Alamo Square, San Francisco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alamo Square
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Looking across Alamo Square Park towards the famous "Painted Ladies" and city skyline
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 Alamo Square
Location in San Francisco
Alamo Square
Location in California
Alamo Square
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| City and county | San Francisco |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.463 sq mi (1.20 km2) |
| • Land | 0.463 sq mi (1.20 km2) |
| Population
(2008)
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| • Total | 5,617 |
| • Density | 31,059/sq mi (11,992/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
94115, 94117
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| Area codes | 415/628 |
Alamo Square is a lively neighborhood in San Francisco, California. It is famous for its beautiful park and the colorful Victorian houses nearby. The neighborhood is part of the Western Addition area. Its borders are Buchanan Street to the east, Turk Street to the north, Baker Street to the west, and Page Street to the south.
Alamo Square Park is the main spot in the neighborhood. It sits on top of a hill and offers amazing views of downtown San Francisco. Many large and unique mansions surround the park. The most famous ones are the "Painted Ladies", which you might have seen on postcards! The park is bordered by Hayes Street, Steiner Street, Fulton Street, and Scott Street.
The name "Alamo" comes from a lone cottonwood tree that once stood there. "Álamo" means cottonwood in Spanish. In the 1800s, Alamo Hill was a watering spot for horses traveling between Mission Dolores and the Presidio. In 1856, Mayor James Van Ness created a 12.7 acres (5.1 ha) park around this watering hole, and that's how "Alamo Square" was born.
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Fun Things to Do at Alamo Square Park
Alamo Square Park is a popular place for everyone. It has a playground and a tennis court. Neighbors, tourists, and people with dogs often visit the park.
On a clear day, you can see some of San Francisco's most famous landmarks from the park. These include the Transamerica Pyramid building, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Bay Bridge. You can also see the San Francisco City Hall straight down Fulton Street.
The park was closed for seven months in 2016 for a big renovation. It cost $4.3 million to make it even better!
Cool Architecture and Famous Houses
Victorian Style Homes
The Alamo Square neighborhood is known for its amazing Victorian architecture. These homes were mostly saved from big city changes in other parts of the Western Addition. The Alamo Square area has many large homes, some over 10,000 square feet (930 m2). It has the second-highest number of such large homes in San Francisco.
A row of Victorian houses on Steiner Street, facing the park, are called the "Painted Ladies". These colorful houses are often seen in pictures with the city skyline behind them. Many movies, TV shows, and commercials have been filmed here. For example, the opening scene of the TV show Full House (1987–1995) shows the cast having fun in Alamo Square Park with the "Painted Ladies" in the background.
There are many other important mansions around the park. These include the William Westerfeld House and the Archbishop's Mansion. In the early 1900s, some of these homes were even used by Russian and German consuls. In 1984, the area became the Alamo Square Historic District. This means the buildings are protected because they show how people lived long ago.
The Alamo Square Historic District is special because it shows amazing homes built by talented architects from the 1870s to the 1920s. The tall Westerfield House, the famous "Postcard Row" with the city skyline, and the nearby streets are known worldwide as symbols of San Francisco, just like the cable cars and Coit Tower. The District has many different building styles, but they all look like homes. They are not too big, are mostly made of wood, have lots of decorations, and use basements and walls to fit on the hillsides. The District still looks very much like it did originally, showing us how business people lived two to four generations ago.
Who Lives in Alamo Square?
The people living in Alamo Square are a mix of different groups. Many young people and families with good jobs live here. There are also older residents who have been in the neighborhood for a long time.
Divisadero Street, which is next to Alamo Square, has many small businesses. You can find cool and popular restaurants and bars there. These places are popular with young people who work in San Francisco's growing tech industry. They like Alamo Square because of its good weather, central location, and easy access to public transportation.
Local groups like the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association work to keep the area special. They have even helped put rules in place to limit big chain stores on Divisadero Street.
Famous People Who Lived Here
The famous author Alice Walker used to live in one of the "Painted Lady" Victorian houses across from Alamo Square Park until the mid-1990s.
Images for kids
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Alamo Square from the air
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Alamo Square facing south
See also
In Spanish: Alamo Square (San Francisco) para niños
