
Outside Lands San Francisco
Nicole Meldahl and a rotating cast of hosts from the Western Neighborhoods Project (outsidelands.org / OpenSFHistory.org) share San Francisco west side neighborhood history with humor, a real fact or two, and much-better-informed occasional guests.
Latest episodes

Aug 14, 2021 • 46min
436: The Stern Grove Festival
For over eighty years, Stern Grove has served as a premier outdoor venue for music festivals. This week, Nicole and Michael explore the rich history of performances and who's on the calendar this Summer.

Jul 31, 2021 • 38min
435: The Olympic Club
Today, we know the Olympic Club as an exclusive, members-only golf course and host to major tournaments. Like many things in San Francisco with 100+ year history, there are stories of financial gymnastics, crimes, and inspiration. Plus listener mail and upcoming virtual and in-person events.

Jul 17, 2021 • 26min
434: Photographers Watkins and Taber
When viewing images on OpenSFHistory.org, you may notice some of most memorable photos of early San Francisco are credited to either Carleton Watkins or Isaiah West Taber. As competitors, they photographed notable sites in the City, including the West Side, and have a surprising connection with one another.

Jul 3, 2021 • 29min
433: Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park
The Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park has been THE event location for over a hundred years. After our June hiatus, Nicole and Michael return to tell the origin story and the major events that continue to be held there to this day. Anyone heard of Outside Lands?

Jun 26, 2021 • 28min
340: The Trocadero in Stern Grove (Repodcast)
The next time you visit or attend a concert at Stern Grove, take a short walk over to the Trocadero Clubhouse. In this week's repodcast, we learn how the Trocadero was happening hot spot, dating back to the early 1900s.

Jun 18, 2021 • 22min
324: Assessor Recorder (Repodcast)
Residents of San Francisco have a wonderful resource for discovering the history of their home. In this repodcast, then SF City Assessor, Carmen Chu joins the POD to discuss the photos and historical records available to the public, and an exciting project with the library.

Jun 12, 2021 • 30min
294: 16th Avenue Steps (Repodcast)
Instagram has turned this Moraga street stairway into a must see location on the West Side. In this classic podcast, we review the origins of the tiled steps and hopefully inspire you to go out and experience them (again) for yourself.

Jun 9, 2021 • 30min
77: Great Highway (Repodcast)
Open or keep closed? As life slowly returns to normal, what should be done with the currently closed-to-traffic section of the Great Highway? In this classic 2014 podcast, David & Woody provide some food for thought on the Great Highway's past and more recent history.

Jun 4, 2021 • 30min
300: About Western Neighborhoods Project (Repodcast)
What is Western Neighborhoods Project all about? During our June podcast hiatus, we repodcast one of our favorite episodes about the organization itself. We'll be back in July with fresh history, until then enjoy these classics.

May 29, 2021 • 32min
432: Triumph of Light Statue
Mount Olympus in the Asbury Heights neighborhood is home to the Triumph of Light Statue. This week, Nicole and Arnold chat about the ideas behind the statue, its evolving designs, and the ceremonies of the unveiling.