Review of "San Francisco's Lost Landmarks" by James R. Smith

I was born in San Francisco, so I thought I knew my city really well. I was surprised and delight at some of the lost landmarks that I found in this book. First offering in the book is an article by Walter J. Thomson in the SF Chronicle. It was titled "Out Where The Shelly Cocas Grow." Since this was printed in 1916 and well before my time, I don't feel too bad that I never knew about that. Then the book moves on to amusement parks like one called Woodward. Again I am lost. It was 1873 when twelve thousand people went to this park. The details are absolutely fascinating. There was a shoot-the-chutes ride on Filmore Street. I was relieved to get to the section of Playland at the Beach. My first memories are of a restaurant called "Topsy's Roost." I was very little at this time but I remember that you entered this restaurant by sliding down a long slide to the dinning floor. I only got there once but I know my grandmother enjoyed this place a lot. By the time the author moves into my era ,I have already been hooked into this history and landmarks of my famous city. San Francisco had gambling houses and the Cliff House and Sutro Baths.

This great little paperback is a wonderful history of my home town. Most of the exciting places that are covered here are gone now. The very last day at Playland at the Beach, I took pictures, and I still miss some of those wonderful rides and memorable foods. The book took me on a nostalgic tour of the familiar and unfamiliar parts of this wonderful city where I was born.