Looking Across GG Park from Mt. Sutro showing inner Sunset, Golden Gate Park, and Richmond District. In the foreground is the Olympic Club Grounds, taken by W.C. Billington circa 1901

Credit: OpenSFHistory / wnp15.569

Inner Sunset Historic Context Statement

The Inner Sunset Historic Context Statement was prepared for the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, the Historic Preservation Fund Committee, and the Inner Sunset Park Neighbors by historian William Kostura. This historic context statement covers the history of the Inner Sunset from the 1850s through the 1960s and provides historical background to guide future historical evaluations of buildings.

Map: SF Department of Public Works, 2003, courtesy of William Kostura
Click on map to enlarge.

The boundaries for this historic context statement can be seen in the image below. The Inner Sunset begins at Arguello Boulevard and extends west to 19th Avenue. These streets, and Lincoln Way to the north, are used as the boundaries in this document. South of Kirkham Street, the Inner Sunset is constrained by Mount Sutro, Laguna Honda Reservoir, and the Forest Hill neighborhood on the east, and Golden Gate Heights on the west.

The Inner Sunset Historic Context Statement was designed to provide greater comprehensive coverage in historic documentation for this neighborhood. The project has been supported by the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, the Historic Preservation Fund Committee, and the Inner Sunset Park Neighbors.

The final document covers the development history and architectural styles of the neighborhood and creates a framework for evaluating the significance of properties in the neighborhood. These findings will contribute to the larger currently ongoing Citywide Cultural Resources Survey (SF Survey).

What is a Historic Context Statement?

The California Office of Historic Preservation website states, “The development of historic contexts is the foundation for decisions about the identification, evaluation, registration, and treatment of historic properties and surveys.” “Historic context statements provide the basis for evaluating significance and integrity. Whether developed for a single property evaluation, a register nomination, or a survey, an adequate and appropriate context needs to be developed before making an evaluation.”