memorable places inscribed in California history and literature

Tag San Francisco Bay Area

Mark Twain’s “Early Rising As Regards Excursions to the Cliff House” 

This past spring I visited San Francisco’s iconic–but currently shuttered for renovations–Cliff House on the windy northwestern edge of the city. The version of Cliff House that I gazed upon is at least version 3.0–some historians even argue it’s the… Continue Reading →

Ina Coolbrith’s The Mariposa Lily

Now that recent rains have completely reconfigured California’s hydrological world—and it’s a record year for California’s snowpack—I wanted to return briefly to the wildflower theme of our last post. Partly because, thanks to the rainfall, we may have a great… Continue Reading →

Harry Farrell’s Swift Justice

It’s a story that’s vaguely familiar to many San Joseans: on November 9, 1933, the young heir to Hart’s Department Store, Brooke Hart, was kidnapped by local oil company salesman Jack Holmes and his unemployed accomplice Harold Thurmond. Hart, a… Continue Reading →

© 2025 TERRY BEERS AND EMILY ELROD CARDENAS

Privacy Policy       Up ↑