Western Neighborhoods Project

Outside Lands San Francisco

Society EN ↓ 647 episodes

Nicole Meldahl and a rotating cast of hosts from the Western Neighborhoods Project (outsidelands.org / OpenSFHistory.org) share San Francisco west side neighborhood history with humor, footnoted facts, and occasional guests.

Author

Western Neighborhoods Project

Category

Society

Podcast website

www.outsidelands.org

Latest episode

Jul 5, 2026

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Episodes

604: Short Stack No. 31 05.07.2026

Rebekah is joined once again by special guest Peter Hartlaub! The two dig into the history of Golden Gate Park's former menagerie of animals, then look back at articles published 25, 50, 75, and 100 years ago on the day of publication.

482R: San Francisco National Cemetery (Repodcast) 28.06.2026

Nicole and Arnold explore the long history of San Francisco National Cemetery in this classic episode of Outside Lands, which originally aired in 2022. Located in the Presidio, it is one of only two final resting places still active on the west side.

603: Short Stack No. 30 21.06.2026

Rebekah Kim and Peter Hartlaub are back in the host seat, sharing how they each found their way to WNP, taking a deep dive into the final days of Playland-at-the-Beach and going on some small theme park tangents, before the two take a look back at news headlines from 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago on the day of publication.

518R: Michael Durand (Repodcast) 14.06.2026

Nicole talks with the person who kept newspapers alive in the Outside Lands, Michael Durand, former owner and editor of the Richmond Review and Sunset Beacon, in this classic episode of Outside Lands San Francisco.

602: Short Stack No. 29 07.06.2026

Rebekah and special guest Peter Hartlaub go over the history of Bay to Breakers and how it became the beloved, chaotic race we know today - then look back at what was in the news 25, 50, 75, and 100 years ago!

601: Neighborhood Theaters with CinemaSFBay's Adam Bergeron and Robert Mailer Anderson 31.05.2026

SF Neon's Randall Ann Homan and Al Barna are in the host seat this week, chatting with CinemaSFBay's Adam Bergeron and Robert Mailer Anderson, operators of the 4 Star, Balboa, and Vogue theaters. They get into why neighborhood theaters matter, the unique programming they offer, and the memories that made them the neighborhood cinema heroes they are today. Plus, they celebrate the Balboa turning 10...

431R: Lake Merced (Repodcast) 25.05.2026

Lake Merced has been an important area of San Francisco before there even was a San Francisco. This week, we chronicle the pre-European history, Spanish settlement, and the emergence of Lake Merced as an important San Francisco resource in this classic episode of Outside Lands San Francisco.

506R: Burning Man 17.05.2026

Did you known that a huge cultural event got its start right here on the West side at Baker Beach? Nicole and Arnold investigate the origins of Burning Man, in this classic episode of Outside Lands San Francisco.

524R: Dante Benedetti 11.05.2026

How does one become a San Francisco baseball legend without winning championships? Nicole & Arnold tell the remarkable tale of Dante Benedetti, in this classic episode of Outside Lands.

600: Monarch the Bear 03.05.2026

Rebekah shares the sad story of Monarch the Bear, who spent much of his life in Golden Gate Park and his entire afterlife at the Academy of Sciences. You won't want to miss this episode that dispels stubborn myths, and reveals that the park once had a designated huntsman (that may or may not have looked like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast).

599: Short Stack No. 28 26.04.2026

Nicole explains what she and WNP will be doing while on her sabbatical, and Rebekah talks about the community she's experienced in the neighborhoods recently. Plus, we're teleporting back in time to read articles from the news 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago the day this episode airs.

598: Protecting West Portal History 21.04.2026

Nicole is joined by historian Richard Brandi and Melanie Bishop of the SF Survey team at San Francisco Planning to talk about preservation priorities in West Portal and beyond, and what we can do to protect the places we love with so much change on the horizon for the cultural landscape in San Francisco. To learn more, visit sfplanning.org/sfsurvey or message the SF Survey team at cpc.survey@sfgov...

402R: Mt. Davidson Manor 13.04.2026

Mt. Davidson Manor includes a who's who list of San Francisco residential developers. The home building story starts with Fernando Nelson and development continues into the 1930s.

597: Mary Kelly and Unsung Heroines 06.04.2026

Inspired by Rae Alexandra's recently released book, Unsung Heroines, Drew and Nicole share the harrowing story of Mary Kelly, aka Lucretia Henkel. This relatively unknown powerhouse was an advocate for refugee rights after the 1906 earthquake and fire, and dedicated a grove in Golden Gate Park to war mothers that is now lost to time.

596: Short Stack No. 27 29.03.2026

Nicole and Drew discuss the Big Art Loop - the reason you may have seen some new public art around Golden Gate Park and the waterfront - and how the way it is backed may affect other installations moving forward. And to round it out we jump back in time to read articles from the news 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago the day this episode airs.

595: Marta Lindsey, Discovering Golden Gate Park 22.03.2026

Nicole and author Marta Lindsey discuss her new guide to Golden Gate Park, and spill the tea on rival recreation groups, her history boyfriend John McLaren, and their mutual love for this magical place that is bigger than Central Park. Plus, they enjoy authentic Golden Gate fortune cookies with Drew!

594: Short Stack No. 26 15.03.2026

Nicole and Rebekah look back on the recent Spirits of San Francisco event at Slake Bottle Shop, and discuss what WNP book club is into right now, before we hop back in time to read some news from 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago on the day this episode airs.

447R: Bernice Rodgers 08.03.2026

In this classic episode of Outside Lands, Nicole welcomes Nancy Botkin - who tells us about the remarkable Bernice Rodgers. Bernice was a ground-breaking Rec and Park employee whose was later honored with street named after her in Golden Gate Park.

593: Short Stack No 25 01.03.2026

Nicole, Rebekah and Drew talk through recent efforts by the AASLH and others to resist censorship in historical scholarship and exhibitions, and what it means for WNP. Plus, jello shots come up again! And we breeze through news from 25, 50, 70 and 100 years ago on the day this episode airs.

592: Phils Electric Company 22.02.2026

Nicole and Drew take you to the northeast corner of the western neighborhoods to explore the long history of businesses at 2701 Lombard Street at Baker, which has been home to Phil's Electric Co. since the 1980s just outside the Presidio.

591: Short Stack No 24 15.02.2026

Nicole shares an exciting event coming up, and Rebekah talks about her recent work trip to Sweden, before the two jump into articles from this day 25, 50, 75, and 100 years ago.

590: Miss Eve Fairfax 09.02.2026

Nicole and Drew introduce you to the women behind Auguste Rodin's sculpture of Miss Eve Fairfax on display at the Legion of Honor, from its mysterious subject to the inimitable women who gave her a home in San Francisco.

589: Short Stack No. 23 01.02.2026

Rebekah reflects on her takeaways from Claude the Alligator’s recent funeral, and Nicole shares her excitement about a potential step into publishing. Together, they round out the episode by exploring local “On This Day” articles from 25, 50, 75, and 100 years ago.

588: Empire Theater 25.01.2026

Nicole and Drew explore the important history of West Portal’s Empire Theater, reflecting on the role it played in the neighborhood and the generations it touched before closing its doors.

587: Short Stack No. 22 18.01.2026

Nicole and Rebekah return for the first Short Stack of 2026! They catch up on their recent breaks, discuss the closure of California College for the Arts (CCA), and explore “On This Day” articles from 25, 50, 75, and 100 years ago.

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