SF City Guides
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sfcityguides.bsky.social
SF City Guides
@sfcityguides.bsky.social
Since 1978; San Francisco: One story at a time. 501 C 3
💙 70+ free walks through city neighborhoods
❤️ RSVPs Optional
Tag your photos w/ #sfcityguides
www.sfcityguides.org
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Looking for a walk that challenges your knees and rewards your eyes? With changing microclimates & varying routes no Russian Hill Stairways tour is ever the same—but the passion our guides bring to sharing Russian Hill History always is. #sanfrancisco

RSVP:
sfcityguides.org/tour/russian...
Temporary housing in the earthquake shacks that were built after the 1906 Earthquake & Fire. Photo courtesy of California Historical Society.

The Presidio: From Military Base to National Park shares the earthquake shacks in person. sfcityguides.org/tour/presidio/
January 29, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by SF City Guides
Ilhan Omar is an American hero. www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
January 28, 2026 at 2:06 AM
Chinatown at night in 1950s courtesy of Fred Lyon.

Chinatown Family Associations, Tongs and Gangs is a great tour. RSVP here: sfcityguides.org/tour/chinato...
January 28, 2026 at 4:11 PM
An Irish policeman with a colorful reputation owned “Nobby” Clarke’s Folly, now a landmark at Douglass and Caselli. Brilliant, contentious, and eccentric, Clarke was the SFPD’s version of Emperor Norton.

Special thanks to OpenSFHistory for allowing us to share their photo.

www.sfcityguides.org
January 27, 2026 at 4:14 PM
Construction began on the Bay Bridge in 1933. It was one of the largest infrastructure projects of the Great Depression era. Twenty-four men died during its construction. It opened for traffic on November 12, 1936, half a year before the Golden Gate Bridge.

www.sfcityguides.org
January 26, 2026 at 4:09 PM
SF was a city that loved opera in saloons, launched the first symphony season broadcast nationwide, built a ballet company choreographers adore, and created a world-class jazz center. Discover the people behind it.

Applause: A history of music and dance in SF
sfcityguides.org/tour/applaus...
January 25, 2026 at 4:45 PM
In the early 1950s, during the height of Cold War atomic bomb fears, San Francisco designated Union Square as an official public air-raid shelter site.

Architecture Downtown shares this history
sfcityguides.org/tour/creatin...
January 24, 2026 at 4:01 PM
With Cable Car in the late 1940s, Mayor Lapham pushed for modernization of transportation. Mayor Lapham lured the public with the offer of free bus rides. The public voted 77% to save the cable cars.

Cable Cars, Halfway to the Stars sfcityguides.org/tour/cable-c...
January 23, 2026 at 4:13 PM
The first section of the Embarcadero Freeway, from the Bay Bridge approach (I-80) near First Street north to Broadway, opened in 1959. The Clay Street and Washington Street ramps then opened around 1965.

The Ferry Building Walking Tour shares this history. sfcityguides.org/tour/ferry-b...
January 22, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by SF City Guides
Bessent: "Someone, maybe your parents for their retirement have bought 5, 10, 12 homes."
January 20, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Old City Hall prior to the 1906 Earthquake & Fire. The City Hall & Civic Center walking tour shares this area of the city.

sfcityguides.org/tour/city-ha...
January 21, 2026 at 4:18 PM
Back in the 70s when BART was being built and tested, BART used 3 test cars to test the system. They were called A, B, and C or Agnes, Betsy and Claire. These test cars were designed by the Budd Company.

www.sfcityguides.org
January 20, 2026 at 4:32 PM
Twin Peaks road in 1920. SF City Guides gives 80+ free walking tours across San Francisco. One step at a time. One story at a time. Join us

www.sfcityguides.org
January 19, 2026 at 4:48 PM
Construction of the road to the Cliff House, which was started in 1863. This road was built in the 1920s upgrading from the older road.

SF City Guides gives 80+ free walking tours across San Francisco. One step at a time. One story at a time. Join us. 501C3 non profit.

www.sfcityguides.org
January 18, 2026 at 4:05 PM
In 1911, SF formed a committee led by architect John Galen Howard to choose a site for a new City Hall.

A design competition limited to local architects drew 73 entries. Bakewell & Brown won.

Mayor “Sunny Jim” Rolph laid the cornerstone in October 1913, and City Hall was completed in early 1916.
January 17, 2026 at 4:40 PM
6 months after the 1906 earthquake & fire.

Special thanks to the California State Library for allowing us to repost their photo.

The 1906 Earthquake & Fire free walking tour share stories from this catastrophic event. Rsvp: sfcityguides.org/tour/1906-ea...
January 16, 2026 at 4:57 PM
Reposted by SF City Guides
This has been the plan all along.
- Foment violence and chaos in the streets of MN
- Implement the Insurrection Act
- Declare Martial Law
- Suspend elections
January 15, 2026 at 1:57 PM
This photo shows one of the last horse drawn carriages that existed up until the Cable Car debuted. Special thanks to SFMTA for allowing us to repost one of their photos.

Cable Cars, Halfway to the Stars sfcityguides.org/tour/cable-c...
January 15, 2026 at 4:05 PM
In 1873, over 12,000 spectators gathered at Woodward’s Gardens to watch a hot-air balloon lift two people 100 feet into the air.

Robert Woodward bought 4 acres in the Mission in 1861 & opened Woodward’s Gardens in 1864, featuring plants, animals, artifacts, & attractions.

www.sfcityguides.org
January 14, 2026 at 4:08 PM
One of the worst cable car crashes occurred in early 1900s, where many were injured and 4 killed. The grip man lost the grip on the rope and the cable car went down the hill from Stockton street down California Avenue.

Cable Cars, Halfway to the Stars. sfcityguides.org/tour/cable-c...
January 13, 2026 at 4:14 PM
The Moulinie Building was the home of a French sea captain and was built in 1852. Captain Moulinie rented the building to French wine merchants from 1854 to 1902.

It was owned by his descendants for over a century. The building is located at 458 Jackson Street.

www.sfcityguides.org
January 12, 2026 at 5:15 PM
The California Theatre stood at 440 Bush St as one of the city’s earliest & grandest performance houses — opening back in 1869. William Ralston. Financed it. It hosted touring burlesque troupes, opera, & concerts.

C 1869 Photo courtesy of Eadward Muybridge.

www.sfcityguides.org
January 11, 2026 at 5:36 PM
Adolph Sutro, a former Mayor of SF, owner of the Cliff House. He built a mansion in Sutro Heights Park. These were the large ominous gates to enter his mansion.

Special thanks to OpenSFHistory.org to allow us to repost their picture.

Lands End Free Walking Tour sfcityguides.org/tour/lands-e...
January 10, 2026 at 4:32 PM
Eight monumental murals located inside the Herbst Theatre. The murals are painted by Belgian artist Frank Brangwyn for the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. Originally displayed at the Palace of Fine Arts, these powerful scenes of industry & culture.

www.sfcityguides.org
January 8, 2026 at 4:15 PM
SF Art Institute has had some very famous artists:

- Ansel Adams
- Minor White
- Mark Rothko
- Imogene Cunningham
- Edward Weston
- Richard Diebenkorn
- Annie Leibovitz
- Ed Hardy
- Diego Rivera Mural

If U visit, off the back has great views. Worthy of a sit & eat a lunch.

www.sfcityguides.org
January 7, 2026 at 4:09 PM