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''by Chris Carlsson''
''by Chris Carlsson''


[[Image:richmond$cliff-house-1880s.jpg]]
[[Image:richmond$cliff-house-1880s.jpg|720px]]


'''The Cliff House in the 1880s.'''
'''The Cliff House in the 1880s.'''


''Photo: Greg Gaar Collection, San Francisco, CA''
''Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA''


{{#ev:archive|ssf1CLIFSRT|320}}
<iframe src="https://archive.org/embed/ssf1CLIFHOS" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" allowfullscreen></iframe>


'''The Cliff House, late 19th century'''
'''The Cliff House, late 19th century'''


Far west end of Point Lobos Avenue. As [[MARK TWAIN |Mark Twain]] once wrote, the Cliff House is said to offer a majestic view of the sunrise--though Twain himself, perhaps jaded by his travels, supposedly remarked "I don't see it" after dragging himself to the Cliff House at some ungodly hour.
Far west end of Point Lobos Avenue. As [[MARK TWAIN |Mark Twain]] once wrote, the Cliff House is said to offer a majestic view of the sunrise—though Twain himself, perhaps jaded by his travels, supposedly remarked "I don't see it" after dragging himself to the [[How Many Cliff Houses?|Cliff House]] at some ungodly hour.


[[Image:First cliff house.jpg]]
[[Image:First cliff house.jpg|720px]]


'''First Cliff House, c. 1875.'''
'''First Cliff House, c. 1875.'''


''Photo: Greg Gaar Collection, San Francisco, CA''
''Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA''


Built in 1863, the Cliff House became a resort spot favored by the local gangsters who ran the city. It was badly damaged when the schooner Parallel, carrying a huge load of dynamite, smashed against the rocks below the house; the ensuing explosion annihilated one whole wing of the building. Seven years later, the whole place burned to the ground.  
Built in 1863, the Cliff House became a resort spot favored by the local gangsters who ran the city. It was badly damaged when the schooner Parallel, carrying a huge load of dynamite, smashed against the rocks below the house; the ensuing explosion annihilated one whole wing of the building. Seven years later, the whole place burned to the ground.  
[[File:2Cliffhouse ani.gif]]
Cliff House and Seal Rocks (Photographed by Keystone View Company)
[[File:2cliffhouse2-ani.gif]]
At the Cliff House (Photographed by Taber)
[[File:2sealrocks ani.gif]]
Seal Rocks, Cliff House (Photographed by L. Dowe)


[[Image:Cliff house view south 1880s.jpg]]
[[Image:Cliff house view south 1880s.jpg]]
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'''Cliff House view south, 1880s'''
'''Cliff House view south, 1880s'''


''Photo: Greg Gaar Collection, San Francisco, CA''
''Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA''


Adolph Sutro rebuilt Cliff House #2 in 1895, but it, too, burned down that same year. Undaunted, Sutro built the third and most magnificent Cliff House (at right) which survived the 1906 earthquake only to burn down in an electrical fire in 1907. The current version (Cliff House #5) has been luckier; it has lasted since 1909, and, barring an exceptionally powerful earthquake or tidal wave, will probably stand for the foreseeable future.
Adolph Sutro rebuilt Cliff House #2 in 1895, but it, too, burned down that same year. Undaunted, Sutro built the third and most magnificent Cliff House (at right) which survived the 1906 earthquake only to burn down in an electrical fire in 1907. The current version (Cliff House #5) has been luckier; it has lasted since 1909, and, barring an exceptionally powerful earthquake or tidal wave, will probably stand for the foreseeable future.
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''Photo: Kurt Bank''
''Photo: Kurt Bank''


[[Image:2 cyclists at Ocean Beach 1955.jpg]]
[[Image:2 cyclists at Ocean Beach 1955.jpg|720px]]


'''Two cyclists at Ocean Beach with Cliff House in background, 1955]]
'''Two cyclists at Ocean Beach with Cliff House in background, 1955'''


[[Image:Cliff-house-with-trees-c-1958.jpg]]
[[Image:Cliff-house-with-trees-c-1958.jpg]]
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''Photo: Kurt Bank''
''Photo: Kurt Bank''
[[Image:Cliff-house-sather-family.jpg]]
'''Sather family at Ocean Beach, c. early 1900s.'''
''Photo: courtesy Sather family''


[[Image:watrtour$ocean-beach-cliff-house.jpg]]
[[Image:watrtour$ocean-beach-cliff-house.jpg]]
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''Photo: Chris Carlsson''
''Photo: Chris Carlsson''


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'''Seal Rocks from Cliff House, 1996'''
'''Seal Rocks from Cliff House, 1996'''


[[Image:Shoreline-tour-button.jpg]] [[The Sutro Baths (ruins)|--> Shoreline Tour]]
<hr>
 
[[Image:Tours-shoreline.gif|link=The Sutro Baths (ruins)]] [[The Sutro Baths (ruins)| Continue Shoreline Tour]]


[[Land's End Fertilized by Human Flesh |Prev. Document]]  [[SIMMONS FAMILY |Next Document]]
[[Cliff House Steam Railroad |Prev. Document]]  [[SIMMONS FAMILY |Next Document]]


[[category:Richmond]] [[category:1870s]] [[category:1880s]] [[category:1890s]] [[category:1900s]] [[category:1950s]] [[category:shoreline]]  [[category:water]]
[[category:Richmond District]] [[category:1870s]] [[category:1880s]] [[category:1890s]] [[category:1900s]] [[category:1950s]] [[category:shoreline]]  [[category:water]] [[category:Landmarks]] [[category:Buildings]]

Latest revision as of 17:25, 25 May 2018

Historical Essay

by Chris Carlsson

Richmond$cliff-house-1880s.jpg

The Cliff House in the 1880s.

Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA

<iframe src="https://archive.org/embed/ssf1CLIFHOS" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The Cliff House, late 19th century

Far west end of Point Lobos Avenue. As Mark Twain once wrote, the Cliff House is said to offer a majestic view of the sunrise—though Twain himself, perhaps jaded by his travels, supposedly remarked "I don't see it" after dragging himself to the Cliff House at some ungodly hour.

First cliff house.jpg

First Cliff House, c. 1875.

Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA

Built in 1863, the Cliff House became a resort spot favored by the local gangsters who ran the city. It was badly damaged when the schooner Parallel, carrying a huge load of dynamite, smashed against the rocks below the house; the ensuing explosion annihilated one whole wing of the building. Seven years later, the whole place burned to the ground.

2Cliffhouse ani.gif

Cliff House and Seal Rocks (Photographed by Keystone View Company)


2cliffhouse2-ani.gif

At the Cliff House (Photographed by Taber)


2sealrocks ani.gif

Seal Rocks, Cliff House (Photographed by L. Dowe)


Cliff house view south 1880s.jpg

Cliff House view south, 1880s

Photo: Private Collection, San Francisco, CA

Adolph Sutro rebuilt Cliff House #2 in 1895, but it, too, burned down that same year. Undaunted, Sutro built the third and most magnificent Cliff House (at right) which survived the 1906 earthquake only to burn down in an electrical fire in 1907. The current version (Cliff House #5) has been luckier; it has lasted since 1909, and, barring an exceptionally powerful earthquake or tidal wave, will probably stand for the foreseeable future.

Cliffhouse 1950s.jpg

Seal Rocks 1950s, Camera Obscura at edge of Cliff House grounds

Photo: Kurt Bank

2 cyclists at Ocean Beach 1955.jpg

Two cyclists at Ocean Beach with Cliff House in background, 1955

Cliff-house-with-trees-c-1958.jpg

Cliff House 1958

Photo: Kurt Bank

Cliff-house-sather-family.jpg

Sather family at Ocean Beach, c. early 1900s.

Photo: courtesy Sather family

Watrtour$ocean-beach-cliff-house.jpg

The north end of Ocean Beach, Cliff House in the center, Marin hills in the left background.

Photo: Chris Carlsson

<iframe src="https://archive.org/embed/ssfPACOCEAN" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Seal Rocks from Cliff House, 1996


Tours-shoreline.gif Continue Shoreline Tour

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