See how the San Francisco Cliff House evolved from 1860s getaway to fiery icon, with rare vintage photos and stories from its most dramatic moments.
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What was life like in 1900? Step into everyday life back then—work, school, clothes, streets—and see how America looked at the turn of the century.
Rube Goldberg turned a desk prank into a cartoon legacy filled with wild machines, clever comedy and an unexpected path to fame.
Janis Joplin’s explosive career burned bright and fast. See how her raw voice, blues roots and wild lifestyle shaped a rock era that still echoes today.
Discover the history of San Francisco’s Sutro Baths, the stunning Victorian swimming complex that mixed ocean pools, museums, and seaside adventure.
In 1906, a short film called ‘A Trip Down Market Street’ ended up being a valuable record of old San Francisco just before the huge earthquake and fire destroyed much of the city.
The history of Levi’s jeans shows that the power of a really good idea – like super-durable clothing that people like to wear – can make for a business that stays strong for more than 160 years.
Lake Almanor’s great beauty and immense expanse captivate the imagination. Amidst the pine forests, when built, it was the largest power reservoir in the United States. Here’s a little of its history!
These are some of the very first reports of the Loma Prieta quake back on October 17, 1989 that devastated so much of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Summer of Love & the Haight-Ashbury district: The intersection of peace, music & revolution In the beating heart of the mid-60s, the Summer of Love
This unusual home in the hills of Oakland, California is tree house – with a modernist design – belonging to Dave Brubeck, known as ‘Mr. Jazz’ to his fans.
The Streets of San Francisco blended detective work with character-driven storytelling & used the city’s landmarks as a backdrop for crime-solving narratives.
In 1976, Marriott’s Great America theme parks were born from a simple yet ambitious idea: give families an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind experience. Here, see the parks in California & Illinois in the 70s & 80s!
The gorgeous aerial photos of these city skylines and scenes grant us a bird’s eye view of the evolution of our urban landscapes.
The Zodiac Killer letters & cryptograms turned the case into an intricate puzzle that has confounded investigators for over half a century.
Old streetcars (aka trolleys or trams) are more than just vintage transportation — they’re a window into our past. Streetcars helped shape American cities, and
Vintage 40s diners were descendants of the railroad dining car, and often sported shiny metal on the outside and a long counter with stools on the inside. Take a ride back in time to see 40 examples of roadside diners!
Lithographed vintage travel posters like those shown here are now sometimes sold at auction for tens of thousands of dollars, but they began as ads for a burgeoning industry.
It’s incredible to see how awesome — in size, in design, in popularity — old-fashioned indoor swimming pools could be. Here, take a look at 10 gorgeous pools from days gone by!
Spreckels Mansion – aka The Sugar Palace – was a completely over-the-top late Victorian home, was the luxurious residence of one of San Francisco’s wealthiest men at the time. Take a look back at the original version of this house!
Of his famous movie “The Birds,” director Alfred Hitchcock said, ‘It could be the most terrifying motion picture I have ever made!’ And for many thousands of people, it was. Find out more about the 60s film here.
Millions of people in San Francisco’s East Bay drive by the iconic Orinda Theatre every year, with its neon sign easily visible from the freeway. So what’s its story? Find out more about this California landmark here!
In the ’30s, Chicago gang leader Al Capone was imprisoned for income tax evasion, and served most of his time on Alcatraz, where he faced constant death threats.
For generations, mail carriers and other postal workers have worked hard to bring us letters, magazines, packages and more. Here’s a look at how they transported the mail long ago!
We have heard Mathis’ voice for years – but who’s the man behind that rich, smooth sound? Find out more about this extraordinarily talented singer here, and see Johnny Mathis as he lived in his Hollywood home back in the 1970s.
From the middle of the destruction after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, these detailed accounts of the damage were published in the city’s newspaper the very next morning.
Onboard these old Deluxe Overland Limited trains, every hotel luxury could be found – including a barber shop, valet service, a library, buffet meals, a mens’ clubroom, and a cafe dining car. Take a look!
These vintage images of the 19th century San Francisco skyline vividly portray how the California city by the Bay changed over a few short decades in the 1800s. Take a look back at how the city grew and grew and grew.
This article bids adieu to the man whose name countless millions of people have worn: the one and only Levi Strauss, creator of Levi’s riveted denim blue jeans. Find out more about the man here.
Take a 1950s home tour of a ‘junior five’ near San Francisco – a small house that had an entry stairway that starts at garage level and leads up to five rooms – bedrooms, kitchen, garage and more.
Nothing stays the same for very long — not the world, not the blues, not love, not a petite young Texas girl named Janis Joplin, who had ‘such a pretty voice,’ according to her mother.
Even today, there are ships buried under downtown San Francisco that you might walk over, on land reclaimed from the Bay thanks to the Gold Rush.
See what it took to get the Golden Gate Bridge built, plus see dozens of pictures of the construction, and the celebration when it finally opened in 1937.
Unlike most rock groups, Creedence Clearwater Revival doesn’t have a booking agency or a manager, yet they were the most successful pop-rock group in the world – and the richest.
The mystery of Pan Am Flight 7, flying between San Francisco to Honolulu, crashed mysteriously midway between the two cities. The cause has yet to be determined.
Shields & Yarnell, the talented and dynamic husband-and-wife mimes, entertained audiences all across America courtesy of the television. Take a look back!
See scenes from the San Diego’s World’s Fair – a venue with gorgeous scenic beauty in a matchless climate – that took place from 1915 to 1917.
In the olden days, you needed a telephone operator to connect your call manually through a switchboard. Her job wasn’t as easy as you might think.
How did the great Gold Rush of 1849 get started? Find out its history, how it made people rich and poor – and helped make California what it is today.
Take a little 60-year leap back in time, and see how San Francisco looked back in 1955 in this video homage to the city by the bay.
See some vintage report cards from San Francisco’s Outer Mission district schools during the ’50s. One of his classmates? Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.
Dive back into the past with these 16 views of beautiful San Francisco in the ’70s – from the skyscrapers to the bridges and everything in between.
Take look back – way back! – at a few ways that ladies in San Francisco during the Victorian and Edwardian eras used to style and accessorize their vintage hairstyles.
What is the average lifespan for men and women in America? Among the curious things shown by the census of 1880 is the new data relative to the US life expectancy.
See up close the destruction that hit San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake in these colorized photos taken shortly after the fire was put out.
Will baseball live? An article from 1893 Firmly believing in the future of baseball, I have no hesitancy in complying with the request made by
The “be-in” was the grandest of all happenings, attracting at least 13,000 of the hip set and perhaps 2,000 spectators. It happened Saturday at the polo field in Golden Gate Park.
The old steamship City of Chester sank just inside the Golden Gate in the San Francisco Bay – but she was rediscovered more than 100 years later.
Jazz has remarkable history as a fad (from 1919) Starting twenty years ago in New Orleans, it has swept from coast to coast and is
Trouble came looking for Charles Manson the day he was born – out of wedlock to a teenage mother and a father he never laid eyes on.
Bruce Lee became a global sensation with his kung fu films — then died days before his big Hollywood debut. Here’s how he got there.
Greetings from California visitor postcard Retro ’40s postcard: Greetings from San Francisco, California Main scene of Fisherman’s Wharf “When the Golden Gate is golden”, San
In the fifties, flying on a passenger airplane was a big deal. You would receive farewell cards, dress up to travel, and once you were
Telegram: Order to appear (1917) Received at SE Corner Pine & Montgomery Sts., San Francisco – Always open San Francisco, Calif – Aug 1 1917 Percy
