Sutro Baths
đź“Ť Sutro Baths, San Francisco, California.
This is not just any rock. This is the rock that stands iconicly in front of Sutro Baths. Sutro Baths is an establishment with history and pride. In 1894, Adolph Sutro, who was soon to become the mayor of San Francisco, developed a bathhouse named Sutro Baths. That construction was supposed to be the biggest indoor saltwater swimming pool in the world. It was a place of both fun and education since it hosted concerts, galleries, contests, and exhibits with rare artifacts from all over the world including the Egyptian mummies. Moreover, the complex was impressive both from an engineering and an artistic perspective. It was beautiful and efficient, as it utilized the power of the ocean to fill the pools with the 1.7 million gallons of water needed.
Unfortunately, after Adolph died in 1898, the success of the bathhouse declined until the maintenance costs of the building became forbidding and the complex had to shut. In 1964 new city plans led to partial demolition of the construction and a fire in 1966 destroyed the rest of it.
Despite the sad ending, the location is still being cherished today as an important landmark of San Francisco. The ruins of Sutro Baths are covered in graffiti and moss, and people gather all over the sandy beach to walk, relax and enjoy. Birds are nesting on the rocks and children are running around chasing each other. The history and the present of that spot are blending and the salty air is the only thing left connecting the memories of the living and the dead. Life goes on.
