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SF History: SF's Amusement Parks ~ How People Frolicked before Digital Devices & Electricity!
When?
Thursday, Jul 21
5:00PM - 6:30PM PDT
Where?
Online
Description
There is little doubt the Cool Grey City was a fun place back in the day. San Franciscans and visitors certainly knew how to have a rollicking good time. But how did people amuse themselves in old San Francisco before the days of digital diversions ... or electricity?
Believe it or not, the City's seven square miles contained a surprising number of large and very popular amusement parks between the 1860s and the early 1970s. Catherine Accardi is going to take us on an eye opening virtual tour filled with photos and stories so we can enjoy the thrills of yesteryear's parks of amusement.
For some, her stories will bring back memories of childhood joy (or terror) at your first encounter with Laffing Sal at Playland or taking a watery plunge on one of the SF Chutes. For the younger set or more recent transplants to SF, you'll see and learn about former amusements all over SF including (listed by founding year):
Believe it or not, the City's seven square miles contained a surprising number of large and very popular amusement parks between the 1860s and the early 1970s. Catherine Accardi is going to take us on an eye opening virtual tour filled with photos and stories so we can enjoy the thrills of yesteryear's parks of amusement.
For some, her stories will bring back memories of childhood joy (or terror) at your first encounter with Laffing Sal at Playland or taking a watery plunge on one of the SF Chutes. For the younger set or more recent transplants to SF, you'll see and learn about former amusements all over SF including (listed by founding year):
- 1856 - Woodward’s Gardens (Mission, Valencia, 13th, & 15th Streets)
- 1860 - Willows Amusement Resort (Mission, Valencia & 18th Streets)
- 1884 - Ocean Beach Pavilion (Ocean Beach near Cliff House)
- 1895 - Haight Street Chutes (Haight, Waller, Cole & Clayton Streets)
- 1896 - Sutro Pleasure Grounds (Merrie Way at Point Lobos Avenue)
- 1902 - Fulton Street Chutes (Fulton Street at 10th Avenue)
- 1909 -Fillmore Street Chutes aka Coney Island Park (Fillmore, Turk & Eddy Streets)
- 1913 - Playland-at-the-Beach (Great Highway at 43rd Avenue)
- 1915 - Panama Pacific International Exposition Pleasure Zone (Marina)
Join us for another one of Catherine's fantastic SF history romps to bring back memories or introduce you to yet another aspect of the fascinating history of our fair City! And we hope some of you will bring stories about old SF amusements to share!
Zoom link will be sent to the email address you use to register.
This event is co-hosted by NEXT Village SF, Stanford Club of SF, and Aquatic Park Senior Center.
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