San Francisco’s Market Street

Market Street forms the vertebrae of San Francisco. First surveyed in 1847 by Jasper O’Farrell, the boulevard was laid out to provide a transition between two opposing grids. Intended to become the city’s main and widest thoroughfare, it rapidly became the busiest.

In the mid 19th century, San Francisco was regarded as the most developed western American outpost of urbanity, sophistication and refinement. By the conclusion of the century, its reputation rivaled many East Coast cities. Market Street became the base for cable car and horse car lines providing service along the local commercial corridor and connections to distant transfer destinations.

The 1906 catastrophic San Francisco Earthquake and Fire briefly halted development. During the reconstruction, the Market Street cable car lines would be entirely removed and replaced by electric streetcars. Automobiles would replace streetcars. During the 1970s, the introduction of the subterranean Bay Area Rapid Transit system (BART) alleviated some of the traffic congestion.

This edition is an architectural survey of Market Street’s historical and contemporary buildings accompanied by historical profiles. The narrative begins from the Embarcadero until the Tenderloin district.

Architectural Properties Photographed:
“Cupid’s Span”, The Embarcadero and Folsom Streets
The Embarcadero, Piers 1, 1½, 3 and 5
Hyatt Regency Hotel, 5 Embarcadero Center
Robert Frost Memorial Plaque, California and Drumm
Landmark Building, 1 Market
Federal Reserve Bank Building, 101 Market
One California Building, 1 California
Mattson Building, 245 Market
101 California Building
Pacific Gas and Electric Building, 77 Beale
333 Market Building
388 Market Building
Liberty Bell Slot Machine Marker, 406 Market
425 Market Building
One Front Building
Mechanics Monument, Market at Battery and Bush
Central Plaza, 455 Market
One Bush Building
Battery Bridge Public Art, Between Market and Bush
First Market Tower, 525 Market
525 Market Fountain
American Trust Bank Building, 532 Market
Flat Iron Building, 544 Market
550 Market Building
554 Market Building
Patrick & Company, 560 Market
Chancery Building, 562-566 Market
570-572 Market Building
Market Center Building, 555-575 Market
The Finance Building, 576-580 Market
581-585 Market Building
Hobart Building, 582 Market
595 Market Building
West Coast Life Building, 601-605 Market Building
607-611 Market Building
Metropolis Trust Building, 625 Market
44 Montgomery Building
California Admission Day Memorial, Market and Montgomery
One Montgomery Tower, 120 Kearny
One Post Building
652-660 Market Building
De Young Building, 690 Market
Lotte Crabtree Fountain, Market and Geary and Kearny
Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery
Monadnock Building, 685 Market
One Kearny Building
Hearst Building, 5 Third
Mutual Savings Bank Building, 700-716 Market
Central Tower, 701-705 Market
711-713 Market Building
717 Market Building
720 Market Building
721 Market Building
722-742 Market Building
Bancroft Building, 731 Market
Union Trust Building, 744 Market
Four Seasons Hotel and Residences, 757-765 Market
Savings Union Branch of Security Pacific National Bank, 1 Grant
Phelan Building, 760-784 Market
Humboldt Saving Bank Building, 785 Market
799 Market Building
2 Stockton Building
Hotel Zelos, 12 Fourth
James Bong Building, 825-833 Market
California Savings Bank Building, 830 Market
Parrot Building/The Emporium, 835 Market
838-842 Market Street
856 Market Building
James Flood Building, 870 Market
Hallidie Plaza, Public Square at Powell Station
901 Market Building
One Hallidie Plaza
944 Market Building
Bank of America Building, One Powell