Since 1863, visitors have flocked to san franciscos western shore to enjoy sweeping ocean views and fine dining at the cliff house. Reenactors, from the right, jill ross and jack hale, dressed in 1920s period clothing, pose for photographs at the ruins of the sutro baths in. Built in 1896 by former mayor and eccentric mining tycoon adolph sutro, the sutro baths were a wonder of their time. We are monitoring this evolving situation closely and will make changes as new information becomes available. On 9th october 1984, san franciscos director of public health, mervyn silverman, ordered the closure of fourteen bathhouses in the city. Sutro baths,1910 zoom sutro baths,1910 zoom sutro baths,1910 zoom sutro baths,1910 zoom sutro baths,1910 zoom sutro baths,1910 zoom sutro baths,1910. Sutro baths, sutro baths history, sutro bath historical. One of the tram stations served as a visitors center in 2000 when it was torn down. Book sutro baths golden gate national parks conservancy. This noir film is the only movie to include scenes shot at the fullybuilt sutro baths. Exploring the beautiful sutro baths, located in the outer richmond district of san francisco.
The sprawling natatorium was a pet project of adolph sutro, a wealthy entrepreneur and former mayor of san francisco who became widely known as a populist over his illustrious career. Sutro baths a unique gem at the edge of san francisco. This path down to sutro baths is one that i highly recommend for anyone visiting this side of san francisco. Sutro baths burns, 1966 western neighborhoods project. Mysterious fire ended sutro baths and condo plan sfgate. Theres ample public parking on two higher cliffs, a dining vantage point from the adjacent cliff house, and ramps and stairs descending down to the crumbling walls and sea cave.
A hike from the popular stanyan street trailhead to the summit and back is a leisurely one hour trip. Located at the westernmost point of lands end, the sutro historic district encompasses sutro heights, the sutro bath ruins and the historic cliff house. Fairly hard to get a copy, but heres a source for dvds of the film. More of a resort than just a bath house, sutro baths could accommodate up to 10,000 people with 7 pools. Today is the 120th anniversary of the opening of sutro baths, a remarkable woodandglass victorian confection at the western edge of the continent and the city, aptly named lands end. Sutro baths memories western neighborhoods project san. Hot and nasty night at sutro bath house this forgotten day in s. Adolph sutro, the selfmade millionaire who designed sutro heights and later the second cliff house, developed the fantastic sutro baths in 1894.
The massive public bathhouse covered three acres at one time. Hiking in mount sutro forest is a different experience than almost anywhere else in san francisco. Book your tickets online for sutro baths, san francisco. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
The facility burned down in june 1966 and is now in ruins within the golden gate national recreation area and the sutro. In 1896, former san francisco mayor adolph sutro opened sutro baths. Short films below showing the super fun gigantic slide, created by edison manufacturing co. The biggest indoor natatorium of its kind, the baths used sea water from adjacent ocean beach to fill six saltwater pools, and featured one freshwater pool, hundreds of dressing rooms, slides, springboards, a large amphitheater, and later an ice rink. Built in 1896, it was located near the cliff house, seal rocks, and sutro heights park. The sutro baths are actually the ruins of what once was one of the worlds largest indoor salt water bathing facilities. The sutro baths was a large, privately owned public saltwater swimming pool complex in the lands end area of the outer richmond district in western san francisco, california built in 1896, it is located near the cliff house, seal rocks, and sutro heights park.
City guides is a nonprofit that run free tours on many of the sights in san francisco. From the time of its conception the troubled sutro baths were believed to be cursed. Sutro baths, san francisco, california healthwellness. Take the right and follow the trail all the way down to the ruins of the old sutro bathhouse. It may take awhile for the entire film to load, so. Sutro baths was built by san francisco real estate tycoon adolph sutro. Adolph sutro, the selfmade millionaire who designed sutro heights and later the second cliff house, developed the amazing sutro baths in 1894. The facility burned down in june 1966 and is now in ruins.
The coastal ruins of the sutro baths are impressive, overlooking seal rocks and in close proximity to the cityscape of san francisco. The sutro historic district is a national park service historic district in the lands end area of the outer richmond district in western san francisco, california. Hike down one of the trails to explore the concrete ruins of the grand sutro baths. A massive indoor swimming complex, it had six saltwater pools fed by the. Sutros dream for the baths was to provide a healthy, recreational and inexpensive swimming facility for thousands of san franciscans. The sutro baths once the largest indoor swimming establishment in the world, the sutro baths is now an eerie ruin, sitting in one of the most beautiful settings in san francisco.
The bathhouse had 517 dressing rooms, 7 pools 1 freshwater pool and 6 saltwater swimming pools all of which were at varying temperatures, plus slides, swinging rings. If i put this in probably someone will immediately take it out, but sometime in the 1970s until about 1982 the aids crisis there was an onpremises, heterosexual, wellknown in those circles sex club in san francisco that used the name sutro baths. San francisco city guides offers a guided tour of the sutro baths and the nearby sutro heights park. Built in 1896 by former san francisco mayor, adolph sutro, sutro baths was spread over three acres. We are pleased to make it available once again thanks to the sutro library. Sutro baths san francisco 2020 all you need to know.
You can find these historic sites on the north end of ocean beach, where geary boulevard and the great highway converge. The sutro baths was a large, privately owned public saltwater swimming pool complex in the lands end area of the outer richmond district in western san francisco, california. After working its way through its many lives playland, 1960s ice rink, etc burned down while being demolished on june 26, 1966. Despite pouring millions of dollars into its various attractions, sutro baths just never made money. Sutro baths history and memories has 2,725 members.
Sutro retired to his mansion in what is now sutro park. Ive been on several of these tours and the guides have been very interesting and professional. Van hoosear, industrial department pacific gas and electric co. Please like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoyed. With his special interest in natural history and marine studies, he constructed an ocean pool aquarium among the rocks north of the cliff house. View all restaurants near sutro baths on tripadvisor. George whitney, owner of playlandatthebeach, bought sutro baths soon after the 1952 closing. Updated 9192019 opened in 1896 by former mayor and rather eccentric entrepreneur adolph sutro, the public baths that bore his name were once the largest indoor swimming establishment in the world. Sutro baths upper trail hiking trail, san francisco. A very recent piece of business secured by the industrial department of pacific service is the light and power load of the famous sutro baths in san francisco which, from the time they opened some seventeen years ago, have been operated independent of any. The mysterious and creepy ruin of san franciscos sutro baths.
It would be a downright shame if children in your neighborhood were deprived of climbing the terraces of sutro baths. Looking up at the trees, some of which are 100200 feet high, really gives a sense of being in an old, wonderful place. Sutro baths fire, june 26, 1966 courtesy of national park service, cliff house visitor center. Be sure to read about the history of this location and then stop by cliff house for a quick bite to eat and a drink. When the sutro baths first opened to the public in 1896, the west side of san francisco was a vast region of allbutunpopulated sand dunes. Book sutro baths this booklet is a reproduction of a souvenir that was originally published in 1914, and recalls adolph sutros grandest creation, sutro baths, in a wonderfully nostalgic way. Be sure to read about the history of this location and then stop by cliff house for a quick bite to eat and a. This haunted tunnel in san francisco is not for the faint of heart there is a haunted tunnel in san francisco, and it is in a highly unlikely place ocean beach. This group was created for people to come and talk about their sutro baths memories. Sutro baths history golden gate national recreation area. From 19551966 there was a sky tram that ran from the cliff house to the sutro baths. Once the largest indoor swimming establishment in the world, the sutro baths sitting in one of the most beautiful settings in san francisco are now reduced to eerie ruins. The energy surrounding sutro baths feels just as sinister as the place looks.
Sutro baths is one of my favorite spots in san francisco and if there was one place to take friends that are visiting sf sutro baths would be it. Hiking in mount sutro forest in the clouds mount sutro. Mysterious fire ended sutro baths and condo plan when they were having their opening day sale, it was a beautiful day, warm blue sky, and people from back east could not. This haunted tunnel in san francisco is not for the faint. Sutro baths history and memories public group facebook. The sutro tunnel, finished in 1878, was a financial bust for everyone but sutro, who had secretly sold his stock just before it was completed. The mysterious buried statues of sutro park foundsf. The mount sutro open space hike is one of those gems thats just hiding in plain site. Within six hours of him issuing the order two had already reopened. It had an ingenious system to flush the pools with the tides. In the 1950s, after sutro had passed away, it was bought by an entertainment mogul, who turned it into sutros, an ice skating rink and indoor beach. All of the trails on mount sutro could probably be covered in two hours, and for the most part, the trails are wellmaintained thanks to volunteers with sutro stewards and not strenuous.
You can climb on the ruins if you want and wander the grounds. It is within the golden gate national recreation area, since being acquired by the national park service in 1977 the historic district includes attractions along point lobos avenue at the coast originally built by adolph sutro, a. Opened in 1896, sutros baths was built by a man named adolph sutro, a millionaire who owned 112 of san francisco at the time, and had also served as mayor for a term. Sutro baths ruins and cave, san francisco, california.
The concrete ruins just north of the cliff house are the remains of the grand sutro baths. Most people live in san francisco for years without ever knowing this hike even exists which is totally fine with us. The sutro baths was a large indor swimming pool and museum built by adolph sutro in 1896. It was built in 1896 and closed in the 1960s due to high maintenance and operating costs. Coming from new york im amazed at the fact that nestled within a huge metropolitan you can find cliffs, crashing waves, caves, the pacific ocean, a beach and a short hike. It is no wonder it has become the focus of many creepy urban legends and thought to be one of san franciscos most haunted places. When the place closes, a big chunk of san francisciana goes with it. Adolph sutro, mining magnate and mayor, built the baths as an attraction for the growing city, residents and visitors alike.
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