San Francisco's infamous, secretive men's club was originally founded by bonafide bohemians – but they couldn't afford the upkeep and allowed the ultra-rich to join. Today's member roster lists an odd mix of power elite and artists: apparently both Henry Kissinger and Grateful Dead frontman Bob Weir are current members. On the ivy-covered club, spot owl emblems and a bronze plaque honoring gold rush–era author Bret Harte.
On the plaque's extreme right is 'The Heathen Chinee.' It's not a racist attack but a reference to the eponymous 1870 satirical poem Harte wrote mocking anti-Chinese sentiment in Northern California. Sadly, the poem was misconstrued, and became a rallying cry against Chinese immigration.
