
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

Dec 27, 2020 • 48min
411: Woody's Farewell Podcast
As 2020 comes to a close, we bid a fond farewell to podcast co-host, Woody LaBounty. After 8 years and over 400 episodes, Woody regales us with a few more stories of growing up on the West Side of San Francisco.

Dec 19, 2020 • 43min
410: Historic Moments in 2020
In a year like no other in our lifetimes, Nicole, David, and Woody take a look back at the historical highlights of 2020.

Dec 12, 2020 • 39min
409: Catholic Churches in the Richmond
The oldest Catholic church in the Richmond dates back to the 1880s. As the population of San Francisco spread west, so did the churches. Today's pod gives us a historical glimpse on the many Catholic churches in the Richmond.

Dec 5, 2020 • 35min
408: Uncle John McLaren
Incredulously, after 400+ podcasts, we are only now devoting one to John McLaren, the Superintendent of San Francisco parks - for life. The pod looks at McLaren's lasting legacy throughout the City and beyond.

Nov 28, 2020 • 32min
407: Sears Store at Masonic
The massive Sears store at the top of Geary was THE place to shop in the Richmond. Sears, Roebuck and Co. started as a mail order catalog and later became the country's dominant department store. But alas, all good things must come to an end.

Nov 21, 2020 • 37min
406: Intrigue at the Museum
George Barron was the curator of the de Young Museum who at times, had flashes of P.T. Barnam. Special guest Judi Leff joins the pod to regale us with stories of the colorful curator.

Nov 14, 2020 • 32min
405: French Hospital
French Hospital has a misty past with its origins in the early 1850s. Its current location on Geary Street dates back to the turn of the previous century and continues to serve the community today.

Nov 7, 2020 • 36min
404: USS San Francisco Memorial
The USS San Francisco had a relatively brief, but storied history in the US Navy. In honor of Veterans Day, the Pod recounts the naval cruiser's role in World War II and its many connections to the City from construction to decommissioning.

Oct 31, 2020 • 42min
403: Halloween in The Districts
Halloween has always been a big holiday in San Francsico. What may surprise you is how neighborhood organizations and merchants on the West Side used to go above and beyond trick or treating - all for the lucky kids.

Oct 24, 2020 • 41min
402: Mt. Davidson Manor
Mt. Davidson Manor includes a who's who list of San Francisco residential developers. The home building story starts with Fernando Nelson and development continues into the 1930s.