Anthropology and History  The Night San Francisco's Cliff House
Burnt to a Cinder  The story of how the great Victorian mansion,
built wobbling upon a cliff, was destroyed in an inferno.
posted on 08/19/2010 Matt Forde Scribol Staff  An Illuminated
Cliff HousePhoto: T. Imai  San Francisco’s Cliff House was quite
the landmark in its day. No other name could have been more apt,
for the Victorian Chateau that loomed over the crashing sea
clung to the perilous rocky outcrop upon which it perched. The
striking, seven storey landmark was built by the entrepreneur,
Adolph Sutro (the 24th mayor of the city) in 1896.  Adolph
SutroPhoto: Mathew Brady, Levin Corbin Handy  Since 1858, four
different buildings have occupied the site that overlooks Seal
Rocks, but Sutro’s version has undoubtedly been the grandest
(and to some, most vulgar) to grace this north-western corner of
San Francisco.  Seal Rock - 1925Photo: Unknown, Ed Bierman
Housing numerous restaurants, art galleries, parlours and games
rooms, the expensively