Today I'm heading to the "Old Mint"* SOMA (San Francisco's South of Market) to catch the second annual 'show-off' info displays of the Historical Societies of SF and California, plus a few dozen specialized history and neighborhood orgs, mostly created and kept up by volunteers.
If you are in the area of San Francisco, which some refer to as "THE CITY" - the expo is worth a drop-in.
One of the participants is the National Maritime Museum - San Francisco, part of the National Park Service, whose rangers have become re-interested in bringing home the riverboat "Delta Queen" (first built for SF to Sacramento daily runs), possibly in time for the AMERICA'S CUP races to be held here next year. From what I read, the boat is again for sale.

I will send an update on the "Bring the Queen Home" campaign when my visit to the Mint is done.

*[This 'Old Mint' is not the U.S. Mint Twain so many time wrote about as a reporter for The Call - only the facade remains of that, and a very small, cramped museum on Commercial Street]
-Richard R - SF/Oakland

HERE'S THE HISTORY EXPO INVITE:

San Francisco History Expo 2012 
March 3-4, 2012
The Old Mint -- 88 Fifth Street at Mission -- Free  (Donations welcome!)

A city is defined by its past as well as its present. San Francisco’s past is extraordinarily rich and varied, thanks to the influx of immigrants who came here, bringing their traditions to this new world. 


We are fortunate that today there are those who strive to preserve the past and the history of their neighborhoods through oral  histories, artifacts and photographs. Showcasing this diversity was the premise behind the first SFMHS History Expo in February of 2011,  attended by over 3500 visitors who spent hours visiting more than 25 mini-museums set up by local organizations.


The 2011 event was a tremendous success, so we are doing it again: Saturday and Sunday, March 3 and 4, at the Old Mint. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.The two-day event will once again feature mini-museums set up by participating organizations. In addition, there will be a special exhibition of 42 photographs called “Elegant Pit Stops,” a display of historic garages in the city.

There will be special presentations on the main level each day, and historic films will be on the Vault level. We also have it on good authority that Emperor Joshua Norton plans to make an appearance.