Richmond District. May 18, 1909. Construction crew building streetcar line on Fulton St. United Railroads construction workers. View west from about 38th Avenue. Courtesy of opensfhistory.org
By now, somebody may have already shared a link or two with you from opensfhistory.org, a new website launched by the Western Neighborhoods Project. The website contains thousands of fascinating, historic San Francisco images that were donated to the WNP in 2014 by a private collector.
They’ve spent the last 18 months digitizing just a fraction of the 100,000+ images they received, and several thousand are now available for viewing at opensfhistory.org. Dates on the photos range from the 1850’s up to the 1970’s.
The site is well organized, offering you a variety of ways to browse the extensive collection – by map, by neighborhood, by galleries for locations or events (think the 1915 PPIE, 1906 quake, Sutro Heights, Ocean Beach, Sutro Baths…) and by searching (try “construction”).
We got some insight on this massive collection from WNP members Woody LaBounty, David Gallagher and Nicole Meldahl in a Q&A early this year.
LaBounty told us recently that just under 10,000 images are currently up on opensfhistory.org, but they have thousands more ready to post – and many, many thousands left to scan (more donations can help make that happen!).
Aside from offering a fascinating peek into SF of yesterday, these photos also may add a few “must visit” spots to your time travel bucket list. If you could travel back in time to San Francisco, where or what would you visit? Leave a comment to let us know.
Sarah B.
Ocean Beach. Crane hoisting dead whale over the seawall. Courtesy of opensfhistory.org
Mar 26, 1924. El Camino Del Mar – construction. Originally named Harding Blvd. Legion of Honor in background. Courtesy of opensfhistory.org
Sutro Baths. Looking east over main pool towards grand staircase, c1920. Plunge pool barely visible at center. Slide at right. Courtesy of opensfhistory.org
Adolph Sutro circa 1886. Adolph Sutro seated outside his residence at Sutro Heights reading a newspaper. Courtesy of opensfhistory.org
Second Cliff House and Sutro Heights, viewed northeast from offshore circa 1900
“The Cliff House from the Water 525” Seal Rocks in foreground. Firth Wheel at left center. Courtesy of opensfhistory.org
“No. 21. Sutro Heights, 1886. Employees.” Courtesy of opensfhistory.org
House near Mountain Lake circa 1899. Courtesy of opensfhistory.org
Panama-Pacific International Exposition Under Construction circa 1915. Courtesy of opensfhistory.org
Cliff House circa 1951
Cliff House. View looking north with moderne redwood exterior Camera Obscura at far left. Courtesy of opensfhistory.org
THESE ARE AMAZING!