My family stayed at Hotel Turpin, cnr of Powell/Market, for one night, Dec 20 1921, moving on the next night because they didn't like it. Could anyone provide some insight into the character of the hotel, or neighbourhood, at that time?

(The family diary is at http://www.synapse.net/~sensato/10diary.htm)

Many thanks, Hugh

-- Hugh Campbell (hughc@sensato.com), May 23, 1998

Answers

Hugh: First, let me give you and Scott my compliments for a wonderful site.

The Turpin Hotel is visible in the picture on your page immediately next to the bank building on the left. The neighborhood has always been a little scruffy, being located right on the edge of the Tenderloin. A smoke shop up the street was a front for a famous gambler.

Your relatives may have been made a little uncomfortable by the quality of the neighborhood and the noise of the cable car termius and the four tracks of streetcars on Market.

I would also like to point out that the picture you use for the Cliff House is of the third (depending how you count it) Cliff House, which burned down in 1907. The current fourth Cliff House is the one your relatives visited. The Cliff House has a home page at: http://www.cliffhouse.com/

- Joe Thompson

-- Joe Thompson (anonymous@anonymous.com), June 06, 1998.

The URL has changed for 'Doretta's Diary':

http://www.sensato.com/1921/10diary.htm

We still welcome any related links or further information on events, people and places the family encountered.

-- Hugh Campbell (hcampbell@rogers.com), November 20, 2002.