Listener Tadd Williams often sees the 16th Street Station from I-880. It's a huge, stately building in the Beaux-Arts style. It's looking a little rundown now, but it was clearly once dazzling. In today's episode, we explore how this spot was important to West Oakland's Black community and the Civil Rights Movement. And we get a promising update on it's future.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.

Reserving camp sites in California can feel sometimes feel as hard as scoring Taylor Swift concert tickets. KQED's Senior Editor for Audience News, Carly Severn, breaks down some tips and tricks so you can score a great spot this summer.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Kelly O'Mara and Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Katrina Schwartz and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.

Just off the coast of Richmond is a small island that's home to over a hundred bird species, lots of field mice, one dog and one man. The singular human resident is caretaker for Brooks Island, which is actually a nature preserve run by the East Bay Regional Parks District. This week, reporter Katherine Monahan paddles out on a special kayak tour to discover the rich history of this lonely little island in the bay.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Katherine Monahan. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.

Mare Island, Alameda Naval Air Station, Treasure Island — San Francisco Bay is surrounded by former military bases that look largely abandoned and forgotten. Some businesses and artists are already making use of these spaces, but as reporter Pauline Bartolone finds out, redeveloping old military sites can be challenging, especially if the idea is to build much needed housing. This is the second installment in a two part series on shuttered military bases. You can listen to part one about why they closed in the first place here.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Pauline Bartolone. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Paul Lancour, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.

All around the edges of San Francisco Bay you'll find reminders of a once robust military presence in this area. The Presidio, Alameda Naval Air Station, Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Fort Baker and a slew of others—all of them closed. The Bay was once considered a strategic military stronghold, the 'Gateway to the Pacific,' but at some point that changed. This week, in the first installment of a two part story, Pauline Bartolone digs into the history of why the Bay Area's military presence has mostly disappeared.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Pauline Bartolone. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Amanda Font and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Paul Lancour, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.

If you can brave the cold and get over your worries about sharks, is it a good idea to swim in the bay's somewhat murky depths? This week, reporter Dana Cronin dives into this question about whether it's safe to swim in the bay and when it might not be such a good idea.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Dana Cronin. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Katrina Schwartz and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.

Do you ever finish a big plate of lo mein and suddenly think, 'Boy, I could really go for a Boston cream'? If you're in the Bay Area, you're in luck! There are plenty of spots here where you can get both, and a burger to go. Bay Curious listener Jaimie Cohen wants to know: "Why are there restaurants that serve Chinese food, donuts and burgers all in one location?" Reporter Asal Ehsanipour found that it's a uniquely Californian combination with an unexpected history.

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Reported by Asal Ehsanipour. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Ana De Almedia Amaral and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.

About 25 years ago, Fernet-Branca went from a somewhat eclectic drink, shared among the city's old school bartenders, to one of the most iconic spirits in San Francisco. Its polarizing taste profile has been compared to Vicks NyQuil and VapoRub on one end of the spectrum, to a delightful Christmas Tree or Chinese herbs on the other end. How did this divisive Italian spirit work its way into the hearts of San Franciscans? Bay Curious producer Amanda Font bellies up to the bar to find out.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Amanda Font. Kelly O'Mara contributed. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Ana De Almedia Amaral and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.

Our lives are full of sounds. The rumble of car engines, a particular birdsong, the 'ding' of phone alerts, even the voices of our friends and family — these everyday noises become so regular we don't even consider that you might hear them one day and then never hear them again. This week, KQED's Rachael Myrow takes back in time to track down some of the lost sounds of San Francisco.

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Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://donate.kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Ana De Almeida Amaral and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.

Most people believe that Monterey Jack Cheese originated in ... Monterey. And while the name 'Monterey Jack' establishes a clear claim, this week we're asking: Where is this silky cheese really from? You might be surprised.

This episode originally aired on the podcast in 2022.

Additional Reading:

Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts

This story was reported by Christopher Beale. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Ana De Almeida Amaral and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Maha Sanad, Katie Sprenger, Holly Kernan and the whole KQED family.