

Outside Lands San Francisco
Western Neighborhoods Project
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

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.

May 22, 2021 • 33min
431: Lake Merced
Lake Merced has been an important area of San Francisco before there even was a San Francisco. This week, we chronicle the pre-European history, Spanish settlement, and the emergence of Lake Merced as an important San Francisco resource.

May 15, 2021 • 43min
430: Jesse B. Cook
The Jesse B. Cook collection at the Bancroft Library is an amazing assortment of photos and ephemera spanning early 20th century San Francisco. Jesse Cook himself also has a fascinating, but complicated history. Learn how he compiled this cherished collection as one of San Francisco's earliest and prolific scrapbookers.

May 8, 2021 • 31min
429: Prayerbook Cross & Rainbow Falls
There is another large outdoor cross in San Francisco, and this one is in Golden Gate Park. As a bonus, this one comes with its own water feature. Today's Pod covers the origins and construction of Prayerbook Cross and Rainbow Falls.

May 1, 2021 • 46min
428: Fun-Tier Town at Playland
The western themed, Fun-Tier Town was added to Playland at the Beach in 1960. It featured rides that were designed to be enjoyed by younger children. And for special occasions, there was a large room in a western motif, where parents could purchase a party package (food and favors) that could host 20 or more sugar-fueled screaming kids.


