Tuesday's Fun Filled Facts ‘bout San Francisco: Sausalito

From the SFHotelstories History File: Neighborhoods

Although not technically in the city of San Francisco, it is the closest town over the Golden Gate Bridge and worth of attention.

Sausalito, the little village just over the Golden Gate Bridge has a population of only 7,000, but a grand history that rivals its much bigger neighbors.

The name comes from Saucito, the small willow trees growing in the area. The name was obviously later morphed into “Saucelito,” and finally “Sausalito.”

Sally Stanford was a well-known brothel owner in the mid-20th century, which was one of the worst-kept secrets in San Francisco. Despite her notorious, and public notoriety, she was still elected to the Sausalito city council, and then two terms as mayor!

The houseboats of Sausalito are well known to bay area locals, but have been around since the late 1800s. Their numbers increased after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire but became cemented in popular culture with the influx of beatniks, then Hippies. Soon thereafter the Sausalito houseboats became known as a Bohemian enclave.

Both the films Superdad and Zodiac were shot on their legendary houseboats.

Otis Redding conceived his hit song, Dock of the Bay, while sitting on a dock at the Waldo Point Harbor. In the city of Sausalito.