History of the San Francisco Cliff House | Richmond Dist.

Submitted by the Event Organizer

In this reading, Mary Germain Hountalas author of The San Francisco Cliff House will share with you all about the Cliff House.

There’s been quite a few books written coastal San Francisco but this one’s really comprehensive. A reviewer called the book “a centennial celebration of this spectacular and historic edifice.” This colorful history, which parallels the irrepressible spirit of San Francisco itself, is chronicled through colorful visuals and an insider’s unique narrative.

About the Cliff House:

The history of this fabled site spans 150 years, beginning in the mid-1800s when the original building stood alone on the edge of the Pacific. The next incarnation, built by the visionary Adolph Sutro, was a gingerbread castle that attracted Sarah Bernhardt, Buffalo Bill, and other celebrities of the day. Sutro’s structure withstood the earthquake of 1906 but was razed by fire in 1907. Rebuilt in 1909, the decades that followed saw the Cliff House go in and out of fashion with the public. Today, the Cliff House has undergone yet another renaissance, boasting two popular restaurants.

By the way, you might like to know that much of the book can be read (in preview form) online thanks to Google Books; click here to see it. Yeah, it’s free.

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