Following up on the palms on Dolores, reader LibertyHiller points us to this awesome 1943 streetcar map from CPRR.org. Click for the full version. (Nice fonts!)
Up to the early 50s, the 11 line ran down Dolores for two blocks on its way from Twin Peaks to downtown. Here we see it coming north down Dolores, about to turn east on 22nd:
The other numbered lines should look rather familiar — the private Market St Railway Company (which ran the numbered lines) was acquired in 1944 by the city-owned Muni (which ran the lettered lines). But in the late 40s and early 50s, the city ripped out the streetcars and their rails and replaced them with futuristic buses (except for the J, K, L, M and N). The 11 line didn’t make it, and our 1958 photo shows us the newly planted palm trees in its place.
Many bus lines like the 22 and 14 follow pretty much the same routes as their streetcar predecessors. The proto-24 was a Divisidero-only line that stopped before Haight (I’m guessing they extended it through Noe once they shut down the Castro cable car line.)
As for the other streetcar lines in the Mission, our beloved 26 ran down Guerrero instead of Valencia (until 18th where it switched over to Mission). In this 1928 photo from the SF Public Library, we see the 26 (and 10) tracks running down (a not-yet-widened) Guerrero and 28th with San Jose Ave breaking off to the right (site of the soon-to-be Pavement-to-Parks plaza).
There was a 9 line that ran down 29th to Mission and then continued on Valencia to the ferries. We’ve previously seen this 1948 shot of the 9 in front of the old Lyceum Theatre (aka Safeway).
Below we have the 9 stopped on 29th, right before Mission (we are looking down 29th to the west). The 3300 Club would be the building on the left, and the Front Porch would be a few buildings down. The buildings on the right no longer exist – the 199 Tiffany building is there now, and Goood Frikin Chicken would be on the right. (Progress!!)
The location of the 9 line photo below is not labeled on the SFPL site, but I am fairly certain this is looking north on Valencia, right after it merges with Mission. If so, that’s Duncan and St. Luke’s on the left.
Here is the intersection of Valencia and Mission in 1945 — the shot above would be to the left. The tower on the right is the Sears building.
Lots more 9 and 36 streetcar pictures on the Bernal History Project website.
Enough for now. Believe it or not, this is all going to come back to bowling. (You think I’m kidding.)
[...] Burrito Justice has just published a wonderful and informative piece on the history of the streetcar… The post is jam-packed with awesome imagery from the past, like a great streetcar map from 1943, and of the intersection of Valencia and Mission, then and now. [Burrito Justice] [...]
Great post, fantastic photos! Thanks!
Thanks for the props; I can’t wait until the bowling, seriously.
To add to the story: the 11 line survived until the 1980s as a motor coach run; there’s still a little paint on Dolores if you know where to look. Here’s a 1980 schematic from Flickr user Octoferret:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/octoferret/3277090611/
I moved here too late for the 11-Hoffman; the 13-Guerrero was axed in 1988, about a year after I arrived. Le sigh.
that was so thoughtful of the streetcar folks to put a bike rack on the front of the streetcars. awww. thinking ahead and being thoughtful. ;)
[...] Some SF History: When Streetcars Ran on Dolores Street (Burrito Justice) [...]
amazing the history of this place, especially all the bus/trolley lines that are no more. I guess the 26 will be joining them soon in the annals of history?
If you’re able to bring this somehow back to bowling, in three posts, I’ll be impressed!
Yeah, 50 years from now some dude will be posting pictures of the 26 on the IntarSpaceWeb and people will be getting all excited.
Johnny, you’re right! I guess there’s nothing like a train nerd, huh?
[...] Lines, Tufte Lines Damn, this 1927 streetcar map is cool – thanks to LibertyHiller pointing me to Octoferret’s most excellent [...]
[...] the 1940s, dozens of streetcar lines got the ax and were replaced with buses. Only five were spared. Four of them (K, L, M, N) survived [...]
[...] Posts Ironic BeersMuni Danger DataEl Rio, 31 (El Rio, 151)Muni Danger BusAboutStreetcars on Dolores, Valencia and GuerreroMission History as Revealed By Creeks, Streams, Lakes and LagoonsMission MicrohoodsMorning [...]
[...] like Len or Vivek saying it probably wouldn’t happen.) Streetcars are unlikely to return to Dolores, Valencia and Guerrero [...]