"The
What Cheer House catered to men only, permitted no liquor on the premises, and housed San Francisco's first free library and first museum." Opened in 1852 by
Robert B. Woodward it became immensely popular. "[S]ailors enjoyed staying there... [he] was such a well-liked man that they would often bring him trinkets from around the world when they’d come to town. For Woodward, these gifts were the beginning of what would become a life-long obsession with collecting." He moved the collection and opened
Woodward's Gardens in 1866 between Mission and Valencia at 13th-15th streets. Called the
Central Park of the West, it was San Francisco's most famous public resort.
[more inside]
posted by jessamyn
on Oct 4, 2009 -
23 comments
