How many times did Cliff House burn down?
The history of the Cliff House is pretty straightforward, and quite melodramatic. Originally built in 1863, it was enlarged in 1868, blown up in 1887, burned down in 1894, rebuilt in 1896, burned again in 1907, and rebuilt one more time in 1908.
What started the Cliff House fire?
Wilkens, the Cliff House was severely damaged when the schooner Parallel, abandoned with burning oil lamps and a cargo including dynamite powder, exploded while aground at Lands End early in the morning of January 16, 1887. The blast was heard a hundred miles away and demolished the entire north wing of the tavern.
Did the Cliff House in San Francisco burn down?
The resort survived the 1906 earthquake, but, in what was becoming a pattern, the Cliff House burned to the ground a year later on Sept. 7, 1907. The source of this fire was unknown, but was so ferocious that the giant burning structure was doomed before the first fire truck got to the blaze.
Will the Cliff House ever reopen?
Two short term pop-up museums have been brought in by the National Park Service since then. San Francisco's historic Cliff House is now permanently closed after lease lapse involving the National Park Service.
Is the Cliff House still in California?
The Cliff House will no longer be a restaurant and no longer available for the public to enjoy as it has for the past 157 years.
Does cliff still live in Portugal?
'He set out to create a grand Portuguese country home in the traditional style. 'Before he lived here he used to own a small villa on the cliff-top near Albufeira and has been visiting the Algarve since the late 60s. He still intends to spend time in the Algarve after he has sold, as he still loves it here.
Why did Cliff House in SF close?
Cliff House, which first opened in 1896, announced in early December that the restaurant would close permanently at the end of the year. The owners, Dan and Mary Hountalas, say the closure was caused by delays from the National Park Service in reaching a long-term operating contract.
Why is the Cliff House closing?
Dan and Mary Hountalas, the restaurant's proprietors since 1973, said in a post Sunday on the restaurant's website they are closing Dec. 31 because of losses brought on by the pandemic and a dispute over renewing their long-term operating contract with the National Park Service.
Why did San Francisco burned in 1906?
On the morning of April 18, 1906, a massive earthquake shook San Francisco, California. Though the quake lasted less than a minute, its immediate impact was disastrous. The earthquake also ignited several fires around the city that burned for three days and destroyed nearly 500 city blocks.
What will the Cliff House become?
“If all goes according to plan, the next restaurant operator's lease will start in late 2022.” The deal includes the old formal Cliff House restaurant space, plus the more casual Sutro's at the Cliff House space, as well as the cafe at the nearby Lands End Lookout Visitor Center.
What will replace the Cliff House San Francisco?
18, 2022 Updated: Jan. 21, 2022 9:06 p.m. The building commonly known as the Cliff House is on track to see a new restaurant tenant this year. The restaurant space that dramatically overlooks San Francisco's Lands End, formerly known as the Cliff House, may finally serve some food again this year.
Who bought Cliff House SF?
During the 1940s and 1950s, the owners modified the Cliff House several times. In 1977, the National Park Service acquired the property to become part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Why was cliff Richards house raided in 2014?
The broadcaster used helicopters to film detectives searching the home of Richard, 77, one of Britain's best known entertainers, when he was away on holiday in August 2014 as part of an investigation into allegations of historical child sex offences.
Why is Cliff House closing?
Dan and Mary Hountalas, the restaurant's proprietors since 1973, said in a post Sunday on the restaurant's website they are closing Dec. 31 because of losses brought on by the pandemic and a dispute over renewing their long-term operating contract with the National Park Service.
Who owns the Cliff House Tacoma?
Sue GlennIn June 2010, Sue Glenn, owner of Gig Harbor's Green Turtle, reopened the Cliff House.
Who owns the Cliff House building in San Francisco?
The National Park ServiceThe National Park Service, which owns the property, began its formal leasing process Tuesday. Interested restaurateurs have 120 days to submit a proposal.
What happened to the Cliff House?
Wilkens, the Cliff House was severely damaged when the schooner Parallel, abandoned with burning oil lamps and a cargo including dynamite powder, exploded while aground at Lands End early in the morning of January 16, 1887 .
When did the Cliff House sign go away?
On December 31, 2020, the Cliff House's sign was removed.
What movie did George Raft play the Cliff House in?
An image of the second Cliff House was used on the cover of the album Imaginos by Blue Öyster Cult. The Cliff House appears in a scene in the movie Race Street starring George Raft from 1948, although the interior scene was no doubt a studio set recreation.
When was the second Cliff House built?
Second Cliff House (1896–1907) Second Cliff House, c.1900. In 1896, Adolph Sutro rebuilt the Cliff House from the ground-up as a seven-story Victorian Chateau, called by some "the Gingerbread Palace", below his estate on the bluffs of Sutro Heights.
What episode of The Golden Era was "Fog"?
Radio episode of "Fog", California Legacy Project — from Mark Twain 's "Early Rising as Regards Excursions to the Cliff House," published in The Golden Era magazine, 1864.
What was the Cliff House known for?
With the opening of the privately built Point Lobos toll road a year later, the Cliff House became a Sunday destination among the carriage trade. Later the builders of the toll road constructed a two-mile speedway adjacent to it where well-to-do San Franciscans raced their horses along the way.
Where is the Cliff House?
The Cliff House is a neo-classical style building perched on the headland above the cliffs just north of Ocean Beach, in the Outer Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The building overlooks the site of the Sutro Baths ruins, Seal Rocks, and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, operated by the National Park Service ...
What happened to the Cliff House?
The Cliff House was a scene of wreckage, with window frames "blown to matchsticks," doors blown off their hinges, plastering torn off in great sheets, and a balcony was missing a large section. Paintings and glasses were strewn about. A portion of another balcony blew clear over the roof of the hotel. It was said that, had the explosion been a little nearer, the building would have slid into the ocean. A cottage near the Cliff House was thrown five feet off its foundation, according to reports from the time, much to the shock of its occupants. The interior was also total ruination.
When was the Cliff House at Land's End?
17 of 66 The Cliff House at San Francisco's Land's End, as it appeared on February 12, 1922. Chronicle archives / 1992 Show More Show Less
Where did the Cliff House tram go?
23 of 66 Cliff House tram that went past Sutro Baths, to Point Lobos at San Francisco's Land's End. From 1955 until 1961, a sky tram operated across the Sutro Baths basin, taking up to 25 visitors at a time from Point Lobos, enhanced by an artificial waterfall, to the outer balcony of the Cliff House.August 2, 1955 Bill Young/San Francisco Chronicle Show More Show Less
How many seal rocks are there in the Cliff House?
10 of 66 Seal Rocks as seen from the Cliff House, in this undated photo. Chronicle archives Show More Show Less
Where is the Cliff House?
32 of 66 CIRCA 1898: The Cliff House is a restaurant perched on the headlands on the cliffs just north of Ocean Beach on the western side of San Francisco, California. It overlooks the site of the former Sutro Baths and a room-sized camera obscura and is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, operated by the National Park Service. (Photo by Buyenlarge/Getty Images) Buyenlarge/Bob Bragman Show More Show Less
How much damage did the Cliff House have?
All were safe. Damage to the Cliff House was then estimated to be around $10,000, and not a total loss. Workers were able to clean up the bar the next day, and receive thousands of visitors who had heard of the explosion. A chemist concluded that the pounding surf caused the black powder and dynamite to explode.
What happened to the schooner at 9:30?
At 9:30 p.m., with Captain Miller at the helm, the craft struck a reef in heavy surf. All indications pointed to total destruction of the vessel. The captain and all hands took to lifeboats before the schooner lodged. By 9:30 the next morning, nothing was seen of them.
When did the Cliff House fire happen?
The resort survived the 1906 earthquake, but, in what was becoming a pattern, the Cliff House burned to the ground a year later on Sept. 7, 1907. The source of this fire was unknown, but was so ferocious that the giant burning structure was doomed before the first fire truck got to the blaze.
What happened at the Cliff House?
A few years later, the first of many disasters happened at the Cliff House. A two-masted sailboat named Parallel ran aground in high winds at a small beach below the restaurant. Parallel was carrying 42 tons of illegally packed dynamite. What happened next is largely a mystery.
What sign was on the remains of the Tavern?
The restaurant proprietors took advantage of the arrival of thousands of potential customers and handpainted a "Bar Open" sign on the remains of the tavern. Gawkers were invited in for drinks and close-up views of the damage.
How much did Gold Rush millionaires pay for lumber?
on the streets of San Francisco and became the first Gold Rush millionaire — paid $1,500 for lumber salvaged from a shipwreck off the coast at Ocean Beach. It's said that he used the wood to build the first Cliff House on the cliffs at Point Lobos.
What happened to Sutro's restaurant?
The Chronicle reported that men from the life-saving station were thrown down the nearby cliff, and some were "horribly injured." One man's skull and shoulders were crushed, with "little hope for his recovery." The fire smashed every window and demolished half of Sutro's restaurant.
How far away was the Sacramento bombing?
The blast was so powerful it was reportedly felt over 100 miles away in Sacramento and mistaken for an earthquake. A police officer standing in front of San Francisco City Hall, five miles from the scene, claimed to hear the explosion.
When did the Cliff House become part of the Golden Gate?
After the closure of Playland and yet another fire that destroyed the baths (widely believed to be an insurance scheme), the National Park Service acquired the Cliff House in 1977 and it became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The cursed resort would finally see a time of peace.
House on Lake Whitney Cliff Burned to the Ground
A house teetering on a cliff over Lake Whitney burns after being intentionally set on fire, June 13, 2014.
Fractured Cliff Falls Into Lake Whitney
A limestone cliff, once fractured and supporting a luxury, lakeside home, has come to rest in Lake Whitney.
Why did the Cliff House close?
The Cliff House first closed in March because of the pandemic. It reopened in June for takeout service but closed again after 10 weeks because of “unbearable losses.”. “It costs tens of thousands of dollars every month to maintain and guard the massive Cliff House building,” the Hountalases wrote. Food.
When was the Cliff House built?
The third and present Cliff House, neoclassical in design, was built in 1909 . It underwent a renovation in 2004. The National Park Service bought the property in 1977, four years after the Hountalases began leasing it.
Why is Hountalas closed?
31 because of losses brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and a dispute over renewal of their long-term operating contract with the National Park Service.
When was the Seaside Restaurant built?
Built in 1863, the seaside restaurant has been a San Francisco institution and a top tourist attraction. It has gone through several transformations. The first modest, wood-frame structure was destroyed in a fire in 1894. Rebuilt and fashioned after a French chateau, it survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake but burned down the following year.
When did the Hountalases renovate?
It underwent a renovation in 2004. Advertisement. The National Park Service bought the property in 1977, four years after the Hountalases began leasing it. Their last long-term contract with the service expired in June 2018, and the restaurant had been operating since then under short-term contracts, the couple said.
Is the National Park Service reevaluating the feasibility of anyone operating the scenic waterfront space as a restaurant in the?
The National Park Service said in a letter obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle that it was re-evaluating “the feasibility of anyone operating” the scenic waterfront space as a restaurant in the near future , given the state of the hospitality industry. Advertisement.
Is the Cliff House restaurant closing?
Boxes sit in a dining area of the Cliff House restaurant in San Francisco, which is set to close by year’s end. Copy Link URL Copied! San Francisco’s iconic Cliff House restaurant, which has served residents and tourists for more than a century from atop a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is closing its doors at the end of the year.
What year was the Cliff House built?
The modest 1909 Cliff House building makes the setting the star. ( Jan 1, 2006)
Who built the Cliff House?
Charles Butler, a real estate speculator, built the first frame-and-clapboard Cliff House on the edge of the ocean in 1863. ( Jan 1, 2006)
When was the Cliff House cable car ride?
A short cable car aerial ride that traveled from the Cliff House to Point Lobos from 1955-1961. ( May 1, 2009)
How long is the movie "Sutro Bathsburned"?
The film is about 3 minutes long (3 Mb). This film is silent and has no soundtrack. Sutro Bathsburned on June 26, 1966. This footage was shot by Joel Springer, and comes courtesy of our friend and WNP member Mark Adams. Mr.
What happened to the Cliff House?
The Cliff House was badly damaged in 1887 when a ship carrying dynamite ran aground nearby and blew up. Sutro fixed up the building again, only to have it burn down in 1894.
When was the Cliff House built?
The first Cliff House was built in 1863 and became a place for the wealthy residents of SF to come out to the ocean in their carriages and dine. Adolph Sutro, creator of the Sutro Baths and Sutro Heights Park, bought the Cliff House in 1883 with the idea of pulling it out of a slump and making it family-friendly again.
What was the name of the building that survived the 1906 earthquake?
The Victorian Cliff House survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, but burned down a year later.
When did the Cliff House get a brown house?
Two ugly remodels followed. A brown, "modern" Cliff House appeared in 1950, then an even uglier blue and orange one in the 1970's.
Where is the Cliff House in San Francisco?
Point Lobos View from Cliff House. The Cliff House sits at Point Lobos, right at the entrance to San Francisco Bay. This was a prime spot for shipwrecks before radar; strong currents, rocks and dense fog made for a lethal combination, especially at night. The SS Ohioan, a cargo ship, ended up on the rocks near the Cliff House on a dark night in ...
Where is the parking lot at Cliff House?
By Car: there is a large parking lot at Point Lobos and 48th Avenue, just uphill from the Cliff House. There are also parking spaces in front of the building and down the road, but they tend to fill up. Note: this area has been particularly hard-hit by the rash of car break-ins occurring in San Francisco recently.
Is Cliff House closed?
But some very sad news arrived in December, 2020. The Cliff House may be permanently closed, at least as a restaurant, due to the reluctance of the National Park Service (which owns the Cliff House) to accommodate the current lessee and the financial difficulties of operating a restaurant in the Covid era.
Overview
Second Cliff House (1896–1907)
In 1896, Adolph Sutro rebuilt the Cliff House from the ground up as a seven-story Victorian chateau, called by some "the Gingerbread Palace", below his estate on the bluffs of Sutro Heights. This was the same year work began on the Sutro Baths in a small cove immediately north of the restaurant. The baths included six of the large indoor swimming pools, a museum, a skating rink an…
First Cliff House (1863–1894)
Anecdotal stories claim that in 1858 Samuel Brannan paid $1,500 for lumber salvaged from a ship that foundered on the rocky shore's basalt cliffs near Seal Rocks and built the first Cliff House. While Brannan may have constructed a building there, no historical evidence of this building exists and its role in the origin of the Cliff House remains apocryphal. The Cliff House was built by Sena…
Third Cliff House (1909–present)
After the fire, Dr. Emma Merritt, Sutro's daughter, commissioned Reid & Reid to rebuild the restaurant in a neo-classical style. It was completed within two years and is the basis of the structure seen today. In 1914, the guidebook Bohemian San Francisco described it as "one of the great Bohemian restaurants of San Francisco. ... while you have thought you had good breakfasts before this, you …
In popular culture
• The area immediately around the Cliff House is part of the setting of Jack London's novel The Scarlet Plague (1912).
• Jack London also sets the meeting of Maud Sangster and Pat Glendon Jr. here in The Abysmal Brute (1913).
• An image of the second Cliff House was used on the cover of the album Imaginos by Blue Öyste…
See also
• Sutro Baths
• Sutro Historic District
• 49-Mile Scenic Drive
• Wave motor
External links
• Official National Park Service page
• Cliff House Project
• CliffHouse.com (website of Peanut Wagon, Inc., concessionaire 1973–2020)
• Radio episode of "Fog", California Legacy Project — from Mark Twain's "Early Rising as Regards Excursions to the Cliff House," published in The Golden Era magazine, 1864.