San Francisco Historical Society
San Francisco Historical Society
  • 32
  • 141 260
The Van Ness Temples of Culture Celebrate 90 Years - SFHS January 2023 Program
With author James Haas
Building a municipal opera house was the goal of many San Francisco leaders. It took twenty years, was proposed at several locations, had funding problems, morphed into a War Memorial and a Veterans Building, and generated much controversy-your typical San Francisco story. On October 15, 1932, the War Memorial Opera House opened to a gala performance of Tosca and has been a grand home for San Francisco culture ever since.
James Haas is a native San Franciscan and a retired lawyer. For nearly forty years he has endeavored to improve and complete San Francisco’s magnificent Civic Center. During those years he found that few people knew the significance or history of Civic Center. Consequently, he wrote The San Francisco Civic Center, A History of the Design, Controversies and Realization of a City Beautiful Masterpiece, published by the University of Nevada Press (you can purchase a copy at the SFHS website: sfhistory.org/shop-sfhs/books-for-sale/). He lives in an apartment overlooking the City Hall dome.
This program was live-streamed on January 10, 2023 from the SFHS Museum in San Francisco. Please subscribe to our channel to learn more about the history of San Francisco:
ua-cam.com/users/SanFranciscoHistoricalSociety
Visit SFHS online at: www.sfhistory.org
Visit the SFHS MUSEUM
Open Thurs | Fri | Sat - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
608 Commercial Street
San Francisco
Переглядів: 533

Відео

Unspeakable Vice: Queer North Beach Before the Castro - Shawn Sprockett. SFHS October 2022 Program
Переглядів 7592 роки тому
Join Shawn Sprockett for a lecture on San Francisco’s original “gayborhood,” North Beach. Before the Castro, Pride, or the Rainbow Flag, the beginnings of modern queer identity and activism was formed in the old Barbary Coast. Learn how movements are made as folks across the LGBTQIA spectrum found commonality under threat of police raids and surges of moral panic. We’ll revive more than a dozen...
Yerba Buena Cove: A History of Smuggling, with Carlina Ospina - SFHS September 2022 Program
Переглядів 7582 роки тому
During Spanish-California and Mexican-California, Yerba Buena Cove was a well-known secret for smugglers. Before the town of Yerba Buena was established, smugglers knew to anchor their ships in San Francisco Bay to trade/sell all kinds of merchandise, including clothing, fabric, jewelry, alcohol, food, musical instruments, furniture-anything Californios wanted or needed from around the world. C...
Thirsty in Early San Francisco: A Very Localized Search for Water - SFHS Program with Joel Pomerantz
Переглядів 2,1 тис.2 роки тому
In the first couple years of early San Francisco, there were few creeks in the vicinity. The ones that did flow were quickly scooped up, claimed by pushy speculators who then sold the water. Joel will help you understand how settlers of the town got their water as San Francisco grew into a city. We’ll explore how the water challenges that residents faced wove into the stories of the water sourc...
The 1906 Earthquake and the People in Chinatown, with John Freeman - SFHS April 2022 Program
Переглядів 1,6 тис.2 роки тому
John Freeman's presentation begins with the devastation of the city and goes on to describe the effects of the earthquake and fire on the Chinese community here. He talks about how people thought the fire would not reach Chinatown. He also explains what the city politicians wanted to do with the Chinatown land-and how the Chinese responded. John Freeman is president of the SFHS programs committ...
The San Francisco Historical Society - Become a Member Today!
Переглядів 2082 роки тому
The San Francisco Historical Society exists to uncover, preserve, and present, in engaging ways, the colorful and diverse history of our city from its earliest days to the present. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in the story of one of the world’s great cities: San Francisco. All members receive the following basic benefits: * Panorama - the Society’s quarterly newsletter announci...
SFHS March 2022 Program - Reimagining Chinese American Women in Early 20th Century San Francisco
Переглядів 2012 роки тому
White Devil, American Daughter Authors Julia Flynn Siler and Jasmin Darznik discuss how they’ve pushed past silences and stereotypes to render a more vivid portrait of Chinese American women in San Francisco. What are the possibilities and limits of nonfiction to recover lost and hidden stories? How can fiction meaningfully contribute to our understanding of history? The conversation between Si...
The Buried Ships in San Francisco, with Richard Everett - SFHS February 2022 Program
Переглядів 11 тис.2 роки тому
For decades, San Francisco was the biggest, bawdiest, and roughest port in the entire West. When the Gold Rush began, almost a thousand ships from all over the world came to San Francisco. Many of them burned in the infamous 1851 fire, leaving their hulls and cargoes to be buried by the sand hills of the early city. Richard tells the story of the past 40 years of these ships being unearthed, an...
SFHS January 2022 Program - Gold Rush and Comstock Lode Money Struck at 608 Commercial Street
Переглядів 4932 роки тому
In 2019, the San Francisco Historical Society relocated its headquarters to 608 Commercial Street. This property was the original site of the United States Assay Office starting in early 1852 and housed the first San Francisco Mint from 1854 to 1874. In its role as Assay Office and Branch Mint, 608 Commercial Street saw an astonishing quantity of gold and silver struck into coins. Today, some o...
Maps of SF Jim Schein SFHS NOV PROGRAM
Переглядів 2513 роки тому
In this presentation map historian Jim Schein shares rare maps of San Francisco’s early days and describe how early settlers envisioned their city, mapped its features, and began to change the contours of the land to shape the city to come. * Note: there are some sound and video issues with the recording of the live presentation at our museum, but we feel the material is worth sharing with a wi...
SFHS October Program - Weaving The Web: Building San Francisco’s Communications Infrastructures
Переглядів 1903 роки тому
Rick Prelinger uses photos, news clips, ephemera, film, and audio to describe the development of telephones, radio, TV, and police and fire communications in San Francisco. This is not overly technical but is geared to lay people. This fascinating talk is filled with rich detail, including the “Human Telephone” woman at the PPIE. Rick Prelinger is co-founder (with Megan Prelinger) of the Prelin...
The San Francisco Historical Society - Become a Member Today!
Переглядів 1573 роки тому
The San Francisco Historical Society - Become a Member Today!
Integrating San Francisco’s Grocery Stores and Chain Stores, 1962-1964
Переглядів 3143 роки тому
Integrating San Francisco’s Grocery Stores and Chain Stores, 1962-1964
African American History in the First Century of California, with Jesse Warr
Переглядів 6 тис.3 роки тому
African American History in the First Century of California, with Jesse Warr
Black Pioneers in San Francisco’s Early Days, with author and educator Crawford Killian
Переглядів 1,1 тис.3 роки тому
Black Pioneers in San Francisco’s Early Days, with author and educator Crawford Killian
The City by the Bay and the Trial of Tokyo Rose, presented by Mike Weedall.
Переглядів 1,9 тис.3 роки тому
The City by the Bay and the Trial of Tokyo Rose, presented by Mike Weedall.
San Francisco's Crystal Palace with Lorri Ungaretti - an SFHS Program
Переглядів 3,1 тис.3 роки тому
San Francisco's Crystal Palace with Lorri Ungaretti - an SFHS Program
SFHS Monthly Program: Woodward's Gardens with Gloria Lenhart
Переглядів 2 тис.4 роки тому
SFHS Monthly Program: Woodward's Gardens with Gloria Lenhart
SFHS Presentation - Jim Schein on the Natural Topography of Early San Francisco
Переглядів 6 тис.4 роки тому
SFHS Presentation - Jim Schein on the Natural Topography of Early San Francisco
SFHS Presents Bernard Zakheim's Murals at UCSF Toland Hall, San Francisco
Переглядів 6934 роки тому
SFHS Presents Bernard Zakheim's Murals at UCSF Toland Hall, San Francisco
San Francisco Historical Society 2020 Fracchia Prize Awards Ceremony
Переглядів 3204 роки тому
San Francisco Historical Society 2020 Fracchia Prize Awards Ceremony
SFHS Presents Jim Schein - Author of Gold Mountain, Big City
Переглядів 1,7 тис.4 роки тому
SFHS Presents Jim Schein - Author of Gold Mountain, Big City
Arnold Genthe - SFHS Presentation by San Francisco historian Gloria Lenhart
Переглядів 1,3 тис.4 роки тому
Arnold Genthe - SFHS Presentation by San Francisco historian Gloria Lenhart
San Francisco's Lost Department Stores - by author Anne Evers Hitz
Переглядів 19 тис.4 роки тому
San Francisco's Lost Department Stores - by author Anne Evers Hitz
San Francisco Historical Society Presents: Bret Harte and the Gold Rush with Chris O'Sullivan
Переглядів 2 тис.4 роки тому
San Francisco Historical Society Presents: Bret Harte and the Gold Rush with Chris O'Sullivan
SFHS Presents: The History of Saint Ignatius Church in San Francisco - with Peter Devine
Переглядів 1,6 тис.4 роки тому
SFHS Presents: The History of Saint Ignatius Church in San Francisco - with Peter Devine
SFHS presents Sutro's Glass Palace with John Martini
Переглядів 22 тис.4 роки тому
SFHS presents Sutro's Glass Palace with John Martini
Golden Gate Park: A Celebration in Photographs - Ron Henggeler
Переглядів 9474 роки тому
Golden Gate Park: A Celebration in Photographs - Ron Henggeler
Sunken Ships, Hidden Treasures - A Romp Into Gold Rush History
Переглядів 3,4 тис.4 роки тому
Sunken Ships, Hidden Treasures - A Romp Into Gold Rush History

КОМЕНТАРІ

  • @JoniCarol1
    @JoniCarol1 2 місяці тому

    The story you wove into each scene brought back sooooo many real memories.

  • @jipjob1
    @jipjob1 2 місяці тому

    We sell products on the internet!

  • @jipjob1
    @jipjob1 2 місяці тому

    Genetics and that is that! My wife is 74 years old and without makeup she looks like she is in her 30’s.

  • @me_myself_and_I_343
    @me_myself_and_I_343 2 місяці тому

    My grandmother worked in Grayson’s lingerie department in the 1950s. I don’t know if it was the Market Street or Mission Street store.

  • @ccahua
    @ccahua 3 місяці тому

    Lost Department Stores? San Francisco has lost good taste 😢

  • @chairmanofthebored8684
    @chairmanofthebored8684 4 місяці тому

    This information is awesome but it would be easier to follow if you had a mouse pointer to point at details you're talking about.

  • @Homeopath6
    @Homeopath6 4 місяці тому

    Bs

  • @Lsxl-p5y
    @Lsxl-p5y 4 місяці тому

    So crazy I lived my whole life on the corner of 14th mission never knew this park/garden/zoo was there back then in in the late 1800s

  • @kurtpeterson315
    @kurtpeterson315 4 місяці тому

    Jasper O'Farrell had a massive rancho in west Sonoma County. A road off of hwy 12 before the town of Freestone heading west incorporates part of the name of his Rancho, Rancho Cañada de Jonive, where it was ...Jonive Rd. So I'm guessing that was his driveway or lane.....Enjoy! Kurt in SAnta Rosa, Ca.

  • @Tad-gf7gx
    @Tad-gf7gx 4 місяці тому

    Are you fucking kidding me with this shit fuckin video

  • @ContinentsEdge
    @ContinentsEdge 4 місяці тому

    I worked in the wonderful City of Paris department when Madame Verdier was the owner. It was a marvelous building that was razed and then replaced by the very lamentable Neumann Marcus store. designed I believe by Philip Johnson. What a treasure it was and what a desecration that it was torn down. I would stand at the edge of the round rotunda balcony and look down on the glove department staffed by ancient, but very elegant, ladies who fitted long gloves on equally elegant customers.. The world does not get better. This elegance was open to me a young girl from a working class background.

  • @philosopher4279
    @philosopher4279 4 місяці тому

    Ah, Thats a lot of “ahs”

  • @fboness368
    @fboness368 5 місяців тому

    That was a wonderful presentation. Thanks!

  • @-oiiio-3993
    @-oiiio-3993 5 місяців тому

    All of this time no one saw any previous constructions of 'ancient Tartarians' or anyone else.

  • @harrylarkin8690
    @harrylarkin8690 5 місяців тому

    11

  • @StevenTorrey
    @StevenTorrey 6 місяців тому

    The garbled vocalization stops @4:43...

  • @jeanettesdaughter
    @jeanettesdaughter 6 місяців тому

    Americas most gorgeous city. Too bad it’s just a place for the rich and the homeless now. Family life gone. Not when I grew up there. No more Black cultural presence because the people have been pushed out and all of us were NOT poor on public assistance. We moved to the suburbs or out of state. Not our loss but the city of SF lost gems when we left. And stop calling us blacks, we are Black people or African Americans. Thank you.

    • @alexw853
      @alexw853 15 днів тому

      We are Foundational Black Americans, indigenous Black Americans or federal status of Freedmen. Non foundational Black or mixed race/bi racial not of American heritage are foreigners, immigrants. I am one of the Arizona Freedman currently living in Oregon and lived in Texas (Austin and San Antonio). I loved the Alamo. Can't wait to finish touring the rest of our country. We were here in the old west on the frontier prior to the westward expansion of U.S. slavery.

    • @alexw853
      @alexw853 15 днів тому

      I am NOT AFRICAN or African American, the AA term is fabricated, fake and we look nothing like that crap. I am a whole native woman. Period

    • @alexw853
      @alexw853 15 днів тому

      My hair is all natural and long down to the middle of my back in length.

    • @alexw853
      @alexw853 15 днів тому

      AA is a fabricated term. I look nothing like that crap. I am a whole native woman!

    • @alexw853
      @alexw853 15 днів тому

      I am a whole NATIVE. AA is not a term I use! Fabricated!

  • @RubenQuiroga-n5m
    @RubenQuiroga-n5m 6 місяців тому

    No Mexican California before 1849??????

    • @sluttycouncil7059
      @sluttycouncil7059 6 місяців тому

      Yeah, Baja (lower) California. Aren't you paying attention?

  • @humarquezn1
    @humarquezn1 6 місяців тому

    1st on the list....Steal land from Mexico

  • @rawlsrules
    @rawlsrules 6 місяців тому

    As of yet, I do not understand the references to Point Lobos relative to San Francisco, the "line of sight", and Pacifica?

  • @samsprague2846
    @samsprague2846 6 місяців тому

    San Francisco is one of those cities you can fall in love with . With NY it takes a while. With SF, it's love at first sight.

  • @danlowe8684
    @danlowe8684 6 місяців тому

    The Millenium Tower engineers only dropped one anchor.

  • @pailinmurphy2768
    @pailinmurphy2768 6 місяців тому

    Who found the Bay Area? Oh no let’s just ignore the all the natives that lived there for millenia

    • @sluttycouncil7059
      @sluttycouncil7059 6 місяців тому

      Let' ignore all the natives in Europe that all the foreign invaders want to displace.

  • @unikuadam6035
    @unikuadam6035 6 місяців тому

    The city was already built out when we got there ! Stop the CHARADE!

  • @jamesmckee9246
    @jamesmckee9246 6 місяців тому

    Oh yeah’s got a great tier first half of this season

    • @jamesmckee9246
      @jamesmckee9246 6 місяців тому

      I never wrote this comment and I never posted it

  • @BrianStorey-j5n
    @BrianStorey-j5n 6 місяців тому

    My brother and I, born in San Francisco, moved to San Carlos when in was 3 in 1960..but every year we went to the Emporium rooftop Christmas, and visited Santa.. and when my kids were little in the 90s we Got to bring them there once , great memories ...still have my Santa photo, my Brother and I, I was about 4, on Santa's Lap there.. one of my prized possessions

  • @ANDREA-yt9dn
    @ANDREA-yt9dn 7 місяців тому

    This is white history. Im white, but this is such an insult! Its not true at all that there was nothing here. There was an an entire tribe, Ramaytush, part of the Ohlone people, or Costanoan (depending on who you ask) that had occupied the Sf and Monterey Bay. Native Californians should be angry at this false history.

    • @sluttycouncil7059
      @sluttycouncil7059 6 місяців тому

      BOO HOO! Did he hurt your feelings, Precious?

    • @glorioskey
      @glorioskey 5 місяців тому

      What an ignorant comment. ​@@sluttycouncil7059

  • @lindakay9552
    @lindakay9552 7 місяців тому

    I think LONG before the Spsnish ever figured out how to get here by crossing the Atlantic, I have high reason to suspect that Asians had found us centuries sooner, probably through Siberia. To anyone with ADHD, this video is tollerable of you play it at 1.23x speed.

    • @thetooginator153
      @thetooginator153 6 місяців тому

      If the Native Siberians had a written language, and managed to preserve their writings, things would have been MUCH different (IMHO). It’s very difficult to know the history of California before the Spanish and Russians settled here because the Spanish and Russians had writing. I believe some Central and South American cultures had writing, but I don’t think it’s been translated. There are still ancient European written languages that haven’t been deciphered, but most of them have been. Unfortunately, most of the writing was either accounting or tributes to leaders - not much history. And the writings we DO have are mostly thanks to Christian monks and Islamic scholars who copied texts century after century. We may yet discover writings made by the original Americans AND AI might be able to translate it!

  • @MrSHILOHGREY
    @MrSHILOHGREY 7 місяців тому

    This is some white people shit

  • @whatsitlike6392
    @whatsitlike6392 7 місяців тому

    My grandmother answered the phones at the Emporium when I was a kid. I think she did this for about 10 years in the early 70's. You are the first person to mention the rides on the roof. Someone told me I was remembering Stonestown but I kept thinking it was downtown. Wasn't there a Ferris Wheel up there? I was young so my memory may be incorrect.

  • @anderander5662
    @anderander5662 7 місяців тому

    Now tell us how they ruined the city in the last 30 years...

    • @joekulik999
      @joekulik999 6 місяців тому

      WHO is "they", Dummy ??? Have you figured that out yet ??? 😮

    • @jw77019
      @jw77019 6 місяців тому

      Ruined? Most people would love to be there. Every city has problems because capitalism always causes extreme wealth and poverty.

    • @billybob1620
      @billybob1620 6 місяців тому

      Mcomplete and total corruption mixed with complete and total incompetence

  • @suzit5084
    @suzit5084 7 місяців тому

    I was a Christmas wrapper at the White House. Bought my first Louis Vuitton purse at I. Magnin for $199. Design hasn't changed so now handbag is $4,000. Bought my wedding dress at Joseph Magnin. Loved Emporium bargain basement and cafeteria. Christmas was special on the Emporium rooftop. Loved Woolworth's both upstairs and downstairs cafeteria. Used to eat at Blums's and Mannings too. Bought our first black and white T.V. at Hales Department Store. There was Leed's and Lerner's store and Kress store on Market Street. All gone.😭

  • @mariagoosen7342
    @mariagoosen7342 7 місяців тому

    Very interesting history of San Fransisco. Thank you for sharing it.

  • @melbaker9495
    @melbaker9495 7 місяців тому

    The story of the HMS Setleg is really interesting. The closest Alcatraz came to firing on a foreign ship in October of 1963.

  • @jasonmarshall7983
    @jasonmarshall7983 9 місяців тому

    Six hundred to 8 hundred years old,,easy

  • @jasonmarshall7983
    @jasonmarshall7983 9 місяців тому

    All this sounds plausible, but I firmly believe San Francisco is 1600 years old and they always knew about the gold. There's nothing new under the sun. We didn't build this city after. We came out here to mine for gold no way

    • @Steve-hj6xv
      @Steve-hj6xv 6 місяців тому

      So who purchased 440 underwater lots and why did the Irish Americans have to move all of that sand? And, how do you know it was the Asians and not the African c who discovered, founded and named San Francisco, San Francisco?

    • @2degucitas
      @2degucitas 6 місяців тому

      I'm interested in your view of history. Do tell.

    • @DonalSilvestri
      @DonalSilvestri 6 місяців тому

      What in your research has given you the firm belief that San Francisco was founded in the year 424 CE? 1600 years old, really? And, who is "they" in your reference to knowing about the gold?

  • @austinmitchell563
    @austinmitchell563 9 місяців тому

    Many old maps show California as an island 16 1700s this could be an explanation

    • @jasonmarshall7983
      @jasonmarshall7983 9 місяців тому

      I think the island of california must have existed it obviously sank. It's really hard to tell with the baja , california , but it had to have sunk into the ocean as hard as I does to believe

  • @missourigal
    @missourigal 9 місяців тому

    I remember the City of Paris and Ransohoff and the White House. My father was the head a advertising at Weinsteins in 60s?

  • @missourigal
    @missourigal 9 місяців тому

    yes yes yes I. Magnin bathroom...and as a child roof rides at Emporium at Stonestown.

  • @mm5478
    @mm5478 9 місяців тому

    Does anyone remember a dept store on Ocean decades ago? Think it was called Get or Goetz. We used to buy all of our Catholic school uniforms at that store. At the western end of the store on the second floor was the toy department. Does anyone recall the store?

  • @martinsto8190
    @martinsto8190 9 місяців тому

    1:06:43 This also should have been the perfect time for the city to preserve and control the existing rivers south of san francisco. it really would have prevented future fires from raising most of the city and allowed residents clean affordable drinking water instead of importing it.

    • @JayKarpwick
      @JayKarpwick 9 місяців тому

      FWIW - I think you mean "raze". VERY different. 😃

  • @andrewsteger9449
    @andrewsteger9449 10 місяців тому

    Does anyone know the years of business for The Hastings Clothing Co.? I think final location was on Post and Grant?

  • @bluepearlgirl-emelie
    @bluepearlgirl-emelie 11 місяців тому

    Fantastic presentation. I could listen to you talk about these old maps of the city for hours! Our little city has grown up so much in just a few tens of tens of years! Thank you!

  • @PGDragon350z
    @PGDragon350z 11 місяців тому

    She not Africa or African American that America indian copper color race the real indian of all of North America there are not so-called black people or nergo or African-American we are the real American indian and the fool or the one who are calling us as a people that

  • @lordvonmanor6915
    @lordvonmanor6915 Рік тому

    There is no documented history of a Queen Califia outside of the United States therefore this story is false. Califia literally means Pole and was the original name of Poland Germany and yes they were Black at this timeline. When Europe settled Amerika they placed names like New Amsterdam, New England, New Spain and there was California "New Poland Germany".🧐 To say there was no slavery is California is false because the Polish Serfs were shipped there by Russia. Secondly to say there was no Black population in San Francisco is the biggest lie I've ever heard because San Francisco was owned by a Mulatte named Governer Pio Pico and several other Blacks before him.🧐 Also there was a freed slave from Hayti also owned San Francisco at one point.

  • @optitom9033
    @optitom9033 Рік тому

    Does anyone remember which department store had a downstairs restaurant that offered up the most delicious french onion soup

  • @optitom9033
    @optitom9033 Рік тому

    One of the darkest days of San Francisco is when progressive liberal carpetbaggers from Maryland Nancy Pelosi Her and money hungry gutter snipes destroyed one of America's greatest cities

  • @optitom9033
    @optitom9033 Рік тому

    As a third generation Californian its sad to see how the worthless progressive liberal movement that hijacked our Democrat party moved in and destroyed San Francisco In my younger years we'd travel from Palos Verdes in southern California to San Francisco each november so mom could do all her Christmas shopping at the Paris department store, Macy's and gumps sometimes having dinner at the pink poodle french restaurant or little Joe's. Mom and dad always went to the Buena vista for irish coffees and got sour dough bread before the drive home. Any caring San Franciscans guttsie enough to throw out the creeps and criminals. Oh and we always stayed at the Stanford Court ( is it still there?)

  • @smojo85
    @smojo85 Рік тому

    Amazing presentation! So much history and beautifully presented. Thank you ❤

  • @abelparris1662
    @abelparris1662 Рік тому

    Excellent information, sir