It's New Year's resolution time again and if you're like me (and so many others) you've vowed that 2010 is going to be the year that you finally started that fitness regimen. But getting into shape doesn't mean less time to pursue your interests in San Francisco history, in fact the San Francisco Public Library is teeming with ways to learn about your favorite city and burn calories at the same time.
First, bike/walk/jog over to your nearest library branch. Or head over to the Main and take the stairs up to see us on the 6th Floor. You could consider this to be your 'warm-up' routine.
Next, look for one of the many San Francisco walking tour guidebooks that the SFPL holds. Along with the copies that we have at the SF History Center, there are many available for you to check out and take home. Here are just a few:
A great book to start with is Historic Walks in San Francisco: 18 trails through the city's past by Rand Richards. There are also district specific guides like San Francisco Chinatown: A walking tour with Shirley Fong-Torres by Shirley Fong-Torres. Sometimes the guides themselves are a piece of history. The SF History Center has a 1964 edition of San Francisco At Your Feet: The great walks in a walker's town by Margot Patterson Doss, which asks you to imagine what the Ferry Building looks like from under the shadow of the Embarcadero Freeway. Sometimes learning about what is no longer there is just as much fun as seeing what remains. But if you'd prefer, the library also has a 1991 version that is available for you to check out. Finally, for those who really want to burn those calories, there is Stairway Walks in San Francisco by Adah Bakalinsky and Marian Gregoire. A subject search for "Walking--California--San Francisco--Guidebooks" will bring you to an even longer list of what is available at your local library.
If you prefer your guides to be live, you can also pick up a schedule of walks led by San Francisco City Guides at any SF Public Library. The SF City Guides office shares a part of the 6th Floor with us and they regularly visit the SF History Center to do research for their tours. All the walks are free and led by a volunteer. Donations are accepted.
So, let's do it! I'm ready! In fact, I'll be taking one of these walks each month in 2010 and blogging about it - the walk, the history, and more. Hope to see you out there!
First, bike/walk/jog over to your nearest library branch. Or head over to the Main and take the stairs up to see us on the 6th Floor. You could consider this to be your 'warm-up' routine.
Next, look for one of the many San Francisco walking tour guidebooks that the SFPL holds. Along with the copies that we have at the SF History Center, there are many available for you to check out and take home. Here are just a few:
If you prefer your guides to be live, you can also pick up a schedule of walks led by San Francisco City Guides at any SF Public Library. The SF City Guides office shares a part of the 6th Floor with us and they regularly visit the SF History Center to do research for their tours. All the walks are free and led by a volunteer. Donations are accepted.
So, let's do it! I'm ready! In fact, I'll be taking one of these walks each month in 2010 and blogging about it - the walk, the history, and more. Hope to see you out there!
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