Bay Area

SF’s Version of Eliot Ness Was a Woman Named Daisy Simpson
San Francisco always has had a cast of zany characters. For this week’s installment of SFCentric History, I will take a look at one of those characters in particular–Daisy Simpson, a woman who left a seedy past behind to become one of the few female Federal Prohibition agents, only to return to the other side of the law soon thereafter.

The Oldest Surviving Buildings in 7 San Francisco Neighborhoods
San Francisco is an old, iron safe filled with gold, glory, disaster, and secrets. SFCentric History is a column, by SF writer V. Alexandra de F. Szoenyi, that digs in the vaults of local history and shares the sensational people, places, and things that rocked San Francisco. One of the indicators that

Meet the Real SF Natives: 5 Ohlone Tribelets of SF and the Peninsula
San Francisco is an old, iron safe filled with gold, glory, disaster, and secrets. SFCentric History is a column, by SF writer V. Alexandra de F. Szoenyi, that digs in the vaults of local history and shares the sensational people, places, and things that rocked San Francisco. Thanksgiving is this

SFCentric History: Popular Cocktails and Spirits of San Francisco in the 1800’s
We all have ideas in our minds of what the Gold Rush years were like, and what blossomed from that. No doubt, our thoughts–and the actual history–involve a lot of alcohol. In fact, in 1852, San Francisco had 350 bar rooms, and in 1853, 537 places in the city were serving alcohol. Ever wondered what exactly San Franciscans were sipping on in the 1800s? If so, read on.

The Stories & Figures Behind Some of SF’s Street Names
San Francisco is an old, iron safe filled with gold, glory, disaster, and secrets. SFCentric History is a column, by SF writer V. Alexandra de F. Szoenyi, that digs in the vaults of local history and shares the sensational people, places, and things that rocked San Francisco. We drive along several San

Filipino-American Vicki Draves Made Olympic History
San Francisco is an old, iron safe filled with gold, glory, disaster, and secrets. SFCentric History is a new column, by SF writer V. Alexandra de F. Szoenyi, that digs in the vaults of local history and shares the sensational people, places, and things that rocked San Francisco. This time it’s all

Marie Seise, the First Chinese Woman in San Francisco
San Francisco is an old, iron safe filled with gold, glory, disaster, and secrets. SFCentric History is a new column, by SF writer V. Alexandra de F. Szoenyi, that digs in the vaults of local history and shares the sensational people, places, and things that rocked San Francisco. Chinese culture is an

SFCentric History: 49ers Founder Died Watching Them Play
Many people say they want to die doing something that they love. 49ers co-owner Anthony J. Morabito did just that, after having first given us our beloved football team. But before we get into all that, let’s meet Tony.