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San Francisco’s Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

The San Francisco’s Cliff house has been rebuilt five times since its first construction for different reasons, such as remolding or repairing. It was first built in 1858 when an American Businessman Samuel Brannan paid $1500 for lumber salvaged from a ship that foundered on the rocky shore’s basalt cliffs near Seal Rocks. It was leased to Captain Junius G. Foster, and it was a perfect destination for picnics and outings.

In 1883, German-American engineer Adolph Sutro bought the cliff house. After a few years, the Cliff House was severely damaged by a dynamite explosion when the schooner, Parallel, ran aground. The house was repaired, but it destroyed again by fire on Christmas night 1894 due to a defective flue. Sutro rebuilt the house and turned into a seven-story mansion in Victorian style, an elaborately decorated structure dubbed the “Gingerbread House.” The Cliff House survived the 1906 earthquake but burned to the ground after a year.

After the fire, Sutro’s daughter, Dr. Emma Merritt, rebuilt the house and turned it into a neo-classical style restaurant. In 1937, George and Leo Whitney purchased the Cliff House. National Park Service acquired the Cliff house in 1997. And after that, it has been remodeled several times. In 2003, the house was restored to its 1909 appearance.

Today it attracts thousands of visitors each month with its amazing two-story dining rooms surrounded by an ocean. The ceiling of steel beams recalls the Sutro Baths architecture, establishing a connection between the past and the present

Here below are some historical photos of San Francisco’s historical Cliff House over the years.

#1 Cliff House, San Francisco, 1867

Cliff House, San Francisco, 1867

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#2 At the Cliff House, San Francisco, 1867

At the Cliff House, San Francisco, 1867

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#3 Horses and carriages on a path in front of Cliff House, San Francisco, 1869

Horses and carriages on a path in front of Cliff House, San Francisco, 1869

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#4 Cliff House and Seal Rocks, 1893

Cliff House and Seal Rocks, 1893

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#5 Souvenir Cabinet Card of Victorian Tourist Destination, the Cliff House, 1890s

Souvenir Cabinet Card of Victorian Tourist Destination, the Cliff House, 1890s

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#6 The Cliff House, San Francisco, 1890s

The Cliff House, San Francisco, 1890s

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#7 The Cliff House, San Francisco, 1899

The Cliff House, San Francisco, 1899

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#8 Cliff House and Seal Rocks, San Francisco, 1900

Cliff House and Seal Rocks, San Francisco, 1900

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#9 The Cliff House, San Francisco, 1901

The Cliff House, San Francisco, 1901

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#10 The Cliff House, San Francisco, 1902

The Cliff House, San Francisco, 1902

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#11 Beach walkers near Cliff House, 1902

Beach walkers near Cliff House, 1902

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#12 View taken from the Parapet at Sutro Heights, Adolph Sutro’s estate above the Cliff House, 1903

View taken from the Parapet at Sutro Heights, Adolph Sutro's estate above the Cliff House, 1903

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#13 Cliff House, San Francisco, 1904

Cliff House, San Francisco, 1904

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#14 The Cliff House hotel burns, Sep 1, 1907

The Cliff House hotel burns, Sep 1, 1907

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#15 Dining Room of The Cliff House in San Francisco, 1940

Dining Room of The Cliff House in San Francisco, 1940

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#16 The crowds of tourists at the gift shop at the Cliff House, San Francisco, 1947

The crowds of tourists at the gift shop at the Cliff House, San Francisco, 1947

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#17 The Cliff House Restaurant, 1953

The Cliff House Restaurant, 1953

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#18 San Francisco’s Cliff House as it appeared May 20, 1954

San Francisco's Cliff House as it appeared May 20, 1954

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#19 Sky Tram ran from Cliff House past the Sutro Baths to Point Lobos is nearing completion, 1955

Sky Tram ran from Cliff House past the Sutro Baths to Point Lobos is nearing completion, 1955

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#20 Ocean Beach and Cliff House in San Francisco, 1955

Ocean Beach and Cliff House in San Francisco, 1955

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#21 People play on a beach by Seal Rocks and the Cliff House, in San Francisco, 1956

People play on a beach by Seal Rocks and the Cliff House, in San Francisco, 1956

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#22 A policeman galloped about the beach chasing bold young men at the Cliff House, 1957

A policeman galloped about the beach chasing bold young men at the Cliff House, 1957

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#23 Cliff House, San Francisco, 2011

Cliff House, San Francisco, 2011

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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#24 A view of the Cliff House restaurant on October 10, 2013

A view of the Cliff House restaurant on October 10, 2013

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San Francisco's Cliff House: The Strange History And Photos Of Historical Cliff House Over The Years

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Written by Benjamin Grayson

Former Bouquet seller now making a go with blogging and graphic designing. I love creating & composing history articles and lists.

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