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As most residents and visitors know, Sutro Baths was one of San Francisco's most Historic Landmarks and the ruins of the building still remain at Ocean Beach next to the Historic Cliff House Restaurant.
Adolph Sutro was born in Germany in 1830 and emigrated to the U.S.....an engineering genius who made his fortune mining the Nevada silver lode. In the early 1890's he offered $500 to the architects who would carry out his ideas for a splendid new bathhouse. "A small place would not satisfy me", he said. "I must have it large, pretentious, in keeping with the environment, with the Heights, with the great ocean itself". Completed in 1894, the swimming pools of the Sutro Baths were the largest of their kind in an era when there were many indoor saltwater establishments. This natatorium, at the end of San Francisco's Ocean Beach, adjacent to the Cliff House, was a pleasure palace intended for the whole family.
The swimmers had a choice of seven pools, the largest being unheated, the others (including one of fresh water) heated to various temperatures. Spring-boards, toboggan slides, trapezes, bars, swings, and all purchasable paraphenalia" (a complete gymnasium, rings...shoot the chutes, bucking broncos") were among the noted attractions. "The largest of the Roman baths had about 200 feet of frontage...Two of these great bathing places might be dropped within the Sutro Baths and still leave room enough between them and outer walls for men to walk and women to flirt."
"The spectacular effect of the baths was prominent in the purpose of Mr. Sutro in planning these baths. The glazed roof (100,000 panes of glass), that great span that is more the two acres in area..." "In other words, said a writer, the Baths are "too large to stand on Union Square."
Please see Marilyn Blaisdell's San Francisciana Books (Sutro Baths, The Cliff House, Playland at Ocean Beach, and San Francisco's Three World Fairs) all available here at SanFrancisciana.com
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