
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

Mar 28, 2020 • 21min
371: Bison of Golden Gate Park (Classic Episode)
In March 2020, Golden Gate Park welcomed five new, year-old bison to the Paddock. In this classic episode, we revisit the Bison's arrival in the 1890s and their long history in the park.

Mar 20, 2020 • 24min
370: Monuments of Golden Gate Park (Classic Episode)
Our Monumental Golden Gate Park event has been postponed. But to whet your appetite, we present a Classic Episode where David and Woody chat about their five favorite Golden Gate Park statues.

Mar 14, 2020 • 22min
369: Irish On the West Side (Classic Episode)
For St. Patrick's Day, we revisit an Outside Lands San Francisco classic episode: Elizabeth Creely visits to talk about Irish-American San Francisco, east and west side.

Mar 6, 2020 • 25min
368: Morrison Planetarium Projector
Today's Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences features the latest state-of-the-art digital technology. But when the Morrison Planetarium was built in 1952, it featured an optical star projector.

Feb 29, 2020 • 30min
367: Tacoma Street
Tacoma Street is an enigmatic dead-end off 15th Avenue in the Richmond. Why are the lots so unusually angled?

Feb 22, 2020 • 28min
366: Argonne Elementary School
In 2020, Argonne Elementary School celebrates the 100 year anniversary of its dedication in 1920. Near and dear to Western Neighborhoods Project, Woody shares a story of a his relative's connection to the school.

Feb 15, 2020 • 24min
365: Powell Street Railroad Station
Did a railroad really run from Golden Gate Park down to Powell Street? There's a stand out remnant of the 1890-era Station on Fulton at 7th Ave.

Feb 8, 2020 • 29min
364: Freeway Origins
Turn back the clock on major City thoroughfares like I280 or US101 and you'll often find a railway. Go further back in time and you could find its origins in a Spanish road. Learn what lies beneath the concrete.

Jan 31, 2020 • 28min
363: McLaren Lodge
McLaren Lodge in Golden Gate Park is impressive inside and out. Take a virtual audio tour of John McLaren's residence where he lived for 47 years.

Jan 25, 2020 • 36min
362: Stars of the West Side
Some surprising TV and movie stars were native to the west side of San Francisco. Learn the stories of a few of WNP's favorites.