Telegraph Hill Dwellers’ Oral History Project records the experiences of many of the unique people who have made, and continue to make, our neighborhood the wonderful place it is. In addition to preserving the character of Telegraph Hill and North Beach, THD’s Oral History Project seeks to preserve its characters — residents, artists, poets, and business owners with deep family roots in the neighborhood.

With a start-up grant to the Conservancy by the San Francisco Foundation, along with private donations, the Conservancy has helped to fund the Oral History Project by acting as THD’s fiscal sponsor so that donations to the project are tax deductible. To date, more than 20 interviews have been completed, and the list of potential “narrators” is three times as long.

Most of the oral histories are available on THD’s website and online through the History Center of the San Francisco Public Library. Copies are also available at the North Beach Branch Library and the Bancroft California History Library at UC Berkeley. Those of Italian heritage have also been placed in the University of Minnesota Immigration History Research Center.

Donations and grants are needed at this time to purchase updated video/audio equipment and to train volunteers to conduct future professional oral history interviews. Although past oral histories have been audio only, all subsequent interviews will be on video when funds are raised to purchase an HD camera, microphone, tripod, and lights. Volunteer interviewers are encouraged to contact THD.