03 Aug 2026 8 min read Page Memorial Lecture Series

Open Doors to History

Clinker brick in Chinatown, empanadas, and a volunteer opportunity

This spring, the block of Joice Street between Sacramento and Clay streets was commemoratively re-named Tien Fuh Wu Way, after a woman who worked tirelessly at what is today Donaldina Cameron House to protect women and girls from exploitation.

Welcome to August. In this issue of Special City:

Join us at a clinker brick landmark in Chinatown
Come to Doors Open California and learn how to join the SFH team
An empanada-centric Heritage Happy Hour
A Where-Am-I from Woody
More events, some literally magical

Bonus Where Am I

As events highlighting Chileans in San Francisco are fast approaching, we ask, do you know where this plaque for “Little Chile” lies in the city? Answer at the end!

Clinker Brick and Community in August

Our next Page Memorial Lecture

Above: Cameron House at 920 Sacramento Street in 1908. Photo by Louis J. Stellman, CA State Library, FL27041.

The third talk in our 2026 Page Memorial Lecture Series will be an evening spotlighting the architecture and incredible history of Chinatown institution, Donaldina Cameron House, on Wednesday, August 26, at 7:00 pm.

Exterior view of corner of three story brown clinker brick building with street tree on sidewalk in front. — Exterior view of Cameron House at 920 Sacramento Street in 1974, taken by the great Judith Lynch. The building's landmark designation report describes this three-story clinker brick building as "without architectural pretension."

A designated city landmark (no. 44) and legacy business, Cameron House turns 152 years old in 2026 and is one of the oldest service organizations in San Francisco. Our talk will take place in their historic clinker-brick building, and SF Heritage president & CEO Woody LaBounty will give us the origins of this unique architectural style before the main event. Chinese American historian Anna Eng and Cameron House's Kim Lan Grout will then share the nonprofit’s history and what it is like to run a respected and ever-evolving service organization inside a San Francisco landmark. (We can relate!)

We will have some light bites available before the program starts and Local Hero and Landmark Club members will also receive a limited edition Cameron House commemorative poster designed by Signs by Meng.

Opening the Doors for You

Plus, learn about being a docent!

The beautiful [simulated] golden-oak storm doors at the Haas-Lilienthal House’s main entrance are a distinct feature of our historic landmark. Did you know that back when Mrs. Bertha Haas resided in the home (starting in 1886), these storm doors were kept open to signal that she was receiving visitors on a particular afternoon? The house had no specified visiting day as typically listed in the Blue Book Elite directory for society members, so open doors signalled when it was okay for someone to drop by (mind you, for no longer than half-an-hour).

On Saturday & Sunday, September 5-6, SF Heritage will open the storm doors for Doors Open California, a statewide celebration of historic places. This California Preservation Foundation program coordinates open days to over 75 sites for historic architecture, design, and cultural heritage enthusiasts, including you! This is a great opportunity to take friends and family to the HLH and pair it with a visit to another participating SF or Bay Area site.

For example, you might pair your visit with a tour of Treasure Island's “Magic City,” a “Queer Landmarking” walk, a behind-the-scenes tour of Society of California Pioneers in SOMA, or the Julia Morgan-designed City Club in Berkeley—all of which are also available that weekend.

FREE, Saturday and Sunday, September 5 & 6, 11 am-2 pm. Full schedule here.

We’re looking for a new cohort of docents to help lead public tours at the Haas-Lilienthal House! Interested in volunteering at a historic landmark, one that happens to be the only museum of the period open in San Francisco? Want to share knowledge on Victorian architecture, about Gilded Age life through the lens of one important family and their home which narrowly escaped destruction in the 1906 earthquake?

We’ll have a table at our Doors Open event to share more about this fun opportunity. Our docents are a crucial part of our preservation mission to keep the house open and accessible. Spread the word!

Interested right now and ready to learn more? Send Hannah an email at hwoodall@sfheritage.org

“The Girl from Empanada”

meet us at Chile Lindo next week

Above: Paula Tejada (at right) at Chile Lindo's original storefront in the Redstone Building (2944 16th Street) in the 1990s.

Next Thursday, August 13, 2026 from 5-7 pm, we travel back to the Mission District for a fun Heritage Happy Hour centered around...empanadas! Chile Lindo (2943 16th Street) has been serving Chilean baked goods since 1973, and owner Paula Tejada has been a proud ambassador of Chilean culture since taking over the business in 1995.

Paula with her Legacy Business Registry certificate at City Hall after Chile Lindo was listed in 2025.

Chilean flag colors are extended into the decor of Chile Lindo's new event space at 2943 16th Street. Beyond serving delicious food, Paula also hosts Chilean musical performances, film screenings, and cultural events.

In 2019, she expanded Chile Lindo to a cozy event space across the street from their original location, and this is the location where we will meet for Happy Hour (2943 16th Street).

Stop by for a convivial time and try some empanadas, cakes, and “dulce chilenos” (pastries)! Paula tells us that there will be Chilean beer and bubbly on offer as well as other non-alcoholic drinks.

Deco angel

where am I?

Ready for some guessing? Our San Francisco “Where Am I?” this month is an Art Deco gem with an elite history on a commercial corridor. Do you recognize the top of the sign, the two-tone tile work, the cornice moldings...?

We will share more on this historic site with our Local Hero and Landmark Club members in the next Special City email. (Sign up or upgrade your account here)

More events! But first, our bonus Where Am I ANSWER

The location of our Little Chile mystery plaque is...at the foot of the Sentinel Building on Columbus and Kearny!

You can find it at the foot of the Sentinel Building. (Photo by Dilu on Wikipedia)

The plaque reads: The area bounded by Montgomery, Pacific, Jackson and Kearny streets was known as “Chilecito” or “Little Chile” & was established during the gold rush period by Chilean settlers. Dedicated June 2002.

Woody wrote about the Gold Rush wave of Chileans to booming San Francisco in last year’s Jackson Square Heritage in the Neighborhoods month.

On September 8, you can join the San Francisco Historical Society’s History Live! series on Chileans in San Francisco to learn more of the story.

Also from the SFHS and community partners comes Epicenter on September 19, a self-guided walking tour exploring San Francisco’s extraordinary downtown and its many architectural gems. Included on the tour is One Montgomery, the landmarked bank building that will soon become publicly accessible under new owners, EMPIRE.

Tickets

Looking for something a little more...unexplained? Friday, August 28 and Saturday, August 29, the Haas-Lilienthal House (2007 Franklin Street) will host world-class magician and mentalist Steve Marshall for an immersive show, Echoes of the Past.

Guests will start with sparkling libations in the ballroom before being led throughout the house in a “part guided tour, part altered perception, and part immersive mystery.”

This is one of the first events hosted under our partnership with the Gregangelo Museum team, who also manages private events at the Haas-Lilienthal House. More information on using the house and rental opportunities can be found on the dedicated Haas-Lilienthal House website.

Tickets

Tickets are $75 + fees and support both SF Heritage and the Gregangelo Museum. Choose from a 6:30 and 8:30 show each evening. Limited to 16 guests per show. More slots will be opened up if original dates and times sell out.

Next week, for paid members, we will have a cool recipe from a legacy business, an invite to a special event, and another Archives Project update! Thank you all for continuing to read, engage, and support San Francisco Heritage.

Founded in 1971, San Francisco Heritage is a 501(c)(3) membership organization that preserves and enhances San Francisco’s unique architectural and cultural identity. Our programs and partnerships interpret, share, and celebrate the shared histories, landscapes, and communities of the city to instill optimism, belonging, and purpose.