Truly crappy weather cancels a tour. Call to find out or learn how to read the weather!
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How Many Lakes were on Divisadero? (And when?) How do those water-loving willow trees on Alamo Square quench their thirst? (It’s not the dog pee!)

The 1857-59 map shows what was probably an orchard entirely filling the low spot that must have been the lake. The vertical white bars indicate the line of Divisadero Street.
Topics covered on this walk: Yelamu Indian trail, history of Divisadero Street, earliest development in the neighborhood, evidence for and against lakes along the street, geology of SF.
Joel Pomerantz of Thinkwalks will take you on a short walk to explore how the city came to be what it is, based on this little-studied neighborhood, once nicknamed “San Souci Valley.” That means Carefree Valley, almost. (Misspellings are a big part of local history!)
Learn about water that was here in the absorbant dunes. Fathom the extreme boomtown mentality that made this area a loony (but profitable) area to develop.
As always with Thinkwalks, you decide what to pay at the end of this short, richly narrated walk. Dress warmly, as it is generally very windy and the walk isn’t much warming exercise. In fact, we do a lot of hanging around talking, due to your extremely insightful questions and nerdy thoughts! Dress. Warmly.
If you can’t make it, call Thinkwalks at 415-505-8255 and request a Group Tour on a date that works for you!
RSVP required. Maximum 15 people. Feel free to call if you have questions. Thanks!
How Many Lakes were on Divisadero? (And when?) How do those water-loving willow trees on Alamo Square quench their thirst? (It’s not the dog pee!)

The 1857-59 map shows what was probably an orchard entirely filling the low spot that must have been the lake. The vertical white bars indicate the line of Divisadero Street.
Topics covered on this walk: Yelamu Indian trail, history of Divisadero Street, earliest development in the neighborhood, evidence for and against lakes along the street, geology of SF.
Joel Pomerantz of Thinkwalks will take you on a short walk to explore how the city came to be what it is, based on this little-studied neighborhood, once nicknamed “San Souci Valley.” That means Carefree Valley, almost. (Misspellings are a big part of local history!)
Learn about water that was here in the absorbant dunes. Fathom the extreme boomtown mentality that made this area a loony (but profitable) area to develop.
As always with Thinkwalks, you decide what to pay at the end of this short, richly narrated walk. Dress warmly, as it is generally very windy and the walk isn’t much warming exercise. In fact, we do a lot of hanging around talking, due to your extremely insightful questions and nerdy thoughts! Dress. Warmly.
If you can’t make it, call Thinkwalks at 415-505-8255 and request a Group Tour on a date that works for you!
RSVP required. Maximum 15 people. Feel free to call if you have questions. Thanks!
Come to Deepistan, the parklet at 937 Valencia for a series of 15 minute microtalks on water history in the Mission District — and whever else comes up in discussion.
Joel (your guide) will be alternating these history talks with Twirly-up demonstrations for the kids. Come and play!
This Thinkwalks “Water Walking Tour” will explore the big picture with 3 miles of walking on flat ground, plus lots of stops for in-depth discussion.
RSVP required to join this walk. Maximum 15 people.
We’ll visit the locations of the three creeks that attracted (and confused) the Spanish settlers. We’ll explore the site of the original Dolores spring. And we’ll look into the myths about the founding of San Francisco, debunking where necessary.
Heard of Mission Creek, and want to know where it was? Hint: It wasn’t actually a creek!?
We’ll also look at the landforms, flumes, the politics of drinking water and global water supplies. This is a tour for both curious folks and unfettered fanatics.
This Thinkwalks tour is the one that put us on the map—literally. We helped update the Water Department’s historic water map. Your Thinkwalks guide, Joel Pomerantz, was on the research team that recently proved the Mission was not founded on a freshwater lake. But serious waterways did flow in SF’s Mission District. Salt water mixed with sewage-polluted streams that flowed from freshwater hilltop springs.
Rain doesn’t necessarily cancel. Check here to see exact weather by the minute as it approaches!
Feel free to call if you have questions. Some of the sites we visit are described in the Thinkwalks iPhone apps.
If you can’t make this tour date, call or write and we’ll set up a water walk for the date (and neighborhood) you desire.

An idealized painting of the creek that carved San Souci Valley (the valley in which the wiggle bike route zigzags).
This is the best Thinkwalks tour for SF newcomers and old-timers. Learn how the city grew up, based on scant water features and ancient Indian trails. Did you know that the Freeway Revolt that changed the world started in this neighborhood? Did you know about the new research showing San Francisco was “founded” right here, beside Duboce Park? Did you know that the US Mint was built to withstand explosions but two weeks after opening was broken into!? Whether you’re visiting from afar or an entrenched local, this is your chance to deeply explore SF history!
Topics covered: Dunes and hills flattened, ancient Ohlone village, the Great Flood of 1862, dunes, transportation history, springs, bicycle politics, and how this neighborhood changed the world.
The Wiggle neighborhood has been the root of it all, and, as it happens, the route of it all. Joel Pomerantz of Thinkwalks will give you an award-winning and thorough view of how the city came to be what it is, based on this little-studied neighborhood, nicknamed “the Wiggle” by bicyclists zigzagging through it to avoid the hills.
At the end of this short walk (under a mile), you decide what to pay on a $10 to $40 sliding scale based on your ability to pay. Dress warmly as we stand still more than we walk. We do a lot of hanging around talking, due to your extremely insightful questions and nerdy thoughts! Dress. Warmly.
If you can’t make it on this date, call Thinkwalks at 415-505-8255 and request a Group Tour on a date that works for you!
RSVP required. Maximum 15 people. Feel free to call if you have questions.
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