archive for March, 2006

monthly archive
Friday, March 31st, 2006

#52.5: The Trolls of San Francisco

the trolls of san francisco [ 10:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup

The history of one of these hidden layers is, however, little known and rarely spoken of – I refer of course to the San Francisco trolls. Though some hold that the trolls are a primitive people original to this area, and were in the hills even before the native american Ohlone, other, more reputable sources […]

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Saturday, March 25th, 2006

#52: Adolph Sutro, the Populist Millionaire

adolph sutro, the populist millionaire [ 27:58 ] Play Now | Play in Popup

This week’s podcast explores the history of the millionaire philanthropist who gave so much to our city and whose story is — amazingly — almost forgotten. For further edification: » The Western Neighborhoods Project– outsidelands.org » Sutro bio from 1898 – sfmuseum.org » Sutro Baths – National Park Service » Sutro Baths – San Francisco […]

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Tuesday, March 21st, 2006

Tour Review — Chinatown Alleyway Tours

Here’s the thing — I love San Francisco, I love history, and I love walking. Luckily for me, there are a billion walking tours out there, and every so often I take one. I do my best to keep my know-it-all mouth shut and learn a thing or two, pick up a few ideas for […]

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Saturday, March 18th, 2006

#51: The Columbarium and the Caretaker

the columbarium and the caretaker [ 28:55 ] Play Now | Play in Popup

In an attempt to answer the oft-voiced question "what is that thing, anyway?", in this week’s podcast a visit is finally paid to this sumptuous Victorian repository for cremated remains, the baroque center of what was once a 167 acre cemetery in the center of San Francisco. It’s a spectacular building, but the real discovery […]

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Friday, March 10th, 2006

#50: The Balclutha and the Chantey Sing

the balclutha and the chantey sing [ 18:24 ] Play Now | Play in Popup

The Park Service website reads simply "sing traditional working songs aboard a floating vessel." The songs? Sea chanteys. The vessel? A majestic iron-hulled squarerigger called the "Balclutha". I had no idea how inspiring the experience could be, nor how powerful. It turned out I had inadvertently wandered into a 25 year old San Francisco tradition: […]

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Friday, March 3rd, 2006

#49: Sam Clemens and the Celebrated Jumping Frog

sam clemens and the celebrated jumping frog [ 16:20 ] Play Now | Play in Popup

Though the rest of the country thinks of Samuel Langhorne Clemens as a southerner, it was a spell in San Francisco and the wilds of California which turned young Sam into "Mark Twain". This week’s podcast tells the story of how a misfired duel, a bungled gold-mining claim, a suit for libel — and yes, […]

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