“Sometimes you make me feel like I’m living at the edge of the world” -Robert Smith of The Cure
Last Friday was my final half-day Friday at work, and since I had my car in the city for a couple of weeks, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to drive out to the western edge of San Francisco, Land’s End. Sutro Baths has been on my list of must-visit places in San Francisco for some time now, so I finally got the chance to check it out and enjoy the amazing sights and sounds.
After a 20-minute drive from downtown, I approached the edge of San Francisco and found a parking lot. All it took was a quick walk from there and bam! One of the most amazing views I’d seen of nature in a long time. The sun was shining into the water as waves swirled and crashed into rocks. The ruins of Sutro Baths glistened in the sun, along with the lush greenery of nature overtaking the creation of mere humans.
Sutro Baths was originally built in 1894 by Adolph Sutro, a wealthy entrepreneur and former mayor of San Francisco. It was a grand vision – a public bathhouse with seven pools of varying temperatures that could fit 10,000 people at a time, covered in glass and housing natural history exhibits and classical artwork. The surrounding area included Sutro’s Cliff House and a beach boardwalk, where families would come in on trains to enjoy a fun weekend by the beach. Sadly, Sutro Baths was too expensive to maintain in the long run, and after being sold to a group in the 1960s to develop into a high-rise complex, the buildings burned down in a fire.
Fast forward to today, where anyone can walk among the ruins, enjoy the salty beach air, and take in the beauty of nature in the area. The ruins reminded me of the ancient ruins I encountered in Rome, and I tried to visualize what it must have been like to be a first-time visitor in the 19th century. I would’ve been blown away by the splendor and magnificence of the largest indoor swimming pool establishment in the world. I’m glad I had the opportunity to witness the remnants of these buildings, and I know I’ll be back in the near future to this beautiful place.
Rubber duckies at www.RandomTidbitsofThought.com.
