Bornstein arrives San Francisco
on April 21, 2015
The ruins of Sutro's Baths today.
Sutro's Baths, the Cliff House and the Sutro Mansion on the hill. 1900
The history of the Sutro District
In 1896, Adolph Sutro built a new Cliff House, a seven story Victorian Chateau, called by some "the Gingerbread Palace", below his estate on the bluffs of Sutro Heights. This was the same year work began on the famous Sutro Baths in a small cove immediately north of the Restaurant. The baths included six of the largest indoor swimming pools, a museum, a skating rink and other pleasure grounds. Great throngs of San Franciscans arrived on steam trains, bicycles, carts and horse wagons on Sunday excursions. Sutro purchased some of the collection of stuffed animals, artwork, and historic items from Woodward's Gardens to display at both the Cliff House and Sutro Baths.
The 1896 Cliff House survived the 1906 earthquake with little damage, but burned to the ground on the evening of September 7, 1907, after existing for only 11 years.
Sutro's Baths and the Cliff House, 1900
The Ruins of Sutro's Baths and The Seal Rock, 2015
San Francisco Ocean Beach, California
