Interpretive Design work of Ormsby and Thickstun

Sutro's Glass Palace
The Story of Sutro Baths

2 Nov 2014

Published by Hole in the Head Press.
Sam Stokes, Publisher.
Susan Tasaki, Editor.

Available from Amazon.

Like a majestic ocean liner or a grand hotel, the Victorian-era Sutro Baths dazzled visitors with its over-the-top opulence and its many attractions: seven swimming pools filled with filtered and heated seawater, a museum, restaurants, tropical plants, promenades, and seating for thousands of spectators, all covered by more than 100,000 square feet of glass.

The creation of Comstock millionaire Adolph Sutro, the Baths opened in 1894 and ended in fire in 1966. Once the debris was cleared, little remained of Sutro’s ambitious structure, which he intended to outshine the baths of Rome. Today, visitors explore its concrete ruins and mysterious tunnels, which are protected by the National Park Service as part of the larger Lands End site.

Sutro’s Glass Palace, the fascinating story of a vanished but enduring piece of San Francisco history, comprehensively answers the question, “What was this place?”

Highlights include:

An in-depth account of the rise and fall of Sutro Baths
Detailed architectural renderings and diagrams
Historical and contemporary photographs
News stories of the day revealing the Baths’ darker side
A field guide to the ruins

"outstanding artwork"

This is an excellent book, unlikely to ever be surpassed. It combines John Martini's historical expertise with a wealth of illustrations: B&W and color photographs, plus outstanding artwork by Lawrence Ormsby.

The Sutro Baths were a major San Francisco recreation location for generations. Anyone interested in the history of San Francisco will want to have a copy of this book.

--Bolling W. Smith

"beautifully illustrated"

Sutro Baths was one of the wonders of the West Coast when it was built. To this day it is one of the largest indoor swimming complexes ever constructed. It has been all but forgotten since it was destroyed by fire in 1966. Now almost fifty years later Hole in the Head Press has published John A. Martini's truly excellent work on the complex. Not only has Martini written a wonderful history of the building and the activities that took place within it, but his text is supported by a large number of period and current pictures.

The illustrations by Lawrence Ormsby are simply stunning. Between these three descriptive tool the baths are brought back to life in a way I had always hoped I would be able to get my hands on. Getting all of this for less than the cost of two large pizzas makes it even more appealing. I recommend this book to those interested in San Francisco history, the Victorian in general, and those who have a fascination with swimming and amusement complexes. This is a simply wonderful volume. It is written with intelligence and passion, well researched and beautifully illustrated with both photos and amazingly detailed 3D graphics. I can't think of a reason NOT to own a copy of this!

--Terry Sofian

"great layout"

Sutro's Glass Palace is one of those special books—one you want to keep on hand because not only is it a part of you and your history, it's a beautiful, well-written book. I knew Sutro's Baths. I learned to ice skate there & spent time wandering the galleries and immersing myself in the museum artifacts the the mechanical wonders in the Musee Mecanique. As someone familiar with this history, I'm impressed by John Martini's in-depth research, his concise, clean writing, the crisp images, the fantastic drawings and the great layout—in color. I'm reading it again for the second time & marvel at Adolph Sutro's implementation of his dream. John brought Sutro's back to life.

This book is the undisputed authority on the Sutro Baths and deserves to be on the shelves of anyone who calls themselves a San Franciscan or who recalls those glory days.

--James Smith

Sutro's Glass Palace The Story of Sutro Baths

Sutro's Glass Palace
The Story of Sutro Baths