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Author, Historian, Lecturer
"One of LinkedIn's top 1% most endorsed in the U.S. for History!"
Our family came to San Francisco in 1849 so my roots are deep. My ancestors include sheep herders, dairy ranchers, delicatessen owners, bankers, and no-nonsense bartenders. I grew up listening to stories told around the dinner table about our California heritage -- ranching in the 1880s, the earthquake and fire of 1906, the wondrous 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition, and legends of immigrant life passed down by the first generation of European ancestors.
(I was especially intrigued by the '49er in our family tree who jumped ship in San Francisco at the height of the Gold Rush to hunt for gold -- and actually found some.)
At an early age I became fascinated by the City's history and our family’s role in its many stories. I guess I've been a historian-in-training my whole life.
During my twenty-five year career as a National Park Ranger I was fortunate to be stationed at some of our nation's most important historic places, from Alcatraz Island to Pearl Harbor. But much of my career was spent in my own backyard, working at such famous San Francisco sites as the Marin Headlands and the Presidio of San Francisco. Here, I learned the skills of a historian and an interpretive Ranger, and developed a passion for sharing my love of San Francisco with others.
Today, I offer a variety of historical walks and talks about San Francisco and the Bay Area along with historical research and technical writing services. As the author of several books about San Francisco and military history, I'm as much a storyteller as historian.
I look forward to helping you discover -- or rediscover -- San Francisco and its many stories.
-John Arturo Martini
(P.S. Who are those sturdy folks at the top of the page? My great-grandparents, Michael Mafissiamo Righetti and Magdalena Tognazzini Righetti. Photo taken around 1900 near their dairy ranch at Cayucos, California.)
UPCOMING EVENTS & APPEARANCES
May 4, 2025 Open House at Battery Townsley, Fort Cronkhite, Marin Headlands. Noon to 4 PM. Free to the public.
June 1, 2025 Open House at Battery Townsley, Fort Cronkhite, Marin Headlands. Noon to 4 PM. Free to the public.
June 9, 2025 Smithsonian webcast: "Defending San Francisco Bay." 5:30PM Pacific Time.
June 12, 2025 Western Neighborhoods Project Movie Club at the 4-Star Theater. "So I Married An Axe Murder." 7 PM. 2200 Clement St, SF.
June 22, 2025 "Golden Gate Bridge: American Icon" for participants in Road Scholar's "Signature City, San Francisco" program.
June 29, 2025 "Golden Gate Bridge: American Icon" for participants in Road Scholar's "Signature City, San Francisco" program.
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I've begun posting my most popular talks to YouTube. Try these links:
Other On-line Stuff...
- John's newest book Fort Point National Historic Site, is now available. Published by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, this is the complete story of the fort's construction, wartime history, decline and restoration. Available at Fort Point and the Presidio Visitor Center.
- John's hugely popular Sutro's Glass Palace: The Story of Sutro Baths. A lavishly illustrated history of Adolph Sutro's magnificent bathhouse, filled with scores of historic photographs and new illustrations that bring San Francisco's lost landmark back to life. Available at the Lands End Lookout Visitor Center.