contribute their talents, ideas, and energy to support the nonprofit Western Neighborhoods Project.

Continuing the Playland theme to dovetail with WNP's 2022 Gala event, we revisit a beloved purveyor of "Mexican" food, the Hot House. Located along the Great Highway, the Hot House was an early innovator of thematic dining.

To dovetail with this year's Playland theme for the WNP 2022 Gala, we present a repodcast of our Playland at the Beach episode with Woody & David as your hosts. Even nearly 50 years since its demise, there's still a fascination for the long lost amusement area. And OpenSFHistory.org has pictures galore for your viewing pleasure: https://bit.ly/OpenSFPlayland

We conclude the saga of Eadweard Muybridge. At the end of part 1, we left our famous photographer hero bursting in on a card game to confront his wife's lover. What happens next? Visit OpenSFHistory.org to see our collection of Muybridge images: https://bit.ly/emuybridge

The "interesting" life of early San Francisco photographer, Eadweard Muybridge, sounds like a great pitch for a movie. This is a rare, two part WNP podcast where Nicole and Arnold cover Muybridge's early years. And be sure not to miss part 2. Visit OpenSFHistory.org to see our collection of Muybridge images: https://bit.ly/emuybridge

Native San Franciscan, author, and special guest, Adrianne Vincent, joins Nicole to share her memories of the West Side. Adrianne recalls personal anecdotes relating to several recent Western Neighborhoods Project podcasts like the SNACK Concert, Baker Beach, Anton Levay, and more.

Continuing the school theme, this week, we repodcast an episode on Lowell High School. It wasn't always located near Stonestown and Lake Merced.

Hoover Junior High (as it was called back then), was one of dozens of schools built in the West Side of San Francisco to educate the Boomer generation of kids. This week, Nicole and Arnold tell us about the bumpy journey to build "Sunset Junior High".

We celebrate the anniversary of the SNACK concert at Kezar Stadium. SNACK, or Students Need Athletics, Culture and Kicks. It was conceived by rock music impresario, Bill Graham, to raise money for San Francisco school sports and arts programs. Nicole & Arnold share the tale of the event that featured a who's who of the SF music scene and celebrity speakers. For concert photos visit: https://bit.ly/OpenSFHistorySNACK

Bill Hickey opened his surfboard shop in 1964 on the West Side and was one of the central figures in Kelly's Cove. In honor of Bill's recent passing, WNP hosted a Virtual Paddle Out. We have a bevy of guests, including some Kelly's Covers, to share their fond recollections and stories of Bill.

The history of beloved buildings on Point Lobos Avenue seems inextricably linked to fire. John Martini joins Nicole & Arnold to describe the conflagrations that destroyed cherished west side attractions like the Cliff House (twice!) and Sutro Baths.

Ephraim Merida, a former slave brought to California in 1850, found himself in the middle of a lawsuit contesting the ownership of the land he called home for over 15 years. Nicole and Arnold tell the convoluted legal saga for property near Lone Mountain.

In this classic episode, we fondly remember our dear friend, Ron Ross, inveterate collector and founder of the San Francisco History Association. Ron joined the pod in 2016 to tell us his origin story, about his collection of San Francsico ephemera, and recall the founding of the San Francisco History Association.

Attention is always lavished on US Presidents when they visit Downtown SF. But it's even more notable when they travel to the West Side. WNP Board President, Arnold Woods, shares his research for an article he penned on presidential visits to the Outside Lands.

To help celebrate Black History Month, we welcome Nancy Botkin - who tells us about the remarkable Bernice Rodgers. Bernice was a ground-breaking Rec and Park employee whose was later honored with street named after her in Golden Gate Park.

This week, we are treated to an Oral History with special guest, Thorsten Sideboard. A local Sunset artist, Thorsten created Western Neighborhoods Project's first activity book for children on the life of Adolph Sutro and WNP's Cliff House Collection.

This week's podcast celebrates 150 years of Irish dance in San Francisco with a trio of special guests: Anne Cassidy Carew, Eileen Mize, and Jamie O’Keefe. They tell us about the United Irish Cultural Center's exhibition called "Keepers of the Steps".

It's the New Year and what better way to start it off than to take a dip in the frigid waters of Ocean Beach. Special guest, Jessica Smith, joins Nicole and Michael to explain the origins of the Olympic Club Hike 'N Dip.

Unlike today's SantaCon, Mabel Hawkin's Santa Claus Association does not involve scores of drunken Kris Kringles. Instead, the Association was a charity group that distributed thousands of gifts to San Francisco's children. This week, Nicole and Michael provide the inspiring story behind this groundbreaking endeavor.

This week, we resume the topic of West Side Artists with guest, John Lindsey, owner of The Great Highway Gallery.

If you haven't already visited the Museum at The Cliff, where we are displaying many of the Cliff House and Sutro Baths historical items successfully won at action - get to it! We're open Thursday through Sunday from 11:00 - 4:00 PM located at the Cliff House Gift Shop. The Museum would not have been possible but for the herculean effort by our podcast guests: Alexandra Mitchell of ACT Art Conservation and John Lindsey of The Great Highway gallery in collaboration with Western Neighborhoods Project. Hear how a magical series of events had to fall into place to bring the Museum into existence.

As a World's Fair, the Golden Gate International Expo, held on Treasure Island in 1939-40, brought together exhibits from all over the globe. One exhibit featured artists (both notable and unknown) creating their art, some of which visitors could actually purchase. Some of the commissioned works were destined to be displayed at City College. This week, Nicole and Michael talk about the GGIE artists and their work on display at CCSF.

Have you visited our Museum at The Cliff? Through mid-April 2022, see artifacts from the Cliff House and Sutro Baths, now on display (Thurs-Sun) in our free pop up museum at the former Cliff House Gift Shop. Some pieces were saved, first from the fire at the Sutro Baths (the topic of this podcast) and again more recently when a fundraising effort allowed Western Neighborhoods Project to acquire these items at auction.

Museum at the Cliff is now open! Our pop up museum is open Friday-Monday (11:00 - 4:00 PM) at the former Cliff House gift shop until mid-April 2022. https://www.outsidelands.org/Event/500. In celebration (and because we're crazy busy) we're repodcasting Cliff House and Adoph Sutro-related episodes. This week's podcast is on Adolph Sutro's women.

In celebration of the upcoming Fall 2021 opening of WNP's Museum at the Cliff and assuming stewardship of the Cliff House Project web site (www.cliffhouseproject.com), we're repodcasting this episode with the site's founder, Gary Stark to talk about his organization and share some fascinating facts about the ever evolving, west side landmark.

Not long ago, the sound of shotguns echoed around Lake Merced. Until 2015, skeet shooting at the Pacific Rod & Gun Club was a regular occurrence. This week, Nicole and Michael explore the Club's origins and colorful history on the shores of Lake Merced.

Elizabeth Larke Blodgett, mother and passionate supporter of returning Great War soldiers, took her doll house making hobby to incredible levels. One masterpiece miniature house, has been featured at the Emporium downtown and at the Cliff House, Nicole and Michael are joined by a very special guest and Elizabeth's granddaughter, Janet Dyer.

AP Giannini Middle School was one of many SF schools built in the 1950s to educate the growing baby boomer generation. Originally part of the Sunset Community Center, the school was named after a well known financier and San Francisco icon. This week, sharpen your #2 pencils as Nicole and Michael take you back to school.

For over eighty years, Stern Grove has served as a premier outdoor venue for music festivals. This week, Nicole and Michael explore the rich history of performances and who's on the calendar this Summer.

Today, we know the Olympic Club as an exclusive, members-only golf course and host to major tournaments. Like many things in San Francisco with 100+ year history, there are stories of financial gymnastics, crimes, and inspiration. Plus listener mail and upcoming virtual and in-person events.

When viewing images on OpenSFHistory.org, you may notice some of most memorable photos of early San Francisco are credited to either Carleton Watkins or Isaiah West Taber. As competitors, they photographed notable sites in the City, including the West Side, and have a surprising connection with one another.

The Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park has been THE event location for over a hundred years. After our June hiatus, Nicole and Michael return to tell the origin story and the major events that continue to be held there to this day. Anyone heard of Outside Lands?

The next time you visit or attend a concert at Stern Grove, take a short walk over to the Trocadero Clubhouse. In this week's repodcast, we learn how the Trocadero was happening hot spot, dating back to the early 1900s.

Residents of San Francisco have a wonderful resource for discovering the history of their home. In this repodcast, then SF City Assessor, Carmen Chu joins the POD to discuss the photos and historical records available to the public, and an exciting project with the library.

Instagram has turned this Moraga street stairway into a must see location on the West Side. In this classic podcast, we review the origins of the tiled steps and hopefully inspire you to go out and experience them (again) for yourself.

Open or keep closed? As life slowly returns to normal, what should be done with the currently closed-to-traffic section of the Great Highway? In this classic 2014 podcast, David & Woody provide some food for thought on the Great Highway's past and more recent history.

What is Western Neighborhoods Project all about? During our June podcast hiatus, we repodcast one of our favorite episodes about the organization itself. We'll be back in July with fresh history, until then enjoy these classics.

Mount Olympus in the Asbury Heights neighborhood is home to the Triumph of Light Statue. This week, Nicole and Arnold chat about the ideas behind the statue, its evolving designs, and the ceremonies of the unveiling.

Lake Merced has been an important area of San Francisco before there even was a San Francisco. This week, we chronicle the pre-European history, Spanish settlement, and the emergence of Lake Merced as an important San Francisco resource.

The Jesse B. Cook collection at the Bancroft Library is an amazing assortment of photos and ephemera spanning early 20th century San Francisco. Jesse Cook himself also has a fascinating, but complicated history. Learn how he compiled this cherished collection as one of San Francisco's earliest and prolific scrapbookers.

There is another large outdoor cross in San Francisco, and this one is in Golden Gate Park. As a bonus, this one comes with its own water feature. Today's Pod covers the origins and construction of Prayerbook Cross and Rainbow Falls.

The western themed, Fun-Tier Town was added to Playland at the Beach in 1960. It featured rides that were designed to be enjoyed by younger children. And for special occasions, there was a large room in a western motif, where parents could purchase a party package (food and favors) that could host 20 or more sugar-fueled screaming kids.

McCoppin Square Park is likely the oldest public park in the Outside Lands. But who was McCoppin? Why is a park in the Sunset named after him? Nicole and Michael explore the history of this groundbreaking parcel of land.

Golden Gate Park was home to several refugee camps in the aftermath of the '06 Quake & Fire. Richmond District historian John Freeman joins the Pod to share his extensive research on the Park sites that sheltered thousands of San Franciscans.

Over 1000 images of the SF music scene from the 70s and 80s have been added to OpenSFHistory.org. The photographer who captured images of the Grateful Dead, Santana, the Rolling Stones, and many more, Greg Gaar joins the pod to share stories of his life and work.

San Francisco in the 60s gave rise to the counter-culture movement and Gary Warne was front and center. The Pod this week welcomes author John Law, who knew Gary and recalls the underground places and events that shape San Francisco to this day.

When the Cliff House suddenly closed in December 2020, its collection of treasures from Sutro Baths, Playland, and the Cliff House itself were put up for auction. Learn how a scrappy group of like-minded preservationists banded together to save some of the most significant pieces of the collection and what's next for the collection.

We take another virtual stroll down a Richmond District business corridor, Balboa Street. Where else but on this Pod can you visit both beloved, but lost businesses and learn about those that endure to this day? Become a WNP member and join us on the live podcast each week, plus other great benefits of membership. http://outsidelands.org

Roy Graves started with his interest in SF history and developed it into a vast collection of images, memorobelia, and historical knowledge. Learn how Roy's passion became an inspiration for local historians like Western Neighborhoods Project.

Today, most of the area's developments have been subsumed by the Forest Hill neighborhood. But in the early 1900s, different developers constructed their own residential neighborhoods. WNP Board Member and residential parks historian, Richard Brandi joins the Pod to tell the stories of these microhoods.

We know about the life of Zero Thomas, thanks to an amazing discovery at a landfill. Thomas was an African American soldier stationed at the Presidio around 1870. And through his trove of papers, we can tell his story living as a black family in the early days of San Francsisco.

Clement Street in the Richmond retains the charm of a San Francisco neighborhood where local businesses are an integral part of the community. This week, Nicole, David, and Michael take a virtual stroll down the eastern end of Clement to highlight some of the many long-standing businesses located there.

Adolph Sutro's vast wealth enabled his passion for collecting. Dr. Lissette Jimenez, Egyptologist at SF State University joins the Nicole, David, and John to describe the breadth and depth of Sutro's acquisitions. From mummies to books to amusement rides, there were virtually no limits to Sutro's eclectic collection.

The neighborhoods of the West Side would not be the same without their local movie theatre and we have the Levin Family to thank for them, from the Alexandria to the Coliseum to the beloved Balboa and many more... Nicole, Arnold & David tell the story of this arts-devoted family. Plus an all-star live audience Listener Mail.

That the west side of San Francisco was covered in sand dunes will come as no surprise to regular listeners. Michael Lange joins Nicole and David to tell us how the City transformed the expanse of sandy, wind swept land into the Richmond and Sunset we know today.

Ocean Beach in the 60s & 70s was a time like no other. Special guest, and native West-sider, Paul Judge joins co-host John Martini to regale us with their first-hand recollections of the places, people, and events of the beach, Playland, and environs.

Civil rights activist and lawyer, Terry Francois had a prominent role in challenging racial covenants throughout the West Side. New co-host, Arnold Woods tells us how Francois worked to help desegregate housing in San Francisco.

As if Playland, the Cliff House, and Sutro Baths was not enough of an entertainment selection, nearby Merrie Way provided even more thrills. New recurring co-host, John Martini helps us understand how the area around Point Lobos Road evolved.

As 2020 comes to a close, we bid a fond farewell to podcast co-host, Woody LaBounty. After 8 years and over 400 episodes, Woody regales us with a few more stories of growing up on the West Side of San Francisco.

In a year like no other in our lifetimes, Nicole, David, and Woody take a look back at the historical highlights of 2020.

The oldest Catholic church in the Richmond dates back to the 1880s. As the population of San Francisco spread west, so did the churches. Today's pod gives us a historical glimpse on the many Catholic churches in the Richmond.

Incredulously, after 400+ podcasts, we are only now devoting one to John McLaren, the Superintendent of San Francisco parks - for life. The pod looks at McLaren's lasting legacy throughout the City and beyond.

The massive Sears store at the top of Geary was THE place to shop in the Richmond. Sears, Roebuck and Co. started as a mail order catalog and later became the country's dominant department store. But alas, all good things must come to an end.

George Barron was the curator of the de Young Museum who at times, had flashes of P.T. Barnam. Special guest Judi Leff joins the pod to regale us with stories of the colorful curator.

French Hospital has a misty past with its origins in the early 1850s. Its current location on Geary Street dates back to the turn of the previous century and continues to serve the community today.

The USS San Francisco had a relatively brief, but storied history in the US Navy. In honor of Veterans Day, the Pod recounts the naval cruiser's role in World War II and its many connections to the City from construction to decommissioning.

Halloween has always been a big holiday in San Francsico. What may surprise you is how neighborhood organizations and merchants on the West Side used to go above and beyond trick or treating - all for the lucky kids.

Mt. Davidson Manor includes a who's who list of San Francisco residential developers. The home building story starts with Fernando Nelson and development continues into the 1930s.

The Billington Brothers are the photographers behind many of the images around the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, and Land's End. Special guest John Freeman tells us how the brothers transformed themselves after arriving in San Francisco.

Known by different names and in different locations, Children's Hospital has served San Francisco since the 1880s. And the journey continues to this day.

In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration constructed a variety of projects in San Francisco that endure to this day. This week, we shake the sand out of our shoes and explore our favorite WPA-era built playgrounds in the Richmond.

Willie Mays is a baseball icon. Already a superstar when the Giants moved to San Francisco, Willie and his wife, Marghuerite, found a new home near Mt. Davidson, only to be denied purchase because they were African American - but ultimately prevailed.

Listener request fulfilled! Little Sisters of the Poor have been providing comfort to less fortunate San Franciscans for over a hundred years. Their beautiful Lake Street building survived the 1906 Earthquake & Fire, but where is it today?

You've probably driven past the Forest Knolls neighborhood many times without even knowing it. Community action led by a now prominent politician, finally opened up the development to people of color.

Take a tour of some of the Catholic parishes in the Sunset. This week, we cover St. Anne's, St. John of God, Holy Name Parish, and St. Gabriel Church.

Golden Gate Park is home to the National AIDS Memorial Grove. Formerly de Laveaga Dell, the Grove provides a serene location to commemorate loved ones lost to the AIDS pandemic.

You can't miss spotting a Rousseau-built "Storybook" home in the Sunset. Special guest Michael Lange joins the pod to tell the story of the Rousseau brothers and how they developed their distinctive homes across the West Side of San Francisco.

Dr. Emma Sutro Merritt was Adolf Sutro's eldest child. Accomplished in her own right, she left a lasting legacy in San Francisco to this day. WNP's Chelsea Sellin joins the live podcast as we continue this year's celebration of Women on the West Side.

The Parkside Branch Library's mid-century architecture stands out among the nearby buildings on Taraval Street. Unlike most Outside Lands San Francisco podcasts, there are no dark secrets or scandal in this one.

New-Deal era, Bernard Zakheim murals at UC San Francisco are in imminent danger of being destroyed. Portraying the history of medicine, ten frescoes displayed in UC Hall, which will soon be demolished as plans for a new hospital take shape

We mourn the permanent closing of Louis' Restaurant due to the pandemic, but celebrate its history and the thousands of meals served overlooking the Sutro Baths Ruins, Seal Rocks, and the Pacific Ocean.

We miss theatre popcorn! Continuing our long-running series about West Side movie theatres, this week's we recall the history of the still extant, 4-Star Theatre.

As you enjoy a burger and shake at Mel's Drive-In on Geary Boulevard, in those very booths nearly 60 years ago, there was a protest against Mel's owners for their discriminatory hiring processes. Learn what happened in 1963 and how it resonates today.

Special guest, Gary Stark of the Cliff House Project joins the pod this week to talk about his organization and share some fascinating facts about the ever evolving, west side landmark. To see more Cliff House photos, visit https://opensfhistory.org/

In San Francisco, statues have been toppled in reaction to the subjects' past history of racism, oppression, or enslavement. We examine the context during which they were raised, their subjects' history, and discuss their planned, and unplanned removal.

Favorite Point in Golden Gate Park is aptly named, but few know of its location today. We return to the celebration of Golden Gate Park's 150th Anniversary and rediscover this formerly prominent spot in the park. To learn more, visit www.outsidelands.org.

Steve Bernzweig, second generation owner of Bernzweig Framing and Design, joins the Pod to share the 50-plus year history and some interesting stories of this west side San Francisco gem.

Coming to a SF street corner near you! Historic photos from OpenSFHistory.org are being taped to utility poles around the City. Joey Yee joins us to talk about being a proud participant in WNP's grass roots Guerrilla Historian initiative.

Reverend Thomas Starr King was a pivotal figure in San Francisco and California history. We resume our celebration of Golden Gate Park's 150th year and examine the Starr King monument and the man.

On clear days, the rocky contours of the Farallon Islands can be seen emerging from the horizon. This week, we venture 27 miles off shore to learn about the islands' past and present.

A hospital located off of Lake Street provided health care to US service members for over a hundred years. Former Park Ranger, historian, and author, John Martini tells us about the origins through the decommissioning of the USPHS Hospital.

Why are two German writers memorialized in Golden Gate Park? As part of our series of podcasts commemorating the Park's 150th Anniversary, we uncover the statue's origins as a cultural landmark.

Ray Bandar had a passion for bones. It was his collection featured at the 2014 CalAcademy exhibit "Skulls". Special guest, Lindsay Palaima worked with Ray, and visits the pod to share some stories about this unique San Francisco teacher and scientist.

Today's tony Sea Cliff neighborhood originated as a result of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. The very first house in Sea Cliff, located on 25th Avenue, fortunately still exists. Learn how this home came about and its first and subsequent occupants.

Following the devastation of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, thousands of refugee shacks were constructed and located at several locations of west side San Francisco. We mark the 114th anniversary of this pivotal event 2020-style.

Since the 1930s, Galli Construction has been a prominent builder of San Francisco residences. Galli built dozens of housing tracts and thousands of homes throughout the west side and is still in business to this day.

Founded in 1870, San Francisco celebrates Golden Gate Park's 150th birthday. Join Nicole, David, and Woody as they mark this historic occasion in their first remote recording session.

If you've been to the Outside Lands Music Festival, then you know the Polo Fields and Speedway Meadow. These open spaces both have storied histories. This classic episode continues our celebration of the Park's 150th Anniversary.

In March 2020, Golden Gate Park welcomed five new, year-old bison to the Paddock. In this classic episode, we revisit the Bison's arrival in the 1890s and their long history in the park.

Our Monumental Golden Gate Park event has been postponed. But to whet your appetite, we present a Classic Episode where David and Woody chat about their five favorite Golden Gate Park statues.

For St. Patrick's Day, we revisit an Outside Lands San Francisco classic episode: Elizabeth Creely visits to talk about Irish-American San Francisco, east and west side.

Today's Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences features the latest state-of-the-art digital technology. But when the Morrison Planetarium was built in 1952, it featured an optical star projector.

Tacoma Street is an enigmatic dead-end off 15th Avenue in the Richmond. Why are the lots so unusually angled?

In 2020, Argonne Elementary School celebrates the 100 year anniversary of its dedication in 1920. Near and dear to Western Neighborhoods Project, Woody shares a story of a his relative's connection to the school.

Did a railroad really run from Golden Gate Park down to Powell Street? There's a stand out remnant of the 1890-era Station on Fulton at 7th Ave.

Turn back the clock on major City thoroughfares like I280 or US101 and you'll often find a railway. Go further back in time and you could find its origins in a Spanish road. Learn what lies beneath the concrete.

McLaren Lodge in Golden Gate Park is impressive inside and out. Take a virtual audio tour of John McLaren's residence where he lived for 47 years.

Some surprising TV and movie stars were native to the west side of San Francisco. Learn the stories of a few of WNP's favorites.

Ninety years ago, the Camp Fire Girls Building was dedicated, beginning its long service shaping and educating both the girls and boys of San Francisco's West side.

The lodge has a long history of sheltering vulnerable women and children. Learn about the stately building and it's history of service to the community.

A fond look back at the momentous events, milestones, and change at Western Neighborhoods Project and OpenSFHistory.org in 2019.

Merced Heights was one of the few, post-war, housing developments to sell to African-American families in the 40s. Learn more about this lesser-known Heights located near San Francisco State University.

Before the big box stores, King Norman's Kingdom of Toys ruled. From its humble beginnings on Clement, the store grew into a toy empire including an amusement park and even a local TV show for kids.

The proximity of Nineteenth Avenue and Sloat Boulevard is teeming with history: Stern Grove, the Trocadero, Ardenwood, and the Scottish Rite Temple are just a few of the highlights discussed.

Francisco Heights was a 1930s public housing project that never was. Imagine 11 buildings for 2500 residents near present-day USF.

Today on WNP cemetery talk, we explore the history of the Masonic Cemetery on Lone Mountain, the disinterment in the 30s, and the encroachment by the University of San Francisco.

In a City under pressure for constant change, San Francisco Heritage protects and preserves the cultural and architectural legacy of this great city. Woody LaBounty recently joined the staff of SF Heritage and talks about his new role and organization.

The building at 46th and Taraval has an unexpectedly colorful, if not checkered, past. What is that two-story silo on the corner?

You can appreciate the Breon Gate the next time you're waiting for the light on 19th Avenue and Lincoln. But what is its origin? Who built it and when?

The rehabilitated Presidio Theatre recently opened to the public for the first time in 25 years. What began as a WPA project is back in its new, state of the art glory.

Nineteenth Avenue began its transformation from a residential street into six lane highway in the 1930s. Learn about the driving forces behind the expansion.

Jack Anderson's talented sisters, Lenore and Jean, owned and operated the Anderson Sisters School of Dance on Clement Street. Learn which beloved actor performed there early in their career.

Paul's Hat Works has been adorning heads in the City and the Richmond for almost 100 years. Abbie Dwelle, the Hat Works current owner, joins the pod to share its history.

Why does Lincoln Highway end in San Francisco, and why is it named after our 16th President? David, Woody and Nicole discuss the western terminus of America's first transcontinental road.

Who placed a statue of the doomed Irish rebellion leader in Golden Gate Park? Learn the story of the Robert Emmet monument that now stands near the California Academy of Science.

In the early 1900s, some professional portrait photos were the selfies of the day. John Freeman drops by to talk about the photographers who made a living taking photos of visitors to west side attractions.

Learn what happened to some of the schools on the West Side that no longer exist. The constant ebb and flow of the City's population, evolving teaching philosophies, and buildings that outlive their usefulness, schools come and go.

The listeners speak! Woody, David, and Nicole answer listener mail, own up to mistakes, and make some quick takes on a variety of topics.

The Midwinter Fair lived on after closing! Guest John Martini joins Nicole, David, and Woody to discuss how many of the attractions and buildings from the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894 were repurposed.

The 1890s roadhouse still standing in Stern Grove.

One Ocean Beach shipwreck the city turned out for in 1902.

The Spanish-inspired eatery at Ocean Beach that survived the end of Playland.

The story of the Inner Sunset development with the elegant brick column gateway. And big WNP news.

The story of Carvel Torlakson and 806 47th Avenue, possibly the oldest standing building in the Richmond District.

The Parkside District's pioneer corner grocery.

The last official days of the California Midwinter International Exposition.

The story of the San Francisco lake in the hills.

Dudley Carter's sculpture and its journey from the Golden Gate International Exposition to Golden Gate Park to City College.

The mid-block skating rink that operated on 48th Avenue between Kirkham and Lawton Streets from the 1920s to the 1990s.

From 1882 to the 1894 Midwinter Fair to Sundays today, the history of bands in the park.

Two wheels on the west side from the 1890s to today.

Monument in the Presidio dedicated to World War II servicemen lost in the Pacific.

The German village concession at the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition in Golden Gate Park.

Italian truck farms on the west side of the city, leased by "I Giardinieri" (the gardeners), fed San Francisco for decades.

In May 1908, the entire city turned out for the US Navy's globe-circling show of might and goodwill.

Carmen Chu details the photos, and historical records available to the public for research and education, and an exciting new project with the library.

The tradition of sunrise services on San Francisco's highest peak.

Guest Chelsea Sellin shares some legends about the Golden Gate Park landmark on its 140th birthday.

Curvy streets in the Sunset? The mystery of Cecilia Avenue revealed.

Steam locomotives once puffed through the Richmond District.

The story of Caroline Brooks, Centennial Butter Sculptress at the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition.

The impressive tribute in Golden Gate Park's Music Concourse to Italy's famous composer.

An historic Inner Sunset family who lived in, and made, Golden Gate Park.

Guest Christina Moretta, photo curator from the San Francisco History Center at the San Francisco Public Library, gives an overview of the city's official archives.

177 million gallons of water is just the start of the story.

The Fine Arts Building of the 1894 California Midwinter International Fair in Golden Gate Park and the many female artists featured.

The history and significance of a one-block San Francisco street.

The former roadhouse and sanitarium at the corner of 36th Avenue and Fulton Street.

The mini-neighborhood laid out along San Jose Avenue in 1893 with dairies and a one-man water company.

The centerpiece of the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition in Golden Gate Park.

The story of Kelly's Cove's "Queen of the Beach," who passed away on December 1, 2018.

1920s aviators flew over the sand dunes of San Francisco's west side.

On rare occasions, white stuff has fallen on the city by the bay.

Mysterious object, relocated ashes, shadowy characters... John Martini unearths the stories behind Adolph Sutro's missing remains.

The story of a peripatetic statue, that looks like a wedding cake top, in Golden Gate Park's Music Concourse.

Woody, David, & Nicole tell the story of the Gellert Brothers-built neighborhood that sits between two lakes and was the home of the mysterious GET.

A milliner with a large house at the beach and a family history with some mystery. Woody, David, & Nicole tell the story of Alma Keith.

In December 1902, a communications connection to Asia was launched from San Francisco's Ocean Beach.

The famed photographer of Yosemite and the 'Range of Light' grew up in the Richmond District.

Hey, we are history too now! For the 300th podcast we talk about the venerable organization named the Western Neighborhoods Project.

The houses and stories (bootleggers, raffles, and more) in a residential neighborhood on the slope of Mount Davidson.

Horse-riding on the west side, the Golden Gate Park stables, and David's fear of the saddle.

Arnold Woods joins us to mark the 150th anniversary of the October 21, 1868 earthquake on the Hayward Fault, the city's first 'Big One.'

A Mexican land grant from 1845 still reverberates on San Francisco's west side 173 years later.

Guardians of the City and WNP are partnering to bring dramatic images of SF Fire Department by Chet Born and others to the public.

After many requests, the history of the 16th Avenue tiled steps on Golden Gate Heights.

Rob Weaver, Vice Commodore of the SFMYC at Spreckels Lake, takes us through 120 years of model boating in Golden Gate Park.

Stella Lochman from SFMOMA describes efforts to salvage a 40-foot model of the whole city and find ways to bring it back to the public.

Explosions, mysterious deaths, lawsuits, and one family's outsized influence on lots of land at the edge of the Outside Lands.

From the 1870s to the 1890s, horse racing drew crowds to what are today blocks of Inner Richmond homes.

Cows? In the Richmond District? Plus, milk detective!

The 55 acres in Golden Gate Park we used to know as the Strybing Arboretum can take you around the world and even through time.

A mysterious monument in a city park. Who was Charlotte Estes?

From 1953 to the early 1960s, the San Francisco Chronicle sent thousands of treasure-hunting locals around the city to dig in parks, beaches, and front yards.

The story of one influential Sunset District builder. Plus, an exciting change for Outside Lands San Francisco podcast.

88 years at the beach housing dance halls, restaurants, rock concerts, and slot car racing.

Founder of the Church of Satan and Richmond District resident.

The story of the greatest college football team in San Francisco history.

What hides in the mysterious tunnels on the cliffs just outside the Golden Gate?

The residence park with Spanish Colonial Revival villas and Storybook cottages.

A 1910 assessment of a vast amount of San Francisco properties with original photos.

Why are the two reservoirs across from City College used for parking and not water? And what will happen to that land? We have some answers, thanks to researcher Amy O’Hair.

Memorial Day 99 years ago a grove of redwoods was dedicated to those who died in World War I.

Now a senior living center, the impressive brick building on 19th Avenue was created to help children.

The two-towered redwood edifice moved from the 1894 Midwinter Fair to Ocean Beach to serve drinks to bicyclists.

John Martini tells us of the vanished strip of saloons, taffy stands, and shooting galleries across from Sutro Heights, including the legendary presence of "Baby" Schmidt.

The big May Day celebrations that used to be held in Golden Gate Park, the Parkside District, and across the city. How many maypoles there used to be...so many...

The Ocean View neighborhood's most significant landmark building dates from 1896. Stables, hay loft, and a tower that is not for a bell...

The story of a specialist for "female trouble" in a Sunset District house.

The story of the baseball fields on Golden Gate Park, from the Park Bums to 16 games at a time in the 1930s.

Marketed as "The White City," the housing development between Stern Grove and Stonestown was built in Spanish style during the Depression.

Taryn Edwards joins us to tell the story of the 163-year-old Mechanics' Institute at 57 Post Street, with library, chess room, events, and coolest staircase in the city.

Reviewing the Irish bars of the Inner Richmond along Geary Boulevard, from Ireland 32 to The Blarney Stone. Plus, fond memories of Pat O'Shea's.

One mysterious body of water and the art of old photo detective work demonstrated by Andrew Milhailovsky.

Guest Nicole Meldahl shares the stories of the women in the life of Adolph Sutro.

The bodies of water both natural and human-made. How many can you name?

The story of a remarkable man from the Yahi people and his time at today's University of California, San Francisco. (UCSF)

Recognizing the 100th Anniversary of the streetcar tunnel that opened up the southwest side of San Francisco.

The story of the Sunset landmark where you can spin-a-flavor.

The landmark Golden Gate Park playground, plus live recording listener questions and trivia.

David and Woody, in the first live show of the podcast, talk about the Geary restaurant-nightclub that stood beside the Alexandria Theatre.

Woody and David review the local history highlights from 2017 and talk up big WNP plans for 2018.

Palma You and Steve Haines talk about a project of the Chinese Historical Society of America on Chinese history in the Sunset District.

We push east to Christmas Tree Point on Twin Peaks and talk about why it is called that.

The story of the great online map collection, boon to researchers and a curious public.

The challenges of the rural Inner Sunset District at the dawn of the 20th Century.

Guest John Freeman talks of a Richmond District equestrian center that stood from 1904-1958.

The pipe and pier that brought salt water from Ocean Beach to the Lurline Baths and clubs downtown.

Former National Park Service ranger John Martini returns to tell more Presidio history.

Special double-length 250th episode with former National Park Service ranger John Martini.

David and Woody talk cummerbunds and let the listeners speak out.

From Charles Boyer to Peaches Christ, the Bridge Theater on Geary hosted it all.

One hundred years ago, community leaders in the Richmond District decided to change the neighborhood name (again.)

Golden Gate Park's meadow of pioneer and colonial related monuments.

The story of the streetcar that runs through the Parkside, Sunset, and, at one time, open sand dunes.

Off the Cliff House and visited by pinnipeds, daredevils, and stranded surfers.

From the San Francisco Junior College to free tuition, the history of City College.

Playland still in business? End of streetcars? World's Fair at Lake Merced? Imagining different west sides.

Inge Horton tells about a trailblazing female architect who designed hundreds of west side houses.

Celebrating 50 years of a Richmond District institution.

The Christian Science institution built in the trees at the end of West Portal Avenue in 1930.

Elizabeth Creely visits to talk about Irish-American San Francisco, east and west side.

The showcase neighborhood overlooking the Golden Gate.

Kristine Poggioli and Carolyn Eidson explain what the 49 Mile Scenic Drive is and how to walk it today.

We remember all the trains in the San Francisco Zoo, from the Little Puffer to the playground locomotive to the Elephant train.

The story of the neighborhood perched between (and above) the Sunset District and Forest Hill.

An alpine cabin and concrete ponds hidden in a Golden Gate Park grove.

An 1890s idea to catch invasive carp backfires.

A Richmond District junior high with unusual architecture and at least one famous alum.

The story of the San Francisco tree plantation that once stretched from the Inner Sunset to the Ingleside District.

Tim McIntosh tells of early aircraft building and flying brothers who had a flight school at Ocean Beach.

The Outer Richmond District's venerable South Seas bar.

Golden Gate Park's redwood grove, with Doughboy statue, commemorating Native Sons who died in 20th Century wars.

San Francisco’s best known landmark has a birthday.

The story of a landmark language immersion school in the Sunset District.

Don't listen to podcast episode #1! This is a better look at Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park.

Why did a San Francisco city agency take so many photographs and why are they important?

Fire, not earthquake, destroyed most of San Francisco in 1906.

Gardener and historian Steven Pitsenbarger gives the story of Golden Gate Park's crown jewel.

The history of the California Palace of the Legion of Honor---art, an organ, and a view.

The mid-century development nestled in San Francisco's Twin Peaks.

The history of a neighborhood theater, home of Tom Mix, Led Zeppelin, and a lot of toddlers.

The present and future of the city's most popular history event in the Old Mint.

The story of San Francisco landmark #213 at 90 Cedro in Ingleside Terraces.

The story of a grizzly captured, and later kept in Golden Gate Park, who was the model for the state flag.

A 1910s micro-neighborhood with residence park aspirations and Craftsman houses.

The story of a Sunset school, the saloon next door, and "milk punch."

The story of a nineteenth century bird-act busker at Ocean Beach.

Two classic west side branches of the San Francisco Public Library were built with a grant from Andrew Carnegie.

The roadhouse that catered to sports at Lake Merced from the 1850s to the 1880s.

The history of bandshells, music stands, and the Temple of Music.

Susan McCarthy tells how a 1971 oil spill brought hippies and hardhats together for clean-up efforts at Ocean Beach and the creation of International Bird Rescue.

Nicole Meldahl and Arnold Woods come to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Polo Fields' happening.

When cable cars and steam trains ran on Geary Street to the Richmond District. Plus, a listener mail question!

The story of a unique drive reserved for religious and fraternal organizations in the late 1950s.

Local christmas traditions and stories old and new, from roof rides to holiday firehouses.

The story of the 6-line, which started as a streetcar that made a neighborhood party.

The story of the surfmen who did service at Ocean Beach from 1878 to 1951.

Guest Frank Dunnigan talks about the first century of a Parkside District parish.

Listener mail and more.

Landscape architect for Forest Hill, part of Sea Cliff, the National Park Service.

Legendary swim coach of olympians and 50,000 city school kids.

On October 21, 1928, MUNI opened the N-Judah line to an extremely jubuliant Sunset District.

Native west side son Frank Dunnigan drops by to share more memories and preview his new book.

Collector Ron Ross shares his personal history in the city and the 35-year history of the San Francisco History Association.

From the zoo to St. Francis Circle, stories about San Francisco's widest (maybe) street.

Nicole Meldahl tells the story of the Love Pageant Rally, which happened 50 years ago this week.

Once called Oceanside House and the House of Mystery, a legendary Ocean Beach roadhouse.

Since 1901, players in white have trod the bowling greens in Golden Gate Park.

Guest Jacquie Proctor comes by to tell the story of the city's highest and most secret neighborhood.

Odd and interesting model homes of the west side when developers had to work to sell city real estate.

The five golden domes over the Richmond District and the center of Russian Orthodox life in San Francisco.

Guest Joseph Amster shares the story, proclamations, and continuing legacy of San Francisco's first and only emperor.

The rise and slide of a cliffside, trackside refreshment stand that faced the Golden Gate.

The story of a medieval Spanish monastery's journey in pieces to San Francisco.

An Ingleside District institution with origins in San Francisco's 1906 Earthquake and Fire. And listener mail!

Ruins of the gas station run by Jack Goldsworthy, closed but still dream-inspiring.

The where, why, and when of a streetcar cemetery and storage block in the Inner Sunset District.

A secret southwestern San Francisco neighborhood, plus listener mail!

Remembering one of the Richmond District theaters, now condos and a drug store.

The history of and changes to the groomed strip leading into Golden Gate Park.

The massive conflagration that ended a part of San Francisco history.

We visit the oldest public high school west of the Mississippi River.

Airplanes, gliders, and flying machines built and flown in San Francisco's west side in the early 20th Century.

Storyteller Ron Jones tells tales of growing up on 46th Avenue, going to Playland, and working at the Rec Center for the Handicapped.

The hidden housing development in the Richmond District with a famous photographer connection.

The story of how the Golden Gate Bridge changed a bucolic boulevard in the Richmond.

Shining a light on a lesser-known Bay Area architect who designed over 100 west side houses and a couple of registered landmarks.

A quirky row of apartments made of cable cars were created In the Richmond District after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire.

With origins from the 1850s, the former Protestant Orphanage still serving children in new ways in the Parkside District.

Every year, San Franciscans old and young gather at Lotta's Fountain to remember the earthquake and fire of 1906

With origins from the 1894 Midwinter Fair in Golden Gate Park, the evolution of San Francisco's fine arts museum

National landmark in the San Francisco Zoo has WPA murals and mosaics by local women artists. Can it be saved?

The past and future of the historic transit complex at Geneva and San Jose Avenues, with guest Alex Mullaney.

Mysterious concrete structures and stairways recently revealed at San Francisco's Ocean Beach.

Compliments and corrections to Woody and David, who take them all with humor and contrition. And bonus tall tales.

For the 150th anniversary of the Outside Lands Act, guest Arnold Woods explains how the western neighborhoods were added to San Francisco.

Preview of the sixth gathering of local history groups at the Old Mint March 5-6, 2016

The story of the apartment city-within-a-city on the shore of Lake Merced

Visiting the creme de la creme of San Francisco subdivisions, where it isn't always sunny.

The story of the Municipal Railway streetcar tunnel that opened up the West of Twin Peaks neighborhoods.

Begun in 1905, the residence park that sparked a boom in San Francisco master-planned communities.

Guns, dogs, hang gliders, and more about the land at the southwest corner of San Francisco.

John Martini tells the story of the cemetery where Lincoln Park is today, and what remains.

The hidden 9-hole pitch and putt, and mail from 13 listeners.

The good, the awesome, and the super great year for Western Neighborhoods Project.

A strange Greek revival building in the Inner Richmond was once home to a powerful political organization.

Fine homes and curving concrete benches in an early housing development in the middle of the Sunset District.

Making private collections public, the new WNP program offers up thousands historical San Francisco images.

Researcher and author Jim Ganz on bringing a great San Francisco photographer back into the spotlight.

David and Woody stumble through the story of a landmark west side high school. Help them!

Laid out as Lakeview, the valley land along Ocean Avenue became the Ingleside District.

We go east for Bernal Heights history with guest Vicky Walker.

San Francisco icon or eyesore? The history of Sutro Tower.

The story of the California State University beside San Francisco's Lake Merced.

The story behind the wide streets and stately houses of Jordan Park in the Inner Richmond

Touring San Francisco, digging in the Polo Fields, and motoring down Clement Street in 1911.

The story of a dramatic sea-surrounded lighthouse just outside the Golden Gate.

Water expert Joel Pomerantz joins Woody and David to talk about the flow of H2O, where it is, where it was, and where it goes.

A review of streetcar lines serving San Francisco/'s largest neighborhood, including pre-MUNI routes.

San Francisco’s legendary cold water surfing spot. And, yes, we tell you who Kelly was.

The story of an extreme weather event in 1930, and what can still be seen from it on 46th Avenue.

A famous west side host and sporting man, who helped name the Ingleside, came to a tragic end in the 1890s.

The long-gone, much-missed amusement park where the sand meets the sea in the Richmond District.

Thousands of people pass by this insulated enclave every day, the icelandic vision of small town America called Lakeside.

Inside a west side church is one of the most awe-inspiring and unknown landmarks in San Francisco.

The story of San Francisco/'s most famous sea lion that had a life after death at Seal Rocks.

With roots back to the 1850s, St. Ignatius has been a Sunset District institution for over 40 years.

The story of the famous classical columns at Lloyd Lake in Golden Gate Park, and where they came from.

The story of West Portal, the neighborhood and the avenue.

Megan Prelinger tells us about the one of most open physical libraries in the world, right in San Francisco!

Home of Star Wars premieres, Oklahoma, and 1,300 stadium seats on Geary Boulevard, the recent-gone Coronet opened in 1949.

Home builder and character who had a great impact on San Francisco's Sunset District.

In the 1890s, greyhounds competed along Ocean Avenue at the Ingleside Coursing Park. Plus, Connemara the superdog!

Amanda Williford from the Golden Gate Park Archives tells us about 6 million historical items, some stuffed in old stables.

Inside a Roman temple in Golden Gate Park you can still ride a goat, a dragon, or a giraffe in circles.

Maritime craft going aground on San Francisco's Ocean Beach and Lands End

Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, mother of the Palace of the Legion of Honor, and a real SF character

Gina Bardi tells us about the city's premier archive of maritime history. Crazy fact: 100,000 watercraft plans!

Judi Leff shares the history of Richmond District landmark Temple Emanu-El. Plus Emperor Norton!

San Francisco/'s earliest golf courses were created on the city/'s west side, including the Ingleside.

A seminal day for San Francisco and the western neighborhoods: April 18, 1906

Guest Angus Macfarlane tells us when San Francisco's Olympic Club cavorted in the heart of the Inner Sunset District.

Nicole Meldahl describes the significance and breadth of the "Courtesy of a Private Collector" historical images and how WNP is conserving, cataloging, and sharing them.

The history of the University of CA-San Francisco, begun as the Affiliated Colleges, and how it ended up in the Inner Sunset.

Chris Carlsson and LisaRuth Elliott talk about their energetic and engaging local history work. Bikes, CD-ROMS, and more.

We go to San Francisco's highest natural peak, which is topped by a 113-foot concrete cross and lots of trees that look like a hairline.

February 2015 has been a busy month for San Francisco history. David and Woody have the recap.

John Freeman joins us to talk about days when Fulton Street in the Richmond District had an intoxicating reputation.

The mighty El Rey Theatre, designed by Timothy Pflueger, opened on Ocean Avenue in 1931.

Oh say can you see two distinctive Outer Sunset buildings with roots from one San Francisco school?

Established in 1870, Golden Gate Park is the jewel of San Francisco.

John Freeman joins us to talk about Fernando Nelson, a builder and early automobile enthusiast, who built thousands of homes from the 1880s to the 1930s across San Francisco, including the Richmond District, Sunset District, and West Portal.

Sutro Heights, a San Francisco park high above the Pacific Ocean, was the personal estate of Adolph Sutro - a land of fake Greek statues, fake rocks, and maybe the real remains of Sutro himself.

A casino in Golden Gate Park? Of a sort, before the 1880s libations parlor was moved to Fulton Street to become a well-known roadhouse.

Ron Filion, creator of one of the first SF History websites, tells us about the amazing sfgenealogy.com he runs with Pam Storm!

A quick review of all the great stuff the Western Neighborhoods Project did and experienced in 2014 (including some great English Toffee). Plus what's coming in 2015.

How did the Sunset District gets its name? A simple question that David and Woody wrestle into submission.

City, State, and National Historic landmark, the Conservatory of Flowers has been one of Golden Gate Park's most popular attractions since the 1870s. Plus, Woody makes a confession.

David and Woody review the best, the worst, and the most cringe-inducing highlights from 100 episodes of Outside Lands San Francisco. Plus, listener mail!

Railroad tracks on the Great Highway? Emiliano Echeverria tells us when and why trains ran around Lake Merced and up Ocean Beach.

One the Bay Area's first malls, opening in 1952, Stonestown was created by brother developers and home builders Ellis and Henry Stoneson. The Big E! Rickey's Red Chimney! QFI! Blums! And on and on.

John Martini tells David and Woody about a place with naked people, shark attacks, and Burning Men. But what do you call it: Baker's Beach or Baker Beach?

Stories of Mount Sutro in San Francisco's Inner Sunset District. Once called Mount Parnassus, it is covered with the ghostly Sutro Forest.

The reincarnation of the Pacific Hebrew Orphan Asylum, Homewood Terrace on Ocean Avenue was an innovative model for taking care of at-risk children from the 1920s to the 1960s.

From the 1930s to the 1960s children in unmotorized vehicles raced on the hills of the Sunset District.

Built in the late 1940s, the Giant Camera next to the Cliff House, is perhaps the only camera obscura to be on the National Register of Historic Places. And it costs less than $5 to enjoy!

David, Woody, and Nicole Meldahl talk about the Richmond District's Lone Mountain Cemetery, later Laurel Hill Cemetery, 1854-1941, RIP.

San Francisco's bison herd (they are not buffalo) have been a fixture in Golden Gate Park since the 1890s.

Beginning in 1883, steam trains rumbled down Lincoln Way, cut through Golden Gate Park, and delivered hundreds of Sunday visitors to Ocean Beach.

David and Woody talk to Californio descendant and WNP member Nate Tico. Mixing up Spanish exploring party names, how the Europeans found San Francisco Bay, and how many parklets have been installed around 45th Avenue and Judah Street.

On September 13, 1859, a California State Supreme Court Judge and a United States Senator fought a duel beside Lake Merced. The story, and its importance to local and national politics, plus podcast mail!

Polytechnic High School on Frederick Street closed in the 1970s, but some landmarks remain. Guest Angus Macfarlane gives us the history of San Francisco's original high-tech school.

How did San Francisco's Telegraph Hill get its name? An octagonal building at Point Lobos on the western edge of the city tells the story. Plus, information about David's wedding cake.

Frank Dunnigan, WNP columnist and author of a new book, shares Baby Boomer memories of the west side of San Francisco.

A horse that swam the Golden Gate? Like a lot of San Franciscans, Blackie the Wonder Horse, from the Ocean Beach roadhouse Roberts-at-the-Beach, may have retired in Marin County.

Angus Macfarlane returns to talk about the dynamite factories of San Francisco's Sunset District of the 1870s. Spoiler alert: they tended to blow up.

Fred and Carl Gellert started the Standard Building Company in 1922, building 'Sunstream' homes in San Francisco's Sunset District, Lakeshore Park, Country Club Acres, and Midtown Terrace before moving down the peninsula to Serramonte.

San Francisco's Alexandria Theatre opened at 18th Avenue and Geary Boulevard in 1923 with a lush Egyptian theme. Ten years after closing, there is new hope the building will be revitalized. (Alexandria theme song performed by Lisa Sanchez and Doug McKeeh

Begun as the Almshouse in 1867, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center is still serving San Franciscans on the west side of Twin Peaks.

The Parkside, often lumped in with San Francisco's Sunset District, has a history and character of its own. Corruption trials, pioneer groceries, and May Day queens.

David and Woody offer their top five favorite statues of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park: a president, a novelist, a mother, a poet, and a gardener.

San Francisco's Great Highway, the venerable road along Ocean Beach that always threatens to be buried by sea and sand.

A small lake between the Presidio and the Richmond District played a role in San Francisco's founding. Fireworks and alligators also mentioned.

Amazing views of San Francisco streets and streetcars over the last 110 years from the old Municipal Railway archives. Listen to hear the background and take a look at the photos at www.sfmta.com/photo

The night in 1852 when an alleged earthquake caused Lake Merced to break its way into the Pacific Ocean and drop thirty feet overnight. Plus, the 1878 gold rush at the lake.

San Francisco's Columbarium, built in 1898 in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, still stands and is still in business in the Richmond District. Tens of thousands of cremated remains in a grand domed building with room for more.

Saving San Francisco's neighborhood newspapers, including the Richmond ReView, Noe Valley Voice, Visitacion Valley Grapevine, and more. Plus 25th anniversary memories of the Loma Prieta earthquake, and new earthquake shack discovered.

San Francisco's Westwood Park, the residence park for the "family of average means." Catch bungalow fever!

Christine Miller shares the history of tidal energy machines and wave motors near the Cliff House, an 1890s movement to harness the power of the sea.

Guest Therese Poletti tells about San Francisco native Timothy Pflueger, who designed some of the Bay Area's most stunning buildings and prominent west side schools and theatres.

Angus Macfarlane returns to tell us about when some of the greatest baseball players of the nineteenth century played along Stanyan Street across from San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Also, the first Big Game!

City landmark #242, the former Infant Shelter and Conservatory of Music on 19th Avenue and Ortega Street in the Sunset District.

The biggest lake in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and William W. Stow, the guy it's named after. Pass us a brick of pink popcorn!

Steam railroads and electric streetcar lines all once converged in the Ocean View neighborhood.

Part of the 1930s New Deal, the Works Progress Administration made a great impact on the look of San Francisco's infrastructure and parks, including the zoo's Monkey Island!

Idiosyncratic pronunications and accents of old-time San Franciscans. We'll teach you newcomers how to talk like a west side local.

Chris VerPlanck visits to share the history of Fort Miley and the Veterans Administration Hospital in the northwest corner of San Francisco.

A brief recap of the 4th San Francisco History Expo at the Old Mint and breaking news about the future of the 1874 landmark.

The Chutes amusement center and water ride and its early 20th Century westward migration from the Haight, to the Richmond District, and sort of to Ocean Beach. With guest star John Freeman.

Seven-foot-tall dachshund wearing chef's hat? Sounds like San Francisco landmark #254 on Sloat Boulevard in the Sunset District.

Richmond District historian John Freeman talks about a dusty toll road that became one of San Francisco's largest thoroughfares, Geary Boulevard.

Richard Brandi talks about Forest Hill, not just a Muni streetcar station, but a historic San Francisco residence park.

Nicole Meldahl from the the GGNRA Park Archives and Jamie O'Keefe from Guardians of the City join David and Woody to talk about the San Francisco History Expo on March 1-2, 2014.

History and future of jets used as play structures at Larsen Park on 19th Avenue in San Francisco's Sunset District.

David and Woody talk about movies that had scenes filmed in western San Francisco.

Thomas Underhill Sweeny, Sunset District pioneer, "demented hermit," and benefactor of a now-vanished observatory on Strawberry Hill, in Stow Lake, in Golden Gate Park, in San Francisco...

The 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition in Golden Gate Park remade not only the park, but the Richmond and Sunset districts. Midway monkeys are discussed.

A quick review of all the great stuff the Western Neighborhoods Project did and experienced in 2013, including this local history podcast!

From 1948-1950 San Francisco's firehouses competed in a holiday decorating contest still remembered. Why did this start? Why did it end?

San Francisco's first motel, the Ocean Park Motel, opened in 1937 in western San Francisco and it's still doing great business. Plus, we share fun facts about other west side inns and motels.

Giant windmills on the western edge of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park at Ocean Beach. What's up with that? Plus, we finally answer our fan mail.

John Martini returns to talk about San Francisco's legendary Sutro Baths, once the world's largest natatorium and now beloved ruins.

The Western Neighborhoods Project isn't the only group dedicated to San Francisco history. David and Woody share the love and give you lots of options to get your SF History fix.

Guest star Angus Macfarlane returns to tell the boys stories about the Richmond District's long-gone Ewing Field, home of minor league baseball and other diversions for San Franciscans.

Guest star Jacquie Proctor talks about one of the most prolific residential architects in San Francisco, the man of streamline rocket ship buildings as well as Hansel and Gretel cottages, Harold Stoner.

How does one research San Francisco history, including the history of one's house? David and Woody give you the online resources to get started. Plus, some big news for WNP.

Guest Angus Macfarlane talks with the boys about the Sunset District's oldest business, the Little Shamrock, established by the extraordinary Julia Herzo.

Talking about the Richmond District's Big Four cemeteries around Lone Mountain, the resting place for San Francisco's dead from the 1850s until their removal in the 1930s.

The story of Golden Gate Park's Speedway Meadow, the Speed Road, and the Polo Fields.

San Francisco's 1890s bohemian beachside settlement made of old streetcars.

San Francisco's Sunset Boulevard: no Norma Desmond, but from the 1930s to the 1970s, it did have Soap Box Derbys.

The up, downs, and ups once more of Brooks Park overlooking Lake Merced in Southwestern San Francisco.

San Francisco's Balboa Theatre on Balboa Street near 38th Avenue is a Richmond District institution.

The story of the Gjoa, a fishing sloop that traversed the Northwest Passage and ended up in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park from 1909 to 1972.

Hundreds of documentary building photographs from 1951 tell small stories of San Francisco six decades later.

Guest Lorri Ungaretti talks about the history of her San Francisco alma mater, the Sunset District's Lincoln High School.

Guest Christopher VerPlanck joins the boys to talk about Miraloma Park, a San Francisco neigborhood on Mount Davidson, smack in the middle of San Francisco.

Daniel Hudson Burnham's 1904 plan to remake San Francisco included some momumental visions for the west side.

Stern Grove and Pine Lake Park, with a shared history of squatters, farmers, and free music, is not your run-of-the-mill San Francisco parkland.

San Francisco's Ingleside Terraces neighborhood started as a racetrack before turning into a residential park with, weirdly, a giant sundial.

San Francisco's Cliff House, perched above Seal Rocks at the Pacific Ocean, celebrates its 150th anniversary in July 2013.

Promoted as the world's largest outdoor swimming pool, San Francisco's Fleishhacker Pool opened in 1925 and closed in the early 1970s. It was cold!

The hidden stories of odd buildings in the Avenues of western San Francisco, including a rant about Google map designations.

Stories of frog ponds, unbalanced street grids, and Death's Crossing in San Francisco's Ocean View neighborhood.

Did he own one-twelfth of San Francisco or just a twentieth? Either way, Adolph Sutro made his mark on the city, especially the west side.

Guest Nicole Meldahl talks about the Richmond District's 1898 encampment of volunteer soldiers for the Spanish-American War.

Carl Larsen, restaurateur, chicken ranch owner, and Sunset District pioneer has perhaps one of San Francisco's most-viewed parks named after him.

Golden Gate Park's pickup baseball legends, the Park Bums, and other pickup ball-playing stories and locales.

Talking about the old and new Beach Chalet on the western edge of Golden Gate Park at Ocean Beach.

Guest John Martini talks historic forts and fortifications around the Golden Gate and Ocean Beach.

The interesting life of George Turner Marsh, pioneer of the Richmond District and possible namer of the neighborhood.

David and Woody review a 54-year-old book that inspired both of them.

The story behind an octagonal San Francisco landmark on Monterey Boulevard.

After San Francisco's 1906 Earthquake and Fire over 5,600 relief cottages were constructed for the refugees. Some still survive today.

Bricks of pink popcorn, the Little Puffer train, Storyland, lions, tigers, and bears... join Woody and David in remembering the history of the San Francisco Zoo.

San Francisco's largest neighborhood has its own distinctive architecture thanks to 1930s merchant-builders like Henry Doelger, Oliver Rousseau, and the Gellerts.

Guest Paul Rosenberg talks about the source of rails recently uncovered on Balboa Street.

The History of the House of Refuge Lot, where City College of San Francisco and Balboa Park stand today.

Roadhouses here and gone on San Francisco's west side.

Hidden creek near San Francisco's West Portal neighborhood and other secret water sites.

Remembering a little theatre near Ocean Beach that had a big reputation for showing foreign and avant garde films.

From 1955 to 1966 a futuristic aerial cable car traversed Sutro Baths' cove from the Cliff House to Point Lobos. From all accounts, it wasn't as fun as it sounds.

What other museum allows you to play with the collection? The coin-operated amusements of the Musee Mecanique, now at Pier 45, had a long history in western San Francisco.

The names of streets going south through the Richmond and Sunset Districts are alphabetical. How did that happen? The story of San Francisco's Street Naming Commission of 1909.

Author Richard Brandi joins us to talk about one of the country's finest residence parks, San Francisco's St. Francis Wood.

We share one terrific online collection of historical San Francisco images: the Jesse Brown Cook Scrapbooks at the Bancroft Library.

David and Woody find some surprises in a neighborhood newspaper from exactly 93 years ago.

(Listen to Episode #224 instead!) Woody and David discuss the old Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park