Tuesday, April 24, 2007

About the Little Streets of San Francisco




Market Street is 120 feet wide--Van Ness Avenue is wider still (125 feet)--both are important arteries for getting around San Francisco, but what of the capillaries, the little streets, the one-way streets and those too small for cars to travel, or so steep they need steps, or too short to notice, or too unimportant to appear on most maps? For decades after the gold rush created a "sudden San Francisco," there were "streets" on Russian and Telegraph hills, they had to be scaled by wooden ladder. Horse-drawn service carts and drays were relegated, as much as possible, to the alleyways behind the grand houses--the same alleyways and little streets where parking is impossible and quaint, tiny houses now carry huge pricetags. I'll even show you Short Street if you'll be patient for just a bit.

I love exploring these little streets, and I'd love to show them to you. I invite you to come along with me on my blog adventure as I explore the little streets of San Francisco.

3 comments:

Lily Chu said...

Very interesting, have to go there and see these little streets - never heard of them before.

Sue Raymer Woods said...

I liked reading about Elim Street, will check it out some day.

Defined said...

Eileen, you have chosen an interesting topic for your blog. I am familiar with several small streets in San Francisco. Have you walked Perine Place?

Sonnie