Cliff House Project
A Program of Western Neighborhoods Project

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Sutro Baths

Exterior Interior Blueprints Construction Programmes Newspaper Film Destruction Misc

 


 


Sutro Baths Entrance (glass slide)
John Martini (2023):  "Photo of the main entrance to Sutro Baths on Cliff Road (today’s Point Lobos Ave), probably taken in spring or early summer of 1896. A sign painter at right is putting the finishing touches on the streetcar depot of the “Sutro Railroad Company” whose cars went into operation in February 1896. This view is nearly identical to an earlier photo in the OpenSFHistory collection (link) showing the depot without any exterior signage but after the Baths had opened for swimming on March 14, 1896."

 



 


"6675   Sutro Baths, San Francisco, Cal.  Taber Photo., San Francisco, Cal"
Courtesy of Glenn D Koch Collection

 


(reverse)

 


Courtesy of Glenn D Koch Collection

 


Courtesy of Dennis O'Rorke

 


"SECTION REDWOOD TREE, HUMBOLDT COUNTY CALIFORNIA"
reverse

 


(WNPCHP)


 


tour photograph, Sutro Baths in background
Courtesy of Dennis O'Rorke

 


"WATER CARNIVAL"
"1913" (reverse)
Courtesy of Frank Mitchell
 


 

 


 


Zoom in to see the roof in poor condition, presumably taken near the baths demise?
Courtesy of the Jim Dickson Collection

 


"Sutro baths in Frisco where I took my swim in salt water, 1914" (reverse)
 

 

 

 


 


"70 Ships entering the Golden Gate, San Francisco, Cal.  W.C. Billington, Photographer"

John Martini (3/21/2022):  "The construction-looking stuff is actually on the tip of Point Lobos, just overlooking the Baths, likely a “lay-down yard” where construction materials for the Baths were stowed. The Baths are actually complete, and in the foreground. The twin domes are a giveaway. This photo can be dated to 1895-1896 because there are two smokestacks: the shorter iron stack from the original boiler and laundry house, and the taller brick stack which was built in 1895 when the powerhouse was hugely expanded to provide electricity for Sutro’s new streetcar line. The shorter stack was torn down shortly after the streetcars went into service in early 1896. Here’s a view (below) from the opposite direction showing the iron smokestack being demolished at lower left.

 


1896c Sutro Baths from Pt Lobos, WNP 15.280

 


"SU-31"

 


 

 


"The Cliff House, San Francisco   Photo by C.F.L."
Courtesy of Frank Mitchell

 


"SU-36"
John Martini (3/21/2022):  "This photo was taken around 1913 and shows the settling pond and some maintenance junk behind the Baths."

 

 



Courtesy of Mary Hountalas
John Martini (9/14/2020):  "Taken around 1908 during the period between the burning of Adolph's chateau and the
construction of Emma's bunker-like Cliff House"


 


 


Click above image for ultra-high resolution....can you spot someone doing a handstand?  Estimated date: 1910.

 


Reverse: "Taken at the Cliff House on our 3 hrs trip seeing San Francisco, Sept 1, 1913"

 

 


aerial view, ca 1940





 



full kodachrome stereo image


full kodachrome stereo image

Entrance of Sutro Baths being remodeled, 1953c
Images courtesy of Frank Mitchell
 



 


1966 Aquarium & Powerhouse (SFPL AAC-0129)
 

 

 

Juli Lopez Documentary
Academy of Art University

 


Click above for a photographic tour of Sutro Baths


 


1957


 


Sutro Baths, Heights and Cliff House
Courtesy of Glenn D Koch Collection
(click here for booklet pages)
 

 

 


http://www.wikimapia.org/...

Interactive maps of the Sutro Baths floor plan & environs   







 

Sutro's Glass Palace: The Story of Sutro Baths


"Sutro's Glass Palace - The Story of Sutro Baths"
by John A. Martini (website)
Available from Amazon (link)

For more information on the Sutro Baths I highly recommend John Martini's definitive reference, "Sutro's Glass Palace: The Story of Sutro Baths".  His meticulous attention to detail is unmatched and the 3D illustrations are superb.  I've known John for many years and neither this page, nor the entire website for that matter, would be half of what it is without his patient help.

 

Additional Links

http://www.sutrobaths.com/
http://www.squareone.org/PolarPalace/sutros.html

 

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