San Francisco History Podcast – Sparkletack

Commune with San Francisco offline, in the allegedly “real world”. I haven’t necessarily visited every museum, taken every walking tour listed here, or joined every group, but someday, someday…

Got suggestions for worthy inclusions? Drop me a line with your candidate: richard (@) sparkletack.com.

» Walking Tours
» Museums and Libraries
» Contemporary Online San Francisco
» San Francisco History Organizations

San Francisco Walking Tours

• "Emperor Norton's Fantastic San Francisco Time Machine"
  Tour of historic San Francisco led (of course!) by Emperor Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.


• Barbary Coast Trail
  The famous self-guided walking tour — follow the bronze medallions in the sidewalk!


• Oakland Walking Tours
  Free walking tours of historic downtown Oakland — explore the Railroad Era, Chinatown, Art Deco Uptown, the Jack London Waterfront, Preservation Park and so much more. Sponsored by the City of Oakland.


• Pacific Heights Walking Tour – San Francisco Architectural Heritage
  (see “Walking tour reviews” link in right column)


• San Francisco City Guides
  The wonderful free walking tour organization, all volunteer, sponsored by the SF Public Library.


• San Francisco Tour Guide Guild
  “A professional, non-profit corporation of experienced tour guides and members of the travel industry.” They maintain the prefessionalism of the industry through tour guide certification, but also offer their own tours.


• Walking in San Francisco for Health and History
  “Meet other locals interested in walking for fitness and in learning about the history of San Francisco. Most Saturdays we go on long walks that have great variety in distance, stair climbing, and amount of history information. Walks are free.”

San Francisco Museums and Archives

• “What’s on the 6th floor?”
  The official blog of the San Francisco Public Library’s San Francisco History Center and Book Arts & Special Collections!


• Bancroft Library
  California’s memory bank on the UC Berkeley campus, one of the largest special collections in the U.S. Includes the Mark Twain Papers, Regional Oral History Office, UC Archives, History of Science & Technology Program, & Pictorial Collection.


• San Francisco Fire Department Museum
  Comprehensive website of San Francisco’s fabulous Fire Department Museum.


• San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum
  Documenting and preserving the Bay Area’s rich performing arts heritage from the Gold Rush to today – and making it available to us! Programs, events, exhibitions, and the fabulous library. Based on dancer Russell Hartley’s private collection, ca 1947.


• Treasure Island Museum
  Once upon a time there was a museum on Treasure Island. Someday it may return, but ’til then, enjoy the museum’s website, featuring a “Memory Book” message board, info about the collections in storage, and “Treasures”, an illustrated history of the Fair.


• Wells Fargo History Museum
  This colorful museum features a beautiful stagecoach, piles of real gold, and many other exhibits focusing on San Francisco’s Gold Rush history. Even cooler, it’s located on the very spot in which Wells Fargo opened for business in 1852!

Contemporary Online San Francisco

• FunCheap SF
  “Finding fun and cheap stuff to do San Francisco and around the Bay Area.” Yahoo group dedicated to having fun in the Bay Area on the cheap. Good stuff!


• San Francisco Virtual Tour
  “An interactive photo documentary Walking Virtual Tour” — and that’s just what we have here, a staggering amount of work. Kudos!


• SF Cityscape.com – Transportation & Urban Design
  Forum, maps & photos — SF Bay Area city and regional land-use and transportation planning, architecture, development and urban design issues.


• SF Journey (German language)
  A German-language travel guide to San Francisco and the West Coast: “Ihrem Reiseführer nach San Francisco an der Westküste der USA”


• Wells Fargo History Museum
  This colorful museum features a beautiful stagecoach, piles of real gold, and many other exhibits focusing on San Francisco’s Gold Rush history. Even cooler, it’s located on the very spot in which Wells Fargo opened for business in 1852!

San Francisco History Organizations

• Sacramento Historical Society
  A thorough listing of all things related to Sacramento history.


• San Francisco History Association
  A group “Dedicated to Remembering San Francisco’s Past” — they sponsor regular talks, slide shows, and guest speakers on a fantastically diverse array of subjects.


• Treasure Island Museum
  Once upon a time there was a museum on Treasure Island. Someday it may return, but ’til then, enjoy the museum’s website, featuring a “Memory Book” message board, info about the collections in storage, and “Treasures”, an illustrated history of the Fair.