Skip to content

Details

(Photo above: Family moving "their" earthquake Cottage from Precita Park up to Bernal Hts.,1907. Occupants could keep the government provided, union built cottage they had lived in after the earthquake, if the rent was up to date. Sometimes charged $100. for the cottage. But land values had bottomed after the earthquake. Rows of these, painted park bench green were temporarily built in most of the parks in SF and the Presidio.
We'll explore and discover the scenic, up and down stair pathways, as well as the Victorian architecture in this unique neighborhood. Not to mention the marvelous views as we ascend the stair paths.

(Here's a simple link that will allow you to support the Meetup and add a thank you.)

(Total distance, two miles, but there are eight novel steps/stair/paths to climb up, resulting in a total elevation gain of just over 500'. You'll get your, "steps"/exercise, but overall we go slow, stopping to see some of the Victorian details and taking in the gorgeous views.
Wear sturdy shoes. Don't risk a fall or a sprained ankle, or worse ,by wearing inappropriate footwear for this activity.
I think what makes Bernal Hts. unique in SF is that the early difficulties in commuting due to the terrain, made it a less desirable location. Resulting in a very working class, blue collar neighborhood with affordable housing for the locals. It also lacked in City infrastructure with some dirt roads not being paved until the 1980s. The typical SF, rigid grided, street layout didn't work well in Bernal Hts. The Berkeley ideal of streets following the contour of the land may have resulted in much more expensive housing? Instead we see so many moderate wood houses almost defying gravity in clinging to the sloping hills.

If you have a problem maintaining your social calendar, please be advised!

(Don't be a no-show.) It's good to give out name tags which I do. I fill out the name tags just before I leave for the tour. This also gives me a way to take attendance. Name tags that are not picked up, are recorded as no-shows. If you get too many no-shows recorded in your personal Meet-up profile you'll have to be cancelled from this Meetup.
(To cancel your RSVP beforehand (please at least 24 hrs.), look for the, "Edit Attendance" tab at the bottom right hand corner of the screen.)

Bernal Heights-Architectural Heritage Tour-following,"Adah's Stair Paths" , from the guide book, Stairway Walks in San Francisco by Adah Bakalinsky and Mary Burk.

AI summary

By Meetup

Walking history tour of historic stair routes and Victorian architecture for history lovers; you’ll learn to spot Victorian details along the routes.

Related topics

Events in San Francisco, CA
Architecture
Walking Tours
Art Walks and Tours
Walking
Victorian

You may also like