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The prestige of Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights has long fascinated and awed San Francisco residents and visitors. The westward expansion of the city, followed by the addition of cable car lines, quickly transformed these once-barren outlands into gardens, schools, consulates, and homes, both extravagant and simple. Attracted to the stunning views and unique architecture, prominent and humble families alike have formed the fascinating role of Pacific Heights and Presidio Heights in San Francisco lore.
About the author
Raised in Presidio Heights and educated in Pacific Heights, San Francisco native Tricia O'Brien presents here the story of these prominent neighborhoods in vintage imagery. O'Brien, also the author of San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point, draws from the collections of her neighbors, family, and friends, as well as institutions such as the San Francisco Architectural Heritage collection. These photographs and ephemera offer a personal and historic peek into the genesis and evolution of these iconic neighborhoods. With commanding early views of streets such as Jackson, Pacific, and Broadway, this collection harkens back to the earliest days of the city's history and with it the stories and people that made these two districts into two of San Francisco's true signature neighborhoods.
