By Sierra Hartman
When Sutro Baths opened on March 14th, 1896, it was the definition of opulence in San Francisco. More than 100 years later, beautiful photos of the building are still being uncovered. A private collection of photos from the turn of the century, recently made available to the Western Neighborhoods Project, gives a more intimate look at the baths in their heyday. Adoph Sutro’s grand natatorium took about six years to build and played host to as many as 10,000 swimmers and spectators at once.
While it’s far from a mystery, many people still don’t know the whole story behind Sutro Baths. After Sutro died in 1898, his family did their best to keep his properties in order but the maintenance costs eventually outweighed its revenue. The baths traded hands a few times over the following decades and each new owner tried to revamp its image. They tried everything from ice skating to boxing matches but once the Great Depression hit, the baths were on their way down.
In 1964, the site was bought by developers who planned to demolish the enormous structure and build a high rise apartment building (sound familiar?). Two years later though, the structure caught fire and burned to the ground. The developers abandoned their plans and the land was eventually bought by the National Park Service.
Photos via Western Neighborhoods Project/Courtesy of a Private Collector
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