The Beautiful Hidden Logic of San Francisco’s Streets

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Before the year 1835, the several ships that came into the bay of San Francisco regularly anchored opposite the Presidio at Black Point, at North Point, or Sausalito, but the anchorages were unsafe. Consequently, ships began to seek safety, and the better anchorage was found off what was known as Yerba Buena Cove. It was here Francisco de Haro founded the town of Yerba Buena. And it was here that the city’s first streets appeared, called La Calle de la Fundacion (Foundation street). It began from a spot near the modern corner of Kearny and Pine streets and ran in a northeasterly direction to North Beach, having Telegraph Hill at one end and sandhills at the other. From that time, the rapid growth of the town began. Even though much time has passed since the founding of the city, you can still find a lot of evidence of the past in the geography of the streets.

San Francisco’s streets by a suffix

The eastern part of the city comprises the original layout that was started in the 1840s and developed as the population grew. The western part of San Francisco was dunes and very few people lived out there. After the 1906 earthquake, there was a big population increase in that direction.

The neighborhoods there are the Richmond and the Sunset. Likely for ease of navigation the streets going east to west were all numbered. To distinguish them from the existing numbered streets in the eastern part of the city they were called avenues. The streets going north to the south out there were originally just given letters. In 1909 to make things easier for mail carriers they assigned names to the streets. If you look at a map you can see it more or less is alphabetical starting.

Relative distributions of street orientations

Here is the division of San Francisco’s streets by road orientations. San Francisco has grids partly tilted due to geography.

According to the map created by Vizual-statistix most of all San Francisco’s streets run either north-south or east-west.

Mapping female versus male street names

It is an interesting fact that most of San Francisco’s streets have male names. According to the map created by Aruna Sankaranarayanan, using OpenStreet data, about 28 % of the city’s streets are named after women (on the map below, blue streets are named after men, pink streets are named after women).

Top 10 the most popular streets in San Francisco

1. Lombard Street
   With eight twistings, it’s known as the “most crooked street in the United States.” As one of the most well-known streets in San Francisco, the picturesque road is tiled with bricks and moves through some historical, upscale neighborhoods, including Russian Hill and the Marina.
2. Haight Street
   Haight Street was a famous hang-out for hippies trying a bohemian lifestyle in the 1960s. The wonderfully renovated Victorian and Edwardian houses, dive bars, old-school record, and vintage shops draw an eclectic mix of locals and guests.
3. Castro Street
   Castro Street runs through San Francisco’s famously open LGBTQ+ district called “The Castro.” The buzzing atmosphere, inclusive bars, and entertaining nightlife make it a famous traveler destination. The street is amazingly alive and bright during the yearly summer San Francisco Pride Parade.
4. Market Street
   Market Street extends for miles through downtown San Francisco and is one of the city’s main roadways. Starting at Embarcadero in front of the Ferry Building, the street passes past many significant sightseer destinations. These comprise the city’s Financial District, Westfield Mall, the trolley rides in Union Square, and the City Hall in the Civic Center.
5. Valencia Street
   A stroll down Valencia Street takes you through the more popular side of San Francisco. Located in Mission District, a picturesque neighborhood known for its creative atmosphere and Latino heritage, Valencia Street has become “hipsterfied” in recent times. The most beautiful corridor is located between 14th and 28th Streets. You’ll see unusual dining experiences, niche eateries, and unusual boutiques.
6. Embarcadero
   The Embarcadero stretches three miles from Pier 39 to South Beach Harbour on San Francisco’s eastern bayside coastland. The palm tree-lined avenue is one of the most spectacular parts of the city. It’s stuffed with renewed piers, establishments, and stores.
7. Grant Avenue
   Grant Avenue is the principal street in San Francisco’s Chinatown. This district is the oldest and most extensive Chinese community in the United States. It runs north-south, beginning at Market Street in the core of downtown and dead-ending past Francisco Street in the North Beach neighborhood. It continues at North Point Street and extends one block to The Embarcadero and the foot of Pier 39.
8. Divisadero
   Divisadero Street extends from the Marina District to Lower Haight, slicing through some of the hippest neighborhoods in San Francisco. Once a sleepy area. There are many cannabis stores, stylish eateries, charming brunch places, and artsy boutiques on this street.
9. Union Square
   Union Square is a vigorous one-block plaza in downtown San Francisco. The large plaza is usually recognized as the city’s pulsing heart because of its various dining, shopping, and amusement options. It’s unquestionably the most well-known square in San Francisco. In the neighborhood are art salons, exclusive department shops, stylish boutiques, and off-Broadway theatres.
10. Ghirardelli Square
    Ghirardelli Square placed near Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. It’s the original place of the 1895 Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory. The impressive brick structures now house outstanding eateries, masterpiece boutiques, and a 5-star hotel.

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