Excelsior District, San Francisco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Excelsior District
|
|
|---|---|
Row houses in the Excelsior District
|
|
 Excelsior District
Location in San Francisco County
|
|
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.50 km2 (1.350 sq mi) |
| • Land | 3.50 km2 (1.350 sq mi) |
| Population
(2019)
|
|
| • Total | 32,552 |
| • Density | 9,310/km2 (24,113/sq mi) |
| ZIP Code |
94112, 94134
|
| Area codes | 415/628 |
The Excelsior District is a lively neighborhood located in San Francisco, California. It is known for its diverse community and interesting history.
Contents
Where is the Excelsior District?
The Excelsior District is found in the southern part of San Francisco. It is located along Mission Street. You can find it east of San Jose Avenue and south of Interstate 280. John McLaren Park is to its west, and Geneva Avenue is somewhat to its north.
Neighborhoods within the Excelsior District
The Excelsior District includes several smaller areas. These are the Excelsior neighborhood itself, along with Mission Terrace, Outer Mission, and Crocker Amazon.
A Look at Excelsior's Past
The Excelsior District officially began on April 15, 1869. Records of its start are kept at City Hall. An old map from that time shows the area was once part of a large land grant called the Rancho Rincon de las Salinas y Potrero Viejo.
How the District Grew
This large land area later became known as Southern San Francisco on city maps. This is not the same as the town of South San Francisco. The Southern San Francisco area covered everything south and central along Mission Street.
As San Francisco grew, new neighborhoods were created. These included Bernal Heights, Ingleside, The Excelsior District, Visitacion Valley, and The Bay View District. Over time, the Excelsior District was further divided into smaller areas. These smaller parts are useful for real estate. Some of these names are the Excelsior neighborhood itself, Mission Terrace, Crocker Amazon, Cayuga, and Outer Mission. Even with these smaller parts, most people still call the whole area the Excelsior District today.
Street Names and Their Stories
Many streets in the Excelsior District have interesting names. The streets are often named after the capitals of countries. The avenues are named after countries themselves. A man named Emanuel Lewis and his daughter Jeannette chose these names. Emanuel Lewis built about 200 houses. These houses were sold after the big 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
On the west side of the district, also known as Mission Terrace, many streets were named after American Indian tribes. Examples include Onondaga, Navajo, Modoc, Ottawa, Oneida, Seminole, and Cayuga. Some street names have changed over the years. For example, Excelsior Avenue was originally named "China." Due to past feelings against Asian people, streets named India, Japan, and China were changed. They became Peru, Avalon, and Excelsior Streets.
To remember the original names, a local group called F.A.C.E. (Friends and Advocates of Crocker-Amazon and the Excelsior) helped. In 2011, they won a grant to put up new street signs. These signs show both the current and original street names. In 2013, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors officially added the original names to the street signs.
Who Lives in Excelsior?
In its early days, the Excelsior District was home to many families from Italy, Ireland, and Switzerland. Later, in the late 1970s, 80s, and 90s, the neighborhood became mostly Latino. This happened as refugees from Central American wars and immigrants from Mexico arrived. The Excelsior District also has a large Filipino community.
For the past twenty years, the Excelsior District and nearby areas like Ingleside, Ocean View, and Visitacion Valley have seen more Asian residents. These areas were once mostly African American. Today, the Excelsior District is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco. This means people from many different backgrounds and cultures live there.
Famous People from Excelsior
Many well-known people have lived in the Excelsior District:
- Grateful Dead singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia
- Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame shortstop Joe Cronin
- Singer Jay Gordon
- Turntablist and composer DJ Qbert
- Boxer Pat Valentino, who was a world heavyweight contender in 1949
- San Francisco supervisor Dan White
- Surrealist poet Philip Lamantia
