About the Organization City Guides is grateful for the support of our sponsors such as the Omni Hotel and the Grant for the Arts of the Hotel Tax Fund for covering part of our operating expenses. We depend on bridging the budget gap by tax-deductible donations from our walkers. You can support our efforts by: Trying a tour-lunch-tour day by taking a tour in the morning, have a lunch break, and take a second tour in the afternoon. You ll find several options on the schedule. Repeating a tour with a different guide for a new angle Making a $5 donation or more when you take a tour Becoming a sponsor by donating $25 or more Donating online at our web site Purchasing City Guides items available on our web site Mailing your gift to our office Becoming a City Guide San Francisco City Guides Main Library, 100 Larkin Street San Francisco, California 94102 Laura Schroeder, Director Phone: 415-557-4266 Email: tours@sfcityguides.org www.sfcityguides.org Free Walking Tours (Donations Welcome) Winter 2005 November & December 2005 www.sfcityguides.org 415-557-4266
Who We Are San Francisco City Guides is a 27 year old, non-profit organization that is a program of the San Francisco Public Library and a project of the Tides Center. There are more than 200 trained City Guides conducting 30 different tours to Bay Area residents and visitors year round. The organization s purpose is to preserve and perpetuate the history and folklore of San Francisco and to celebrate its rich cultural diversity. And in the spirit of the San Francisco Public Library, this service is provided free of charge although donations are greatly appreciated. What We Do Our tours, which are 1 1/2 to 2 hours long, are given 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, rain or shine. Walkers can choose from at least one, and often several, tours any day of the week (except major holidays). Reservations are not required (except for groups of 8 or more). Our guides, who complete a 4 month training period, are unpaid volunteers who enjoy sharing their historical knowledge in an engaging and entertaining manner to bring San Francisco and its history to life. Unlike a traditional docent program, they are encouraged to put their personal emphasis on a topic or neighborhood. This creativity means that guests returning to a tour given by a different guide often find new aspects revealed. How to Take a Tour Pick a tour and simply show up at the start point at the noted time (don t forget holiday exceptions). Dress comfortably, bring a jacket and prepare to be entertained and informed. Private Group Tours No reservations are required except for groups of 8 or more, or special date/time requests. Arrangements must be made in advance. A donation of $10 per person is required, with a discounted rate of $5 per person for senior groups and schools (grades 6-12). San Francisco public schools (grades 6-12) are free. What s Being Said About Us Voted One of Twenty Secret Bargains of San Francisco - Arthur Frommer s Budget Travels One of San Francisco s Top Attractions - National Geographic Traveler The fare is history, architecture, legends and lore. Something for both the history-obsessed native as well as the casual visitor wanting to see San Francisco up-close and personal. - The Walk Shop It seems too good to be true, but in the case of City Guides it isn t. The group offers free walking tours of San Francisco interesting ones, every single day of the year, with a wide range of themes, neighborhoods, and levels of steepness and as a result draws a surprising audience: locals. - SF Weekly
Tour Schedule Sundays Tuesdays Saturdays 10 am Cow Hollow (2nd) 11 am Art Deco Marina (2nd) Castro: Tales of the Village (2nd& 4th) Golden Gate Bridge Haight Ashbury Downtown Deco (3rd) Rising Steel (2nd) Noon Ferry Building Mission Dolores (1st & 3rd) Murals & Multi-Ethnic Mission (2nd & 4th) 2 pm Gold Rush City Nob Hill Victorian San Francisco Mondays 11 am Bawdy & Naughty (1st, 2nd & 3rd) 1:30 pm Chinatown 10 am North Beach (4th) Palace Hotel 11 am Pacific Heights (3rd) Noon Ferry Building 1:30 pm Historic Market Street Wednesdays 10 am Theatre in San Francisco (2nd& 3rd) 11 am Landmark Victorians of Alamo Square (1st& 3rd) Noon Gold Rush City Thursdays 11:45 am Civic Center 2 pm Palace Hotel Fridays 10 am Cityscapes & Public Places 1:30 pm Gold Rush City (3rd & 4th) Note: Number in parentheses indicates which week(s) of the month the tour is given. Tours without a number are given every week. 10 am Chinatown North Beach Palace Hotel SOMA/Yerba Buena Center (2nd) 11 am Coit Tower Murals Embarcadero South (2nd & 4h) Inner Sunset (2nd) Landmark Victorians of Alamo Square (1st& 3rd) Mission Murals (1st & 3rd) Pacific Heights Mansions Noon Ferry Building Palace of Fine Arts/ Marina (1st & 3rd) Telegraph Hill Hike (1st & 3rd) 2 pm Embarcadero North (2nd) Japantown, Western Addition (1st & 3rd) Lands End (1st, 2nd & 3rd)
Tour Descriptions Art Deco Marina Admire the stylish and elegant buildings of the Marina while learning to recognize the art deco style made popular in the 30s and 40s. View the shops on Chestnut Street in a new light. Meet in front of the Marina Library, 1890 Chestnut near Webster. Bawdy & Naughty Starting with the Gold Rush, professional women have been a part of the city s legends and lore. Learn about Belle Cora, Ah Toy, French parlour houses and Barbary Coast dives. Meet at the eastern Maiden Lane gate (off Kearny between Post &Geary). 2 block stroll. Castro: Tales of the Village Explore a neighborhood you thought you knew. Take in the sights and sounds of the lively, ever-changing neighborhood. What was once dairy farms and dirt roads is now one of the city s most vibrant and cohesive communities. Meet at Harvey Milk Plaza, Castro &Market, under large rainbow flag. Chinatown Explore colorful alleys and side streets the home of family associations, sewing shops, community organizations and churches. See shops selling medicinal herbs, gold jewelry and vegetables. Meet in Portsmouth Square (Washington &Kearny) upper level at flagpole near the elevators. Cityscapes & Public Places Discover hidden parks, rooftop gardens and other delights while experience some of the colorful history and distinctive, old architecture of the city s financial district. Meet at the Native Sons Monument, Montgomery at Market Street. Civic Center See the grand buildings that replaced a spectacular ruin of the 1906 earthquake and see what s new in Civic Center, including the refurbished City Hall. Meet at the steps of the Main Library facing the Pioneer Monument, Fulton Street between Hyde &Larkin. Coit Towner Murals Murals some controversial created by 25 of California s leading artists of the 1930s, reflect scenes of the Great Depression, landscapes, farm workers, industries, a stylish soiree and vibrant city life. Tour includes murals not usually open to the public. Meet at main entrance of Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill. Cow Hollow History, architecture and a touch of nostalgia mark this tour, which samples a neighborhood grown up from truck gardens and dairy farms into one of the city s most attractive areas. Meet at Holy Trinity Cathedral at Van Ness &Green. Downtown Deco Discover downtown s legacy of the Art Deco era through various permutations of American Art Deco. Meet in front of the Telephone Building at 140 New Montgomery. Embarcadero North/Herb Caen Way Much of the city s most dramatic growth occurred along the waterfront. From shipping to recreation, from shifting dunes to soaring skyscrapers, retrace the city s colorful and riotous history, much of it venerated by famed columnist Herb Caen. Meet in front of the Ferry Building under the clock tower, Market &Embarcadero. Embarcadero South/Ruth Miller Ramble Named for a longtime City Guide who saw potential here before anyone else, this walk reveals the changing faces of a once-bustling port and an exclusive neighborhood. Understand the financial and geologic erosion that doomed them and the forces that revived them. Meet at Mission &Steuart Streets by Rincon Center.
Tour Descriptions Ferry Building Enjoy an hour long walk that covers the rise, tragic fall and modern rebirth of one of the city s most renowned historic landmarks. Visit a contemporary swirl of shops, restaurants and food markets. The history of ferries, freeways and quakes is recreated. Meet at foot of front entrance stairs, Market &Embarcadero. Fire Department Museum View antique engines and artifacts that tell the history of firefighting. This is a self-guided tour. A City Guide is available for questions. The museum is located on Presidio Avenue between Bush & Pine. Golden Gate Bridge Marvel at the city s world famous landmark. Discover how the bridge was built, who built it and why it s not painted gold despite its name. Meet at the Strauss Statue, view parking lot, south end of bridge (SFside). Gold Rush City Relive the early history of an instant city. Walk the streets of Yerba Buena Cove, the haunts of the original 49ers. Meet at Clay &Montgomery at the Transamerica Pyramid (near the flower stand). Haight Ashbury Come explore streets, sidewalks, parks and vistas that tell the story of a Victorian-era resort area that was subsequently settled by comfortable merchants whose gingerbread homes still grace its streets. Meet at the Park Branch Library, 1833 Page Street. Historic Market Street Explore Market Street, the city s first boulevard, from the Ferry Building to Lotta s Fountain. Discover the stories behind historic buildings, monuments, fountains and modern skyscrapers. Meet in front of Landmark at One Market, south side of Market between Steuart &Spear Streets. Inner Sunset: The Birth of a Neighborhood Discover how this charming neighborhood emerged from the windswept dunes originally deemed hopeless and uninhabitable. Explore the area, view provocative murals, hear fascinating history (and an occasional bit of lore). Meet at Arguello Blvd &Hugo Street. Japantown, The Western Addition & Urban Renewal Jewish-Americans, Japanese immigrants, African-Americans, post WWII urban renewal and another wave of Asian immigrants all contribute to the ever-changing face of this area. See the cutting edge of Japanese pop culture, historic Victorians, Julia Morgan s YWCA, a Buddhist temple and more. Meet at the Peace Pagoda on Buchanan between Post &Geary Streets. Landmark Victorians of Alamo Square See some of the city s most opulent and carefully restored painted ladies, including world famous Postcard Row. You ll enjoy breathtaking panoramic views. Meet in front of 824 Grove Street. Lands End: Sutro Highs & Lows Recapture the flavor of Mayor Sutro s gift to the public the parks and baths of the late 1800s. Dramatic, windswept vistas in sunshine or fog. Meet at park entrance lion statue 48th & Pt. Lobos Avenues. Mission Dolores Neighborhood Learn about the Spanish Mission that formed the neighborhood, the people who gave their names to the streets and a vanished lake. Explore an area created by diverse groups who still have ties here. Meet at the gold painted fire hydrant, SE corner of Church &20th Streets. Mission Murals See the colorful people s art of the Mission District, one of the city s largest ethnic communities. Meet at Precita &Harrison, behind Flynn Elementary School.
Tour Descriptions Nob Hill Here once rose the rococo palaces of the old railroad and silver kings. Hear architectural tidbits and anecdotes about a great cathedral, four prestigious hotels and a most exclusive men s club. Elegance, urbanity and fabulous views. Meet in front of Stanford Court Hotel on California between Powell &Mason. North Beach It s where food, culture, colorful history and unexpected views all intersect an erstwhile Italian urban village that was also cradle to the city s bohemia. Meet at 666 Filbert Street on steps of Saints Peter &Paul Church. Pacific Heights Mansions Walk past palatial homes and consulates in Pacific Heights, including mansions used as Japanese and German consulates in 1941. Learn of Victorian lifestyle and earthquake refugees. Meet in Alta Plaza Park, atop the stars at Pierce &Clay. Palace Hotel This elegant 1909 hotel was beautifully restored to great acclaim. See this Beaux Arts gem and discover why it s consistently ranked as one of the top luxury hotels in the world. Meet on left side of main lobby (2 New Montgomery Street). Palace of Fine Arts/Marina Discover one of the most romantic spots in the city site of the best loved building of the 1915 Panama Pacific Expo. Learn of this fabulous fair while enjoying today s Mediterranean and Art Deco Marina district. Meet at corner of Bay &Lyon. Rising Steel: Two Centuries of San Francisco Architecture Explore downtown architecture from as early as 1891 up to today. See famous building and little know treasures, while discussing the architects and design trends that changed the face of the city and the nation. Meet at Stockton &Maiden Lane, just east of Union Square. SOMA/Yerba Buena Center Beautiful gardens, unique sculptures and exciting new architecture make up the Yerba Buena complex. More than two decades in the making, it represents one of the city s proudest civic achievements. Meet in front of St. Patrick s Church, Mission between 3rd &4th Streets.. Telegraph Hill Hike Enjoy sweeping views of the Bay. See the wild parrots and pre-1870 hillside homes where Bohemian artists and writers once lived. Climb the steps within semitropical gardens. Meet at Marconi Monument across from 290 Lombard Street. Theatre in San Francisco Find out about 150 years of theatre as it evolved in the city from 1849 to the present. The tour includes current theatres and those that fell or burned in the 1906 earthquake, prominent actors and trends that occurred over the years. Meet at Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission between 3rd & 4th Streets, by the stage. Victorian San Francisco See and learn about the city s Victorian architecture the painted ladies. Walk in the Lafayette Square neighborhood and learn about Victorian lifestyles and the city s illustrious history. Some steep streets many fabulous views. Meet at 1801 Bush at Octavia