#1, Mission District Tour Series,(#1 thru #13)--"Shotwell St."-Tour #1

(Photo above: an Omnibus Co. horse drawn streetcar, runs on Howard Street, in front of grand homes, 1886. Horse drawn street cars started running in the Mission in the 1850s.)

We're embarking on following series of thirteen heritage, history and architecture tours of the Mission District.

1. Shotwell St., Victoriana
2. South Mission-Avenues & Alleys
3. East Mission-Florida-to-Hampshire Sts.
4. Horner's Addition East
5. Gottlieb Knopf Block
6. Von Schroeder-Welsh Block
7. 23rd St. Shops & Row Houses
8. Alabama St., Pioneers
9. Hampshire St., False Fronts
10. Juri Street
11. Olsen's Queen Anne Cottages
12. O'Donnell-Fowler Homes
13. Orange Alley Stables & Lofts

Enjoy a Victorian heritage, architectural walking tour, of the Mission District.
Locations today from Shotwell St. between 20th & 25th, as well as portions of South Van Ness & Folsom Sts.
The north-south linear area in the Central Mission District resembles an "ideal" Victorian era suburban neighborhood: a corridor of mostly high-style architecture and detached single family houses for the 19th century middle classes. Located between very early streetcar lines (see photo above) on Howard (South Van Ness Ave.) and Folsom Sts., the area developed as one of the Mission's early prototypical residential neighborhoods.

This is a very interesting neighborhood that will be fun to explore and discover the ins and outs, nooks and crannies and architectural pathways. All and all by the time the first round is done we'll have found thirteen different tours in the Southeast Mission. Don't miss the first one.

Afterwards options for brunch at a restaurant hopefully recommended by a local person on the tour. And also check the music line-up for this afternoon at the El Rio at 3158 Mission St., bet. Cesar Chavez & Courtland. It would be nice to check-out the local music scene.

To make a comparison between the East Coast's early history and San Francisco's: Having grown up on the East Coast in Philadelphia, I lived, worked in and visited the well known, large and small, famous historic districts: most well known, Beacon Hill in Boston, Greenwich Village in NYC, Georgetown in D.C., Society Hill in Philadelphia (I lived there for twelve years.). Unfortunately San Francisco lost its most historic areas in the 1906 Earthquake & Fire. But a large portion of the other side of town survived. Thus the Mission, SF's oldest neighborhood becomes San Francisco's most historic neighborhood, which is borne out from what I've seen.

What do the Victorian houses look like out there? In every neighborhood in SF the Victorians differ. In each instance a unique group of people came together to build a single house or a cluster. Something like a unique group coming together to make a Hollywood movie. People relying on each others skills, strengths, experience, knowledge and talent to get something done. What was created is as unique as those who built it. Giving us a part of their past in our present.

The SF Planning Dept., has done extensive studies of the history, buildings and architecture of several City neighborhoods
An excellent Historic Context statement exists for the Mission District which will add greatly to knowledge of this area.