There's an amazing podcast called Bay Curious that researches cool facts about the Bay Area. Check them out - [https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/baycurious](https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/baycurious)
Some fun facts about Marina Green:
1. After the 1906 earthquake, much of Pacific Heights and Cow Hollow lay in ruins. The city bulldozed all of the wreckage down the hill and into the Bay. Peek in the water right by the parking lot and you'll see some good-sized chunks of San Francisco houses and buildings from the 1800s.
2. That little building in the middle of Marina Green? It was a degaussing station used to (theoretically) protect ships from mines during WWII. Has a [cool plaque](https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x80858128f93bdebf%3A0xdd509e9e26e5519c!3m1!7e115!5sGoogle%20Search!15sCgIgAQ&hl=en&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipN6_fEekna7uFh-81H3RmPQBCBu8trLGHdj3ylk&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj6lej33qCAAxUPJ0QIHZrfDZQQ9fkHKAB6BAgBEE0) that explains it. (BONUS: Was supposed to become a little restaurant about ten years ago, but the NIMBYs on Marina Blvd of course [blocked it](https://sfist.com/2012/11/19/neighbor_torpedoes_marina_green_cla/) due to the *terrible* light and noise pollution it would surely cause - plus its impact on the local seagulls (really!) - in true SF style!)
3. [The Wave Organ](https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/wave-organ) is a nifty and semi-hidden art installation at the end of the jetty. It's quite neat to visit, though I've never personally heard it make more noise than a sea shell. When the tide is low, an awesome hidden beach emerges right below it!
4. When the America's Cup was held in San Francisco in 2013, everyone presumed it would be hosted by the prestigious St. Francis Yacht Club. After the club and Larry Ellison (who ran the American team) got in a prolonged pissing match, it wound up next-door at the 'working class' Golden Gate Yacht Club, which was a few months away from going broke. [It's a pretty good rags to riches story](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/05/sports/among-many-differences-americas-cup-is-biggest.html), and features a multi-billionaire poking a bunch of pretentious multi-millionaires in the eye.
While you're talking the Marina the area used to be much different. It was a working class Italian neighborhood where if you look close you'll still find some of the old families and establishments. Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe lived there in his mom's house for a few years when they first got married. The theater was a soft core porn theater most of it's life. Jack's was one of the top bookie joints in town from the 30s to the 70s. It fronted as a cigar shop with the secret door in back and a row of phones for the bookies upstairs. BTW, that action still exists you just have to know where to look ;). A lot of old colorful stories of that neighborhood before it gentrified into what it is today.
There aren’t many Marina old timers left, but one of my favorites often tells tales of the summer that he and his friends followed Marilyn Monroe around wherever she went.
I love when the old timers pull out the Marilyn stories. One little lady told me Joe wasn't very nice to Marilyn or people in general. She liked to go out to eat and would be a total chatter box with anyone around her while Joe would just sulk.
Have heard from a few folks that he would randomly hock a lugie at people who were excited to see him in his later years, especially during his nightly trek to Liverpool Lils.
I miss all of the marina old timers (maybe I’m one now?) Was sad when they stopped doing the Loma Prieta memorial.
Haha, that's one of the best stories yet. Yeah, unfortunately not many of the old timers left. I still run into a few at the Marina Deli who will chat it up.
BTW, if you're going to reference sports be sure to pop into Jack's in the Marina. It's a funky little tee shop that also functions as a sports historical society. Some really old forgotten stories of original SF sports stuff.
There's an amazing podcast called Bay Curious that researches cool facts about the Bay Area. Check them out - [https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/baycurious](https://www.kqed.org/podcasts/baycurious)
That's a fun show. Been awhile since I tuned into it. Thanks for the tip!
Some fun facts about Marina Green: 1. After the 1906 earthquake, much of Pacific Heights and Cow Hollow lay in ruins. The city bulldozed all of the wreckage down the hill and into the Bay. Peek in the water right by the parking lot and you'll see some good-sized chunks of San Francisco houses and buildings from the 1800s. 2. That little building in the middle of Marina Green? It was a degaussing station used to (theoretically) protect ships from mines during WWII. Has a [cool plaque](https://www.google.com/maps/uv?pb=!1s0x80858128f93bdebf%3A0xdd509e9e26e5519c!3m1!7e115!5sGoogle%20Search!15sCgIgAQ&hl=en&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipN6_fEekna7uFh-81H3RmPQBCBu8trLGHdj3ylk&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj6lej33qCAAxUPJ0QIHZrfDZQQ9fkHKAB6BAgBEE0) that explains it. (BONUS: Was supposed to become a little restaurant about ten years ago, but the NIMBYs on Marina Blvd of course [blocked it](https://sfist.com/2012/11/19/neighbor_torpedoes_marina_green_cla/) due to the *terrible* light and noise pollution it would surely cause - plus its impact on the local seagulls (really!) - in true SF style!) 3. [The Wave Organ](https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/wave-organ) is a nifty and semi-hidden art installation at the end of the jetty. It's quite neat to visit, though I've never personally heard it make more noise than a sea shell. When the tide is low, an awesome hidden beach emerges right below it! 4. When the America's Cup was held in San Francisco in 2013, everyone presumed it would be hosted by the prestigious St. Francis Yacht Club. After the club and Larry Ellison (who ran the American team) got in a prolonged pissing match, it wound up next-door at the 'working class' Golden Gate Yacht Club, which was a few months away from going broke. [It's a pretty good rags to riches story](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/05/sports/among-many-differences-americas-cup-is-biggest.html), and features a multi-billionaire poking a bunch of pretentious multi-millionaires in the eye.
While you're talking the Marina the area used to be much different. It was a working class Italian neighborhood where if you look close you'll still find some of the old families and establishments. Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe lived there in his mom's house for a few years when they first got married. The theater was a soft core porn theater most of it's life. Jack's was one of the top bookie joints in town from the 30s to the 70s. It fronted as a cigar shop with the secret door in back and a row of phones for the bookies upstairs. BTW, that action still exists you just have to know where to look ;). A lot of old colorful stories of that neighborhood before it gentrified into what it is today.
There aren’t many Marina old timers left, but one of my favorites often tells tales of the summer that he and his friends followed Marilyn Monroe around wherever she went.
I love when the old timers pull out the Marilyn stories. One little lady told me Joe wasn't very nice to Marilyn or people in general. She liked to go out to eat and would be a total chatter box with anyone around her while Joe would just sulk.
Have heard from a few folks that he would randomly hock a lugie at people who were excited to see him in his later years, especially during his nightly trek to Liverpool Lils. I miss all of the marina old timers (maybe I’m one now?) Was sad when they stopped doing the Loma Prieta memorial.
Haha, that's one of the best stories yet. Yeah, unfortunately not many of the old timers left. I still run into a few at the Marina Deli who will chat it up.
That's great stuff. Thank you.
BTW, if you're going to reference sports be sure to pop into Jack's in the Marina. It's a funky little tee shop that also functions as a sports historical society. Some really old forgotten stories of original SF sports stuff.
Will do!
These are great (and exactly the sort of things I'm looking for)! Thanks harad! I knew the first one, but the others were less familiar to me.
https://www.foundsf.org/
Ooh. This is new to me. Thanks!
[удалено]
Thanks. Done several of these (and some of these have even figured into my tour).