Vesuvio Cafe, featuring “Legacy” decal in doorway. Photo by Heritage staff.

Heritage is thrilled to unveil the latest round of inductees to the “Legacy Bars & Restaurants” initiative! A first-of-its-kind interactive online guide, the project was first introduced in January 2013 to honor and promote those establishments that reflect the spirit of San Francisco. To view the newest honorees, please click here.

In conjunction with the round three announcement, we are pleased to debut a new logo for “Legacy Bars & Restaurants” and a unique window decal program for participating businesses.

To raise awareness for the latest round of inductees and the new “Legacy” brand, Heritage will sponsor an Instagram Challenge over the holiday season to encourage the public to submit photographs of “Legacy” establishments displaying the new decal, using the hashtag #SFLegacyProject. All are invited to submit photographs over social media of the new decal, along with photographs of signature food and beverage items or holiday specials at participating establishments.

Photo ideas include:

• Businesses displaying the decal
• Unique architectural or interior details
• Holiday specials
• Signature food and beverage items

The top three contestants will win a unique “Legacy”-themed prize, with the winners announced in mid-December. Please be sure to check our website and social media pages for updates on the Instagram Challenge throughout the holiday season!

British Motor Car Showroom, formerly the Earle C. Anthony Packard Showroom. Photo from the Heritage archive.

On Wednesday, January 15, Heritage will host the 2014 Semi-Annual Meeting at one of Van Ness Auto Row’s grandest automobile showplaces: British Motor Car’s historic showroom. Built in the Greek Revival style, the building exemplifies the grandeur and romanticism of the early automobile industry in San Francisco. Professor Christopher Carlsmith (University of Massachussetts-Lowell) will discuss the architectural contributions of John H. Powers (1873-1936), who designed the building with John Ahnden and Bernard Maybeck in 1926.

Executive Director Mike Buhler will provide an overview of Heritage’s latest initiatives, including the upcoming launch of the citywide Latino Historic Context Statement, “Legacy Bars & Restaurants,” and recent programs at the Haas-Lilienthal House.

Admission is free for Heritage members, with a $10 suggested donation for the general public. Not a Heritage member? With newly enhanced benefits, now is the perfect time to join!

The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30. British Motors is located at 901 Van Ness Avenue, close to public transportation. To register for the meeting, please click on the button below or contact Carolyn Squeri at 415-441-3000 x14.

Photo by Jody Stuart Photography.

Looking to expand your seasonal traditions this year? Celebrate the holidays with a high tea at the Haas-Lilienthal House on Monday, December 16 and Thursday, December 19!

Guests will enjoy fresh tea sandwiches, homemade scones, preserves, devonshire cream, petit fours, macaroons, and select teas. Docents will lead tours of the House at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., and tea service will begin at 3:00 p.m. on both days. The museum gift store will be open for holiday shopping.

Reservations are available for individuals and groups at $40 per person. For more information, please contact Carolyn Squeri at csqueri@sfheritage.org or 415-441-3000 x14.

Heritage and the San Francisco Latino Historical Society (SFLHS) have joined forces on a series of projects to document and preserve the city’s rich Latino history and to support the continued cultural and economic vitality of 24^th Street in the city’s Mission District. Projects include a youth-developed walking tour of 24^th Street, entitled Calle 24: Cuentos del Barrio, and a citywide historic context statement, entitled Nuestra Historia: Documenting the Chicano, Latino, and Indígena Contribution to the Development of San Francisco.

These groundbreaking community-based projects come at a time of rapid change in the Mission District and throughout San Francisco, when numerous longtime Latino businesses and community institutions face uncertain futures due to gentrification, rising rents, and displacement. Together, Heritage and the SFLHS aim to build public awareness for the diverse and little-known history of Latinos in San Francisco, identify significant historic and cultural places for conservation, and offer recommendations for preserving and protecting this longstanding legacy.

Launched in June 2013, Calle 24: Cuentos del Barrio embarked upon a series of workshops in urban history and oral history methodology for local college and high school students. The project culminated in a series of youth-led walking tours of 24th Street, held on July 28th during “Sunday Streets” in the Mission. To download a self-guided walking tour booklet, please click here. 

In 2014, Heritage and the SFLHS will launch a second project entitled Nuestra Historia: Documenting the Chicano, Latino, and Indígena Contribution to the Development of San Francisco. This citywide historic context statement will document Latino history as it pertains to the physical and cultural landscape of San Francisco and will offer recommendations on how best to preserve and maintain architectural, cultural, and historical resources important to Latino communities.