Sutro Baths and Cliff House

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SUTRO BATHS

We continue westward now, to our next site. Located near San Francisco, California, the Sutro Baths and Cliff House are another example of remarkable and vanished (or virtually unrecognizable) landmarks. Today, the Sutro Baths are nothing more than ruins, while the current Cliff House is a ghost of it's former glorious self. These are sister sites, due not only to their close proximity, but because they were both conceived in the mind of one man - Adolph Sutro.

Adolph Sutro, a businessman and one time mayor of San Francisco, had a vision. On the scenic cliffs outside San Francisco, where he lived, he believed he had found the ideal location for a fashionable swimming complex. And so, with this inspired idea in mind, he opened his Sutro Baths in 1898. The beautiful, oceanside location was indeed the perfect backdrop for swimming, but the chilly air and fog made an outdoor venue impractical. This didn’t discourage Sutro, and so he built a massive enclosed structure at a price of more than $1,000,000. The entrance to the Sutro Baths was Greek in design, and beyond it there were seven swimming pools, some with slides, diving boards and swings. The pools were filled with seawater, and at high tide it took less than an hour to completely refresh the water system. The temperature of the water in the pools was controlled, and ranged from briskly cool to steamy. The Baths also housed tropical plant filled promenades, entertainment and a small museum which displayed several Egyptian mummies. There was also an amphitheatre where performances of many varieties were held, and restaurants to provide visitors with refreshment. Surprisingly, despite all these wonderful amenities, the Sutro Baths were never a financial success. In 1937, Adolph Sutro’s grandson decided to turn the largest swimming pool into an ice skating rink, in an effort to increase profits. However, the rink didn’t help, and by 1964, the Sutro Baths were scheduled to be demolished and replaced by apartments. Before that could happen, a fire broke out in the building and it burned to the ground. Purchased by the National Park Service shortly thereafter, it is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Today, you can visit the remaining ruins of Sutro Baths, and imagine what this glorious place must have been like in it’s heyday.

Three images of sliders at Sutro from Thomas Edison film

Sutro Baths before, during and after the fire that destroyed it. Each photo taken

from the same vantage point.

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CLIFF HOUSE

The first Cliff House

First Cliff House with Sutro Baths visible in the distance

The first version of the Cliff House was a fairly ordinary building. However, the lovely location made it a popular dining and day trip stop for San Francisco society. Adolph Sutro purchased the property in 1881, and he even constructed a rail line to make access to the Cliff House easier. This version of the Cliff House was burned to the ground on Christmas, 1894

The magnificent second Cliff House

The most notable and lovely version of the Cliff House was constructed by Sutro in 1896. It was absolutely breathtaking. Designed as a French Chateau, this Cliff House had 8 stories and an observation tower. It offered reception rooms, private dining rooms, kitchens, saloons, dancing and entertainment. The Cliff House was never a hotel, though this is a common misconception, and continued to be more of a restaurant/banqueting and sightseeing venue. This stunning building was immediately embraced by the public and was an enormously popular destination. Sadly, after first suffering structural damage from a blast which occurred when a ship loaded with dynamite wrecked in the nearby rocks, then surviving the San Francisco earthquake, this wonderful landmark caught fire in 1907 and was completely destroyed. The public was overjoyed to learn that Emma Sutro, Adolph’s daughter planned to rebuild the Cliff House. However, when construction was completed in 1909, they were bitterly disappointed. Although many of the same amenities were provided, the building itself was uninspired, blocky and dreary - a far cry from the splendid jewel which formerly perched on the clifftop. This version is the one which survives today and is now owned by the National Park Service.

Cliff House by Night and burning in 1907

The present day Cliff House


	Vanished History \| home An introduction \| Coney Island History \| Luna Park \| Steeplechase Park \| Dreamland Park \| Coney Island Extras \| Wentworth By The Sea \| Saltair \| Sutro Baths and Cliff House \| Contact Me \| Gifs \| FIRM Sutro Baths and Cliff House SUTRO BATHS We continue westward now, to our next site. Located near San Francisco, California, the Sutro Baths and Cliff House are another example of remarkable and vanished (or virtually unrecognizable) landmarks. Today, the Sutro Baths are nothing more than ruins, while the current Cliff House is a ghost of it's former glorious self. These are sister sites, due not only to their close proximity, but because they were both conceived in the mind of one man - Adolph Sutro. Adolph Sutro, a businessman and one time mayor of San Francisco, had a vision. On the scenic cliffs outside San Francisco, where he lived, he believed he had found the ideal location for a fashionable swimming complex. And so, with this inspired idea in mind, he opened his Sutro Baths in 1898. The beautiful, oceanside location was indeed the perfect backdrop for swimming, but the chilly air and fog made an outdoor venue impractical. This didn’t discourage Sutro, and so he built a massive enclosed structure at a price of more than $1,000,000. The entrance to the Sutro Baths was Greek in design, and beyond it there were seven swimming pools, some with slides, diving boards and swings. The pools were filled with seawater, and at high tide it took less than an hour to completely refresh the water system. The temperature of the water in the pools was controlled, and ranged from briskly cool to steamy. The Baths also housed tropical plant filled promenades, entertainment and a small museum which displayed several Egyptian mummies. There was also an amphitheatre where performances of many varieties were held, and restaurants to provide visitors with refreshment. Surprisingly, despite all these wonderful amenities, the Sutro Baths were never a financial success. In 1937, Adolph Sutro’s grandson decided to turn the largest swimming pool into an ice skating rink, in an effort to increase profits. However, the rink didn’t help, and by 1964, the Sutro Baths were scheduled to be demolished and replaced by apartments. Before that could happen, a fire broke out in the building and it burned to the ground. Purchased by the National Park Service shortly thereafter, it is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Today, you can visit the remaining ruins of Sutro Baths, and imagine what this glorious place must have been like in it’s heyday. Three images of sliders at Sutro from Thomas Edison film Sutro Baths before, during and after the fire that destroyed it. Each photo taken from the same vantage point. ============================== CLIFF HOUSE The first Cliff House First Cliff House with Sutro Baths visible in the distance The first version of the Cliff House was a fairly ordinary building. However, the lovely location made it a popular dining and day trip stop for San Francisco society. Adolph Sutro purchased the property in 1881, and he even constructed a rail line to make access to the Cliff House easier. This version of the Cliff House was burned to the ground on Christmas, 1894 The magnificent second Cliff House The most notable and lovely version of the Cliff House was constructed by Sutro in 1896. It was absolutely breathtaking. Designed as a French Chateau, this Cliff House had 8 stories and an observation tower. It offered reception rooms, private dining rooms, kitchens, saloons, dancing and entertainment. The Cliff House was never a hotel, though this is a common misconception, and continued to be more of a restaurant/banqueting and sightseeing venue. This stunning building was immediately embraced by the public and was an enormously popular destination. Sadly, after first suffering structural damage from a blast which occurred when a ship loaded with dynamite wrecked in the nearby rocks, then surviving the San Francisco earthquake, this wonderful landmark caught fire in 1907 and was completely destroyed. The public was overjoyed to learn that Emma Sutro, Adolph’s daughter planned to rebuild the Cliff House. However, when construction was completed in 1909, they were bitterly disappointed. Although many of the same amenities were provided, the building itself was uninspired, blocky and dreary - a far cry from the splendid jewel which formerly perched on the clifftop. This version is the one which survives today and is now owned by the National Park Service. Cliff House by Night and burning in 1907 The present day Cliff House