In the 1960's, a British newspaper
columnist wrote: "There are a number of good books on San Francisco but
they all, in the end, describe it; they do not explain it. Something makes San
Francisco different from every other American City."
San Francisco Then ...and
Now explains what makes San Francisco different through a variety of
walking tours and presentations that are fun, enlightening, enriching and
entertaining.
EXPERIENCE THE INCREDIBLE STORY
OF SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco Then ...and
Now reveals the story of a Native American village that
became a Spanish and Mexican pueblo of a few hundred people and then become a
gold-gorged metropolis overnight. Generations
of events ...silver, fires and earthquakes, wars, artistic, political and
social change, and technology - shaped San Francisco from generation to
generation, and shaped American history.
We tell the story of larger-than-life people with the
courage to risk everything, including their lives, to find freedom, fortune,
or just make a better life here. They
were people with a vision of the future, a sense of adventure, and a desire
for discovery; they were characters who have become legends and left San
Francisco with a reputation for fun loving, creative, and sometimes wacky
behavior.
EXPERIENCE THE STORY IN A UNIQUE
STORYTELLING
San Francisco Then ...and
Now uses a unique storytelling style to reveal these fascinating,
dramatic and humorous stories - stories that would be fascinating no matter
where they occurred. That these
stories all occurred in San Francisco is what makes San Francisco so unique
and amazing. Regardless of where
you call home, you will find this tour truly worth taking.
These stories are why San
Francisco has been called "the City that knows how." Combined with its unparalleled natural and architectural
beauty, it is easy to understand why readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine
vote San Francisco the Number 1 city to visit in the United States for each of
the
last 10 years, and 14 of the past 15.
WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM SAN FRANCISCO
THEN...AND NOW .
San Francisco Then ...and Now
offers a wide variety
of entertaining, educational and enriching walking tours and talks/presentations
that tell these stories. Whether you are:
-
An individual, family, or group looking for great
walking tours to show you San Francisco and to help you make the most of
your time in the city;
-
A San Francisco Bay
Area resident looking to learn why you
love this city;
-
A convention or meeting planner looking for an
introduction to all that San Francisco offers in:
- A luncheon presentation,
- Breakout session,
- Spousal event, or
- Step-on guide for bus or van tours
-
A business looking to reward your employees with
a few hours of fun away from the office, while learning about the City in which
the employees live and
work; and
- Civic or senior organizations looking to add something unique to an existing
program, or to benefit from group rates for educational and entertainment
events.
-
Schools looking for
a great, fun field trip to inspire in the kids a desire to learn
more about history, community, and the contributions of peoples from all
over the world to building America.
San Francisco Then ...and Now has something
that will make you leave a little piece of your heart in San Francisco.
OUR SPECIAL PRESENTATION
:
The Rise and Fall of the Haight Ashbury in the 60's
We are also proud to offer a very special presentation:
"The Rise and Fall of the Haight Ashbury in the 60's," presented by Allen
Cohen, founder and editor of the "San Francisco Oracle," the psychedelic,
rainbow hued underground newspaper of the Haight. Allen was not only there,
he was a major contributor to the culture and history of that incredible era.
He helped originate rites of passages like the Human-Be-In in the Haight.
Please see our Talks and Presentations page for details.
A TASTE OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE AND HEAR
A CITY OF GREAT EVENTS
- The surprise discovery of San Francisco
Bay by explorers in search of another place, the Gold Rush, the Comstock Lode,
the Barbary Coast era, the Maritime era, Earthquakes and Fires, World Fairs,
the Beat Generation, the Summer of Love, the Dot Com era.
A CITY OF GRAND CHARACTERS
- The Ohlone, Franciscans, Argonauts and
49'ers ...the Bonanza Kings, Silver Barons and Robber Barons ...crimps, sailors
and longshoremen, pretty waiter girls, Sydney Ducks ...writers, poets, musicians
and architects ...beatniks and hippies ...unique characters Sam Brannan, Levi
Strauss, Mark Twain, A.P. Giannini, William Randolph Hearst, William Tecumseh
Sherman, Lillie Hitchcock Coit, Alma Spreckels, Enrico Caruso, and Joshua
Abraham Norton, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.
A CITY OF UNIQUE TREASURES
- Grand hotels, cable cars, Asian temples, Coit Tower, gold rush ships, the
original Bank of America, The Transamerica Pyramid, Palaces of the Legion
of Honor and Fine Arts, historic buildings from 1852, and so much more.
A CITY THAT TOUCHES EVERYONE
- Almost everyone has been affected personally,
or perhaps had a family member affected, by events that have happened here
- The outcome of the Civil War; the building of the Transcontinental Railroad;
World Wars I, II, Vietnam; earthquakes, social, cultural and political change
in society that started in the beat generation of the 1950s and opened the
door to many through today.
A CITY OF UNIQUE MYTHS AND URBAN LEGENDS -
San Francisco Then ...and Now reveals the truth behind legends and myths that
have lived on for generations: Was it fire that destroyed San Francisco in
1906? Is Coit Tower designed like a fire nozzle? What did Mark Twain say about
the weather? The answers are very different than most people realize, and
even locals are surprised to find out they didn't know as much as they thought!
COMMITMENT TO COMPREHENSIVENESS AND ACCURACY
San Francisco Then ...and Now commits to providing the most
comprehensive and accurate tours, talks and presentations on San Francisco
history and the City of today. We have spent many hours looking beyond the
conventional wisdom, the urban legends and myths. History is not easy.
History is written from many different perspectives, and we try our best to weave those complexities
in our tours and talks in a way that is easy to understand.
CONTACT US
So, take a tour of our site and/or
contact us at:
925 Sutter St., #101, San Francisco, CA 94109
415-317-TOUR (8687)
E-mail:Peter@sfhistorytour.com
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