Mayor Phelan Dinner Party
May 20 1897
![](134052800222_50_small.jpg)
Image from the Marilyn Blaisdell collection, identified as an early Cliff House
interior photo by Dennis O'Rorke
Identified by Marilyn as "c1900 Cliff House dining room w/ Mayor James Phelan
group"
On further research this is likely a photograph of a dinner party Mayor Phelan
gave for
Harold Sewall,
per the below newspaper clippings.
![](The%20Cliff%20House%20Fourth%20Floor%20Main%20Parlor%20Southeast%20Corner_small.jpg) |
![](134052800222_50_small1.jpg) |
Analysis by John Hall (3/15/2022):
"The photograph shows the fourth floor Main
Parlor, looking at the southwest corner tower. I think there is an
upright piano and orchestra inside the turret. My guess on piano
placement was not far off (per above rendering). The only structural
difference I see is the archway into the turret area. That's not on
the plans, but is of a similar type of change that occurred
elsewhere on the plans." |
![](arrow.jpg)
Arrow shows line of sight, through SW turret
|
![](blueprint.jpg)
Top-down perspective |
- Newspaper Clippings -
![](The%20San%20Francisco%20Examiner%20-%20May%2023%201897.jpg)
The San Francisco Examiner - May 23 1897
![](San%20Francisco%20Chronicle%20-%2023%20May%201897.jpg)
San Francisco Chronicle - 23 May 1897
![](The%20San%20Francisco%20Call%20-%20May%2023%201897.jpg)
The San Francisco Call - May 23 1897
(Mistakenly gives the name as Arthur Sewall, rather than Harold Sewall)
|