Cliff House Project

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July 1, 1909

Adolph Sutro's daughter, Dr. Emma Merritt, rebuilt the Cliff House to a more modest scale, a neo-classical design by the Reid Brothers, architects of the Fairmont Hotel.


July 2 1909
(more adertisements)

 


Early photo showing construction (click image to enlarge)
Courtesy of the John Freeman Collection

 

 






Photogravure from book "San Francisco"
Published and copyright by Cardinell-Vincent Co, 579 Market Street, San Francisco. The Albertype Co, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Courtesy photo collection of Jan Weijers, Holland

 

postcard, unused, Edward M Mitchell, Publisher, San Francisco

 

postcard, postmarked Apr 25 1923

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Reverse: "Nov 25, 1915"
 


 


This view was likely taken within a few years of the 'new' Cliff House opening.  The clues are the absence of buildings on the Terrace, the "Admission to Terrace 10 cents" sign, the light globes, and the rustic wood benches.  All these features changed in the late 1910's when buildings began to appear on the terrace.  BTW, 10 cents for the pleasure of visiting the Terrace was a lot of money for the time.  In today's dollars it translates to about $2.00.  -- J Martini



 

 


1915 (dated by previous owner)

 


Image courtesy of Dennis O'Rorke

 

 

 




 


"Steps leading to Cliff House,  Frisco"
Courtesy of the John Martini Collection

 


"Steps to Cliff House, Frisco"
Courtesy of the John Martini Collection


 


Japanese Tea House
(click here for more)

 

Pages from an album from 1912-1913

 

 

 

 

"Alberta Claire, the girl from Wyoming"

For more information on Alberta, visit The Long Riders' Guild
Click here for a NYT article on the trip.
 


The Long Riders' Guild

 


click image for full resolution

 

 

 



 



"This is Joe Housel, who married my mother's cousin, Margaret.  Joe managed the Cliff House and the
St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco and later managed a hotel in Hawaii.  He was a very nice person."
 

 

 


Possibly the earliest aerial photo of the Cliff House in existence!

 


Image courtesy of Dennis O'Rorke

 


"A Moonlight Night at the Cliff House, San Francisco, Cal."

 


"PECULIAR MONSTER SEEN ON THE CLIFF HOUSE TERRACE EVERY EVENING AT SUNDOWN"

 


Oakland Tribune, July 18, 1909
(click above image for full page pdf)
 


Home movie, circa 1930
16mm B/W movie film
(click above image to play movie)

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