By Jennifer Maerz
It’s crazy to think how much certain San Francisco neighborhoods have changed in the last decade. I’ve lived here since the ’90s and have never seen entire streets jump economic and cultural brackets so quickly. The Western Addition is among the areas going through big recent shifts, but luckily the neighborhood still holds on to much of its charm. It’s also an area that’s gone through through very difficult times, which is another conversation entirely.
On the eve of our celebration of Divisadero Street, a block party on Thursday, March 27, we’re taking a look back at the thoroughfare with historic photos from the ’40s and ’50s. These images come from the San Francisco Public Library’s fantastic historical photos collection, and they were gathered by our friends at the non-profit Historypin, a great site that will let you compare these shots with the modern day street view. Check out their Year of the Bay project, which collects personal stories about San Francisco neighborhoods.
The photo above is Divisadero Street, south of Oak Street, on July 21, 1940. All the rest have their locations noted below.
Divisadero Street at Fulton Street, March 5, 1951
Malardino Auto Service on Divisadero Street, 1946–1950
444 Divisadero Street, July 18, 1951
Divisadero Street at Fulton Street, March 5, 1951
Fell Street at Divisadero Street, November 13, 1955
Fell Street at Divisadero Street, November 29, 1947
Exterior of the Harding Theater, 1942
Divisadero Street at Oak Street, July 11, 1955
Divisadero Street at Fulton Street, March 3, 1951
Divisadero Street at Oak Street, July 11, 1955
