While much of the country’s attention will be on the East Coast to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, another important moment will be marked on the West Coast.

The transit exhibition becomes a history of San Francisco, showcasing notable figures like Phyllis Diller and Harvey Milk.

If there’s a lesser-known corner of San Francisco history, chances are Chris Carlsson has peeked into it. The historian, author, director of Shaping San Francisco and co-director of the history ...

“It seemed pretty much like living in a zoo,” said Woody LaBounty, leaning on a rail of a pier at San Francisco’s Northern waterfront. “Or drinking in a zoo.” The president of San Francisco Heritage ...

Jane Cryan walked into a leasing agency on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco just before closing one evening in 1982. She was looking for an apartment that could accommodate her grand piano. The flat ...