Spotlight on Collections: Visitors to San Francisco

For today's post, I'd like to call your Web 2.0 attention to an offline, oft-used research tool here at the San Francisco History Center: our beloved card file.

That's right, the old-time wooden contraption with drawers, wherein lie paper cards with typed citations to newspaper and magazine articles, pages in books, and other printed matter.

One of the treasures within our San Francisco card file is an extensive section (2 drawers-full) on Visitors. It includes people like Jim Davis, creator of the Garfield comic (visited November 1984), who is filed alphabetically next to Moshe Dayan (visited April 1975); the Dalai Lama (mulitiple visits) abuts Salvador Dali (August 1941).

 My personal favorite is Lassie, T.V. dog star (July 1969), next to Laszlo, Istvan, Hungarian rebel (Dec. 1956).

I love the democracy and serendipity of alphabetical order, don't you?

So, the next time you're wondering if your favorite official, celebrity, or other VIP has graced our city with her/his appearance, consider stopping by to consult our Visitors card file!

Actors Jed Allan and Jack De Mave visiting students at 

Commodore Stockton Elementary School with Lassie. 

[ca. 1969]. Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Historical 

Photograph Collection, San Francisco Public Library