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Culture, history, and gentrification: conserving Latino-oriented legacy businesses in San Francisco's rapidly changing Mission District
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Culture, history, and gentrification: conserving Latino-oriented legacy businesses in San Francisco's rapidly changing Mission District

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Content




Culture, History, and Gentrification: Conserving Latino-Oriented Legacy Businesses in San
Francisco’s Rapidly Changing Mission District  










By


Stephanie Anne Cisneros









A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF HERITAGE CONSERVATION



December 2014





Copyright 2014       Stephanie A. Cisneros
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iii

Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iv

List of Figures………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...v

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….vii

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1

Chapter 1: Historical Development of the Mission District…………………………………..…………..8

Chapter 2: Gentrification in the Mission District…………………………………………………………….34

Chapter 3: Legacy Businesses..……………………………………………………………………………………...58

Table 3.1: List of Legacy Businesses in Mission District………………………………………..60

Chapter 4: Recommendations for Conserving Legacy Businesses …………………………………..85

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………99

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………………………………………103





















iii
DEDICATION















For Mom, Dad, Thomas and Ryan





























iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


This thesis would not have been possible without the support and motivation of a number
of people and organizations. I would first like to thank my thesis committee—Trudi
Sandmeier, Jay Platt and Shayne Watson—for challenging me to think critically about the
importance of the cultural and social fabric of the built environment, which has the
potential to tell great stories of ethnic neighborhoods and of cities. I would also like to
thank Laura Dominguez, former Communications and Programs Manager, and Desiree
Smith, Preservation Project Manager, at San Francisco Heritage for always taking the time
to answer my numerous questions, for meeting with me on various trips to the City by the
Bay, and for offering numerous opportunities to become involved with this issue in San
Francisco’s Mission District. Most of all, I would like to thank my family and friends, for
their continuous support and motivation and for helping me make graduate school a
reality.












v
LIST OF FIGURES


Figure 1.1: Painted portrait of Juan Batista de Anza founder of San Francisco …………….…10

Figure 1.2: Mission San Francisco de Asis (Dolores) ……………………………………………………...11

Figure 1.3: Cemetery at the Mission Francis de Asis (Dolores) San Francisco …………..……..12

Figure 1.4: Drawing of Mission San Francisco de Asis (Dolores) ………………………………….....15

Figure 1.5: Painting depicting the Mission Francis de Asis (Dolores)………….…………………...17

Figure 1.6: Drawing depicting San Francisco, 1849 ……………………………………………………….18

Figure 1.7: Lithograph depicting a panoramic view of the Mission Francis de Asis ………….19

Figure 1.8: Map of Mission District…………………………………………………………………………….….21

Figure 1.9: Mission district, showing earthquake damage ………………………………………….…23

Figure 1.10: Distribution of ethnicities throughout San Francisco City, 2010 …………….…..25

Figure 1.11: “Mission Makeover” mural…………………………………………………………………..……29

Figure 1.12: “Culture Contains the Seed of Resistance” Mural………………………………………..29

Figure 1.13: “No One Should Comply With an Immoral Law” mural……………………….……..30

Figure 2.1: Map of Silicon Valley …………………………………………………………………………...……..36

Figure 2.2: Rental rate trends in the Mission District …………………………………………..……….38

Figure 2.3: Map of Valencia Street…………………………………………………………………….…………44

Figure 2.4: Streetscape view of Valencia Street………………………………………………..…………...45

Figure 2.5: Streetscape view of Valencia Street……………………………………………..……………...45

Figure 2.6: Development on Valencia Street………………………………………………..………………..46

Figure 2.7: Streetscape view of Valencia Street………………………………………….…………………46

Figure 2.8: Local Farmers Market on Valencia Street……………………………………………………...47

Figure 2.9: Local businesses on Valencia Street………………………………………………………………48
vi

Figure 2.10: Overview map of 24
th
Street ………………………………………………………………………53

Figure 2.11: Streetscape view of local businesses on 24
th
Street ……………………………..……...54

Figure 2.12: Local markets on 24
th
Street ………………………………………………………………..…….55

Figure 2.13: Streetscape view of local businesses on 24
th
Street ……………………………………..55

Figure 3.1: Map of Legacy Businesses in the Mission District …………………………………………59

Figure 3.2: San Francisco Heritage Legacy Bars and Restaurants Project………………………...76

Figure 3.3: Cover of “Calle 24 Cuentos del Barrio” Walking Tour Guide………………………….79

Figure 3.4: Tour Map of Cuentos del Barrio walking tour……………………………………………….80

Figure 4.1: Acción Latina/El Tecolote Newspaper……………………………………………………….....87

Figure 4.2: Acción Latina/El Tecolote Newspaper……………………………………………………….....87

Figure 4.3: Galería de la Raza………………………………………………………………………………………..90

Figure 4.4: “La Llorona” mural………………………………………………………………………………………92

Figure 4.5: Mural on St. Peter’s Basilica…………………………………………………………………………93

Figure 4.6: Mural on St. Peter’s Basilica…………………………………………………………………………94

Figure 4.7: Modern Times Bookstore Mural……………………………………………………………….......95




 











vii
ABSTRACT

The field of heritage conservation works to recognize and protect aspects of culture and
history integrated and welded into the historic built environment. A growing issue in
heritage conservation is the loss of neighborhood-specific legacy businesses and
institutions that represent strong community ties to local history and heritage in the wake
of gentrification and gentrifying activities. The loss of these establishments that have
created close ties throughout the community, ties that represent cultural unification and
historical connections, resembles a shift in historical representation and in American
culture. Without these establishments, local ethnic communities that have historically
defined and been defined by them will begin to face a level of decline and will be
overpowered by new, more affluent establishments and residents that may forget the
neighborhood’s ethnic history.  

Characterized by a long-standing Latino population and a long history of Latino culture, San
Francisco’s Mission District is facing high levels of reinvestment and redevelopment that
are jeopardizing long-time establishments and the long-time Latino residents. Replacing
long-time establishments that have formed strong ties among the community and with the
history of the neighborhood results in a significant loss of recognition of culture and
heritage. This thesis will explore the significance of legacy businesses in San Francisco’s
Mission District and will analyze efforts being made throughout the community, city, state,
nation and world to conserve businesses, which represent significant aspects of history and
are community-binding establishments.  

  1
 
Introduction
 

 
San
 Francisco
 is
 one
 of
 the
 most
 diverse
 cities
 in
 the
 world,
 representing
 a
 variety
 of
 ethnic
 
backgrounds
 that
 have
 helped
 to
 define
 some
 of
 the
 most
 famous
 neighborhoods
 and
 
communities
 within
 the
 city.
 Spanning
 an
 area
 of
 approximately
 fifty
 square
 miles,
 the
 city
 
is
 comprised
 of
 multiple
 ethnic
 neighborhoods
 that
 are
 home
 to
 unique
 “mom
 and
 pop”
 
businesses.
 These
 businesses
 are
 havens
 for
 locals,
 providing
 an
 atmosphere
 away
 from
 the
 
tourism
 that
 overpowers
 the
 city
 and
 providing
 welcoming
 spaces
 for
 all
 who
 choose
 to
 
enter.
 It
 is
 these
 “off
 the
 map”
 places—places
 that
 are
 not
 included
 on
 most
 tours,
 tourist
 
maps
 or
 lists
 of
 “must
 see’s”—that
 are
 the
 true
 treasures
 of
 San
 Francisco
 because
 they
 
hold
 the
 most
 meaning
 for
 the
 locals
 looking
 for
 places
 to
 call
 their
 own,
 places
 to
 make
 
memories,
 places
 that
 become
 a
 part
 of
 the
 heritage
 and
 culture
 of
 the
 community.
 The
 
neighborhoods
 surrounding
 these
 businesses
 become
 dependent
 on
 them
 for
 support
 in
 
various
 ways
 and
 they
 become
 a
 vital
 part
 of
 the
 growth
 and
 sustainability
 of
 the
 
community.
 However,
 there
 are
 a
 growing
 number
 of
 new
 residents
 and
 businesses
 
migrating
 to
 San
 Francisco
 that
 are
 beginning
 to
 transform
 the
 preexisting
 cityscape.
 
 

 
There
 is
 a
 rapidly
 growing
 amount
 of
 new
 development
 and
 redevelopment
 in
 San
 
Francisco,
 representing
 a
 continuing
 shift
 in
 culture
 and
 interest
 brought
 about
 by
 the
 
influx
 of
 new
 residents
 and
 businesses.
1

 The
 locally
 owned
 businesses
 that
 have
 been
 in
 
place
 for
 many
 decades
 are
 beginning
 to
 face
 a
 significant
 challenge—inability
 to
 keep
 up
 
with
 the
 rising
 rental
 prices
 and
 property
 values
 brought
 about
 by
 new
 development.
 As
 a
 
result,
 these
 locally
 owned
 and
 locally
 frequented
 businesses
 are
 becoming
 outnumbered
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1

 The
 reason(s)
 behind
 the
 growing
 number
 of
 new
 residents
 and
 businesses
 will
 be
 discussed
 in
 Chapter
 2.
 
 

  2
 
and
 overpowered
 by
 newer
 businesses
 that
 are
 attracting
 and
 catering
 to
 more
 of
 the
 
newer
 migrants,
 who
 are
 looking
 for
 new
 opportunities
 for
 settlement
 and
 investment
 in
 
the
 city.
 The
 practice
 of
 heritage
 conservation
 has
 the
 ability
 to
 focus
 on
 the
 protection
 and
 
survival
 of
 these
 types
 of
 businesses
 and
 acknowledge
 their
 importance
 and
 significance
 to
 
the
 local
 community
 that
 depends
 on
 them.
 
 

 
San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District
 is
 one
 of
 many
 cultural
 neighborhoods
 undergoing
 
significant
 changes
 related
 to
 the
 migration
 of
 new
 residents
 and
 businesses.
 The
 
predominantly
 Latino
 community
 that
 has
 thrived
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 for
 decades
 is
 
now
 witnessing
 the
 loss
 of
 significant
 businesses.
 These
 businesses
 have
 developed
 a
 
strong
 relationship
 with
 the
 locals
 that
 utilize
 and
 frequent
 them
 and,
 as
 a
 result,
 have
 
contributed
 to
 the
 continued
 growth
 and
 success
 of
 the
 Latino
 community.
 However,
 a
 
growing
 interest
 in
 living
 in
 San
 Francisco
 has
 caused
 a
 change
 in
 the
 dynamics
 of
 the
 
Mission
 District.
 Local
 businesses
 that
 have
 dominated
 in
 the
 community
 for
 many
 decades
 
that
 reflect
 and
 contribute
 to
 the
 strength
 of
 the
 Latino
 culture—termed
 “legacy
 
businesses”—are
 being
 faced
 with
 increases
 in
 rent
 as
 well
 as
 a
 growing
 atmosphere
 of
 
competition
 from
 newer
 businesses.
 The
 question
 that
 has
 begun
 to
 evolve
 is:
 How
 do
 we
 
conserve
 these
 businesses
 that
 reflect
 the
 culture,
 history
 and
 heritage
 of
 the
 people
 who
 
have
 worked
 hard
 to
 establish
 themselves
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 so
 that
 these
 entities
 can
 
survive
 and
 continue
 to
 support
 the
 community
 as
 locally-­‐renowned
 and
 known
 
establishments?
 This
 question,
 as
 it
 pertains
 to
 the
 present-­‐day
 issues
 of
 redevelopment
 
and
 reinvestment
 in
 the
 Mission
 District,
 will
 be
 the
 focus
 of
 this
 thesis.
 
 

 

  3
 
Definitions
 
A
 few
 definitions
 will
 be
 clarified
 here
 that
 will
 be
 used
 throughout
 the
 duration
 of
 this
 
thesis:
 

 
Latino
 
According
 to
 Webster’s
 Online
 Dictionary,
 the
 term
 “Latino”
 refers
 to
 “a
 person
 who
 was
 
born
 or
 lives
 in
 South
 America,
 Central
 America,
 or
 Mexico
 or
 a
 person
 in
 the
 U.S.
 whose
 
family
 is
 originally
 from
 South
 America,
 Central
 America,
 or
 Mexico.”
2

 For
 the
 purpose
 of
 
this
 thesis,
 the
 term
 “Latino”
 will
 be
 used
 to
 describe
 the
 history,
 culture
 and
 people
 that
 
have
 historically
 dominated
 and
 presently
 dominate
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District.
 
 

 
Mission
 
The
 term
 “Mission”
 will
 refer
 to
 the
 Spanish
 mission
 that
 was
 established
 in
 San
 
Francisco—Mission
 Francis
 de
 Asis,
 also
 known
 as
 Mission
 Dolores—in
 1776
 on
 what
 is
 
now
 16
th

 Street.
 Although
 the
 Mission
 is
 no
 longer
 the
 main
 focal
 point
 of
 the
 community
 
that
 has
 grown
 around
 it,
 it
 is
 still
 highly
 associated
 with
 the
 history
 the
 Latinos
 who
 
settled
 and
 became
 established
 in
 San
 Francisco.
 The
 Mission
 represents
 the
 culture
 and
 
heritage
 that
 have
 become
 unified
 and
 strong
 characteristics
 of
 the
 community.
 
 

 
Mission
 District
 
The
 term
 “Mission
 District”
 will
 be
 used
 to
 describe
 the
 community
 of
 Latinos
 that
 settled
 
in
 the
 area
 surrounding
 Mission
 Dolores.
 Currently,
 this
 neighborhood
 spans
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2

 Webster’s
 Online
 Dictionary,
 “Latino,”
 http://www.merriam-­‐webster.com/dictionary/latino
 

  4
 
approximately
 1.8
 square
 miles
 south
 of
 San
 Francisco’s
 downtown.
 The
 Mission
 District
 is
 
bordered
 by
 U.S.
 Highway
 101
 to
 the
 east;
 the
 South
 of
 Market
 area
 to
 the
 north;
 the
 Castro
 
and
 Noe
 Valley
 neighborhoods
 to
 the
 west;
 and
 Bernal
 Heights
 to
 the
 south.
 The
 Mission
 
District
 will
 be
 the
 focus
 of
 this
 thesis
 and
 will
 be
 examined
 and
 analyzed
 in
 regard
 to
 its
 
prominent
 Latino
 history
 and
 heritage.
 This
 ethnic
 neighborhood
 holds
 within
 itself
 a
 vast
 
amount
 of
 history
 that
 tells
 stories
 of
 one
 of
 San
 Francisco’s
 immigrant
 populations—
Latinos—and
 how
 they
 were/have
 been
 able
 to
 maintain
 a
 strong
 community
 rooted
 in
 
history
 and
 culture.
 
 

 
Legacy
 Business
 
San
 Francisco
 Heritage,
 a
 non-­‐profit
 organization
 focused
 on
 historic
 preservation
 in
 San
 
Francisco,
 has
 defined
 the
 term
 “legacy
 businesses”
 as
 
 
…establishments
 [that]
 have
 achieved
 longevity
 of
 40
 years
 or
 more,
 possess
 
distinctive
 architecture
 or
 interior
 design,
 and
 contribute
 to
 a
 sense
 of
 history
 in
 the
 
surrounding
 neighborhood.
3

 

 
Legacy
 businesses
 are
 establishments
 that,
 over
 time,
 become
 very
 meaningful
 for
 those
 
who
 frequent
 them,
 who
 live
 around
 them,
 or
 who
 have
 a
 deep
 appreciation
 for
 local
 
history.
 These
 businesses
 include
 markets,
 bakeries,
 coffee
 shops,
 diners,
 art
 galleries,
 
learning
 centers,
 knick-­‐knack
 stores
 and
 the
 like.
 They
 may
 not
 be
 the
 best
 looking
 
business
 and
 may
 not
 be
 up
 to
 date
 with
 technology
 or
 pop
 culture.
 However,
 they
 are
 
integrated
 into
 the
 cultural
 and
 historic
 fabric
 of
 the
 neighborhood,
 maintaining
 
sustainable
 and
 strong
 connections
 to
 its
 Latino
 roots.
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3

 “San
 Francisco’s
 Legacy
 Bars
 &
 Restaurants,”
 Heritage
 News,
 Spring
 2010,
 Vol.
 XLI,
 No.
 I.,
 page
 6.
 

  5
 
The
 focus
 of
 this
 thesis
 will
 be
 on
 legacy
 businesses
 within
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District
 
oriented
 around
 the
 predominantly
 Latino
 community
 that
 surrounds
 them.
 This
 thesis
 
will
 work
 to
 understand
 how
 these
 businesses
 contribute
 to
 the
 continued
 growth
 of
 the
 
Latino
 history
 and
 culture
 and
 what
 makes
 them
 significant
 to
 the
 community
 today.
 
 

 
Gentrification
 
There
 is
 not
 one
 universally
 accepted
 definition
 of
 gentrification.
 The
 word
 is
 often
 
regarded
 as
 a
 “loaded
 term”
 and
 has
 many
 different
 meanings
 to
 many
 different
 people,
 
groups,
 and
 organizations.
 In
 Gentrification
 and
 The
 Gentrification
 Reader,
 both
 edited
 by
 
Loretta
 Lees,
 Tom
 Slater
 and
 Elvin
 Wyly,
 different
 authors
 present
 various
 definitions
 of
 
gentrification.
 Generally
 speaking,
 gentrification
 boils
 down
 to
 the
 impact
 of
 and
 effects
 
caused
 by
 incoming
 residents
 (typically
 middle
 or
 high
 income)
 on
 existing
 communities
 
(typically
 lower
 income).
4

 For
 the
 purpose
 of
 this
 thesis,
 the
 following
 definition
 of
 
gentrification
 will
 be
 used:
 
Gentrification
 –
 the
 transformation
 of
 a
 working-­‐class
 or
 vacant
 area
 of
 the
 central
 
city
 into
 middle-­‐class
 residential
 or
 commercial
 use.
5

 

 
Lees,
 Slater
 and
 Wyly
 continue
 this
 definition
 by
 drawing
 upon
 four
 crucial
 factors
 that
 
further
 define
 gentrification
 as
 outlined
 by
 Lees
 and
 Mark
 Davidson
 in
 their
 article
 “New-­‐
build
 ‘gentrification’
 and
 London’s
 riverside
 renaissance”:
 
• Reinvestment
 of
 capital
 
• Social
 upgrading
 of
 locale
 by
 incoming
 high
 income
 groups
 
• Landscape
 change
 
• Direct
 or
 indirect
 displacement
 of
 low
 income
 groups
6

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4

 For
 a
 better
 understanding
 of
 the
 various
 definitions
 of
 gentrification
 and
 the
 gentrification
 process,
 see
 
Gentrification
 by
 Loretta
 Lees,
 Tom
 Slater
 and
 Elvin
 Wyly,
 eds.,
 2008.
 
5

 Lees,
 et
 al.,
 The
 Gentrification
 Reader,
 page
 xv.
 
6

 Ibid.,
 page
 xvi.
 
 

  6
 
These
 four
 points
 depict
 potential
 outcomes
 of
 gentrification
 once
 it
 begins
 transforming
 a
 
low-­‐income
 or
 working-­‐class
 neighborhood.
 The
 pre-­‐existing
 residents
 and
 businesses
 
begin
 to
 change
 as
 more
 affluent
 newcomers
 invest
 in
 the
 neighborhood,
 causing
 new
 
businesses
 to
 arise
 that
 attract
 residents
 who
 are
 able
 to
 afford
 the
 increases
 in
 rental
 
prices
 and
 property
 values.
 
 

 
This
 thesis
 will
 examine
 gentrification
 and
 gentrifying
 entities
 and
 practices
 as
 they
 relate
 
to
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District.
 The
 Mission
 District
 has
 experienced
 a
 significant
 
amount
 of
 social,
 cultural
 and
 economic
 change
 since
 the
 early
 1990s,
 and
 this
 thesis
 will
 
study
 the
 reasons
 behind
 the
 change
 and
 what
 is
 presently
 being
 done
 to
 be
 sure
 that
 
gentrification
 does
 not
 become
 an
 overpowering
 force
 that
 drives
 out
 historically
 
significant
 businesses
 and
 the
 Latino
 culture
 and
 population.
 The
 chapters
 in
 this
 thesis
 
will
 examine
 this
 question
 and
 the
 reasons
 behind
 the
 migration
 of
 new
 residents
 and
 its
 
effects
 on
 the
 social,
 economic
 and
 cultural
 aspects
 of
 the
 Mission
 District.
 This
 thesis
 will
 
also
 examine
 the
 cultural
 significance
 of
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District
 as
 it
 comes
 in
 
contact
 with
 new
 residents
 and
 businesses
 looking
 for
 an
 area
 to
 settle
 down
 in
 and
 what
 
actions
 are
 being
 taken
 to
 ensure
 the
 conservation
 of
 local
 businesses
 as
 significant
 
indicators
 of
 Latino
 history
 and
 heritage.
 
 

 
Chapter
 1
 will
 provide
 a
 brief
 history
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 will
 focus
 on
 its
 
development
 as
 a
 Latino
 corridor.
 Spanning
 from
 pre-­‐history
 through
 today,
 significant
 
people
 and
 events
 that
 helped
 the
 area
 to
 become
 a
 haven
 for
 Latinos
 will
 be
 discussed
 and
 
related
 to
 the
 present-­‐day
 cultural
 significance.
 
 

  7
 
Chapter
 2
 will
 focus
 on
 Mission
 District’s
 changing
 society
 and
 economy
 in
 relation
 to
 the
 
first
 Dot
 Com
 Boom
 that
 took
 place
 in
 the
 1990s
 and
 continues
 today,
 causing
 a
 growing
 
atmosphere
 of
 gentrification
 and
 an
 overarching
 shift
 in
 the
 neighborhood
 dynamics.
 This
 
chapter
 will
 analyze
 the
 financial,
 social
 and
 cultural
 aspects
 of
 gentrifying
 populations
 as
 
they
 are
 introduced
 to
 historically
 significant
 neighborhoods
 such
 as
 that
 of
 the
 Mission
 
District
 and
 will
 look
 at
 two
 sections
 of
 the
 district—24
th

 Street
 and
 Valencia
 Street—that
 
represent
 various
 stages
 in
 the
 gentrification
 process.
 
 

 
Chapter
 3
 will
 describe
 why
 legacy
 businesses
 are
 vitally
 important
 to
 the
 Latino
 
community
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 how
 gentrification
 is
 negatively
 impacting
 the
 
culture
 and
 history
 represented
 by
 legacy
 establishments.
 
 This
 chapter
 will
 also
 outline
 
current
 efforts
 to
 conserve
 legacy
 businesses
 at
 the
 state,
 national
 and
 international
 levels
 
that
 are
 beginning
 to
 face
 threats
 of
 gentrification
 as
 well
 as
 previous
 efforts
 to
 conserve
 
legacy
 businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District.
 
 

 
Chapter
 4
 will
 examine
 two
 case
 studies
 within
 the
 Mission
 District,
 analyze
 their
 historical
 
and
 cultural
 significance
 within
 the
 Latino
 community,
 and
 provide
 recommendations
 on
 
how
 to
 move
 forward
 with
 conserving
 them
 based
 on
 current
 efforts
 and
 trends
 discussed
 
in
 chapter
 3.
 
 

 

 

 

 

  8
 
Chapter
 1:
 Historical
 Development
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 

 

 
San
 Francisco
 is
 comprised
 of
 ethnic
 niches
 and
 neighborhoods
 that
 are
 filled
 with
 culture.
 
The
 Mission
 District
 is
 a
 neighborhood
 that
 is
 historically
 Latino.
 It
 is
 rich
 with
 the
 sights,
 
sounds,
 smells,
 and
 tastes
 that
 are
 indicative
 of
 the
 Latino
 culture
 and
 community.
 This
 
chapter
 will
 explore
 the
 history
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 will
 discuss
 how
 it
 came
 to
 be
 
the
 predominantly
 Latino
 neighborhood
 that
 it
 is
 today.
 Beginning
 with
 the
 establishment
 
of
 Mission
 San
 Francisco
 de
 Asis,
 this
 chapter
 will
 outline
 significant
 events
 that
 helped
 
contribute
 to
 the
 Mission
 District’s
 growth
 and
 success
 as
 a
 Latino
 community.
 
 

 
Mission
 San
 Francisco
 de
 Asis
 
Spanish
 exploration
 and
 settlement
 of
 the
 California
 coast
 during
 the
 second
 half
 of
 the
 
eighteenth
 century
 involved
 missionary
 efforts
 to
 set
 up
 communities
 that
 revolved
 around
 
Catholic
 missions
 with
 the
 hope
 of
 bringing
 converts
 to
 the
 Catholic
 Church.
 These
 mission
 
settlements
 were
 intended
 to
 each
 be
 a
 “day’s
 walk
 apart”
 in
 order
 to
 offer
 housing
 for
 
traveling
 missionaries
 and
 to
 also
 provide
 more
 opportunity
 to
 bring
 in
 new
 converts
 to
 
the
 Catholic
 church.
 Spanish
 mission
 settlements
 were
 usually
 comprised
 of
 two
 parts:
 a
 
mission
 and
 a
 commercial
 pueblo.
 The
 settlement
 in
 what
 would
 become
 San
 Francisco
 
also
 included
 a
 military
 presidio.
7

 In
 1776,
 Captain
 Juan
 Batista
 de
 Anza,
 Spanish
 explorer
 
and
 Spanish
 Governor
 of
 New
 Mexico,
 founded
 the
 site
 for
 a
 Presidio,
 which
 was
 to
 be
 one
 
of
 two
 missionary
 establishments,
 in
 the
 northern
 part
 of
 the
 San
 Francisco
 Peninsula.
 De
 
Anza
 also
 founded
 a
 site
 for
 the
 Mission
 San
 Francisco
 de
 Asis
 in
 the
 present-­‐day
 region
 of
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7

 Four
 Spanish
 mission
 settlements
 included
 a
 military
 presidio
 alongside
 the
 mission
 and
 commercial
 pueblo.
 
These
 four
 sites
 were
 Monterey,
 San
 Francisco,
 Santa
 Barbara
 and
 Sonoma.
 For
 more
 information
 on
 the
 
military
 presidio
 established
 in
 San
 Francisco
 see:
 City
 and
 County
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 “City
 Within
 a
 City,”
 2007.
 

  9
 
the
 Mission
 District,
 which
 is
 located
 south
 of
 present-­‐day
 downtown
 San
 Francisco.
8

 (See
 
Figure
 1.1)
 
 

 
Construction
 of
 the
 Presidio,
 located
 at
 the
 strategically
 important
 entrance
 to
 the
 San
 
Francisco
 Bay,
 and
 the
 Mission
 began
 in
 the
 mid
 1700s.
 The
 City
 and
 County
 of
 San
 
Francisco’s
 historic
 context
 statement
 for
 the
 Mission
 District
 describes
 the
 early
 arrival
 of
 
the
 Spanish,
 
On
 March
 29
th
,
 1776,
 the
 explorers
 arrived
 in
 the
 wide,
 grassy
 valley
 that
 would
 
become
 the
 present-­‐day
 Mission
 District
 of
 San
 Francisco.
 In
 the
 northern
 part
 of
 
the
 valley,
 they
 found
 a
 stream
 that
 flowed
 out
 of
 the
 westerly
 hills,
 into
 and
 through
 
a
 pair
 of
 large
 lagoons,
 and
 out
 to
 a
 large
 marshy
 bay.
 The
 sheltered
 valley,
 with
 
fresh
 water,
 lands
 for
 grazing,
 and
 access
 to
 the
 Bay,
 was
 selected
 as
 the
 mission
 
site.
9

 

 
This
 site
 for
 Mission
 San
 Francisco
 de
 Asis
 was
 developed
 around
 significant
 Catholic
 and
 
Spanish
 traditions
 and
 included
 a
 temporary
 chapel
 as
 the
 heart
 of
 the
 site
 where
 mass
 was
 
performed
 and
 communal
 activities
 were
 conducted.
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8

 City
 and
 County
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 “City
 Within
 a
 City,”
 2007.
 
 
9

 City
 and
 County
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 “City
 Within
 a
 City,”
 page
 15,
 2007.
 
 

  10
 

 
Figure
 1.1:
 Painted
 portrait
 of
 Juan
 Bautista
 de
 Anza
 founder
 of
 San
 Francisco;
 Photo
 courtesy
 of
 University
 
of
 Southern
 California,
 on
 behalf
 of
 the
 USC
 Special
 Collections/California
 Historical
 Society
 Collection,
 186—
1960;
 filename
 CHS-­‐11533.
 

 

  11
 
By
 the
 1780s,
 the
 missionaries
 had
 converted
 more
 than
 one
 thousand
 Native
 Americans
 to
 
the
 Catholic
 faith,
 pushing
 them
 to
 become
 acculturated
 to
 Spanish
 and
 Catholic
 culture
 
and
 traditions.
10

 Between
 1782
 and
 1791,
 a
 permanent
 chapel
 for
 the
 Mission
 San
 
Francisco
 de
 Asis
 (commonly
 referred
 to
 as
 Mission
 Dolores)
 was
 constructed
 near
 the
 
present-­‐day
 intersection
 of
 Dolores
 Street
 and
 Sixteenth
 Street.
11
 
The
 chapel’s
 
surroundings
 included
 adobe
 residences
 for
 the
 Spanish
 missionaries
 and
 settlers,
 along
 
with
 areas
 for
 housing
 the
 newly
 converted
 Native
 Americans,
 workspaces,
 a
 cemetery,
 and
 
a
 jail.
12

 (See
 Figures
 1.2-­‐1.3)
 

 
Figure
 1.2:
 Mission
 San
 Francisco
 de
 Asis
 (Dolores)
 showing
 the
 front
 of
 the
 mission
 and
 cemetery,
 ca.
 1887;
 
Photo
  courtesy
  of
  University
  of
  Southern
  California,
  on
  behalf
 of
  the
  USC
  Special
  Collections/California
 
Historical
 Society
 Collection,
 1860-­‐1960;
 filename
 CHS-­‐144.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10

 Starr,
 California:
 A
 History,
 2005.
 
 
11

 Mission
 San
 Francisco
 de
 Asis
 is
 commonly
 referred
 to
 as
 “Mission
 Dolores”
 because
 of
 its
 location
 near
 the
 
present-­‐day
 intersection
 of
 Dolores
 Street
 and
 Sixteenth
 Street
 and
 because
 of
 its
 proximity
 to
 Laguna
 de
 
Nuestra
 Senora
 de
 los
 Dolores.
 City
 and
 County
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 “City
 Within
 a
 City,”
 2007.
 
12

 Ibid,
 page
 16;
 New
 converts
 to
 the
 Catholic
 faith
 became
 integral
 parts
 of
 the
 Mission
 community,
 as
 they
 
were
 deemed
 unworthy
 of
 high
 status
 and
 were,
 instead,
 forced
 to
 work
 as
 laborers.
 
 

  12
 

 
Figure
 1.3:
 Cemetery
 at
 the
 Mission
 Francis
 de
 Asis
 (Dolores)
 San
 Francisco,
 ca.
 1865;
 Photo
 courtesy
 of
 
University
  of
  Southern
  California,
  on
  behalf
  of
  the
  USC
  Special
  Collections/California
  Historical
  Society
 
Collection,
 1860-­‐1960;
 filename
 CHS-­‐7708.
 

 
As
 Mission
 Dolores
 continued
 to
 grow,
 roads
 began
 to
 be
 developed
 to
 better
 connect
 the
 
mission
 to
 the
 presidio,
 which
 became
 important
 routes
 for
 trade,
 communication,
 and
 
travel.
 Mission
 Road
 was
 constructed
 near
 Mission
 Dolores
 and
 ran
 south.
 Beginning
 at
 the
 
Mission
 Dolores
 chapel,
 the
 road
 “followed
 the
 natural
 terrain
 of
 the
 Peninsula”
 and
 was
 a
 
more
 direct
 and
 smoother
 route
 that
 reached
 the
 southern
 missions
 of
 Santa
 Clara
 and
 San
 
Jose
 (located
 in
 present-­‐day
 city
 of
 Fremont).
13

 Another
 road
 that
 was
 built
 and
 also
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13

 The
 El
 Camino
 Real
 route
 still
 exists
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 today
 in
 alignment
 with
 other
 Mission
 District
 
streets
 and
 roads
 such
 as
 Valencia
 Street
 and
 Dolores
 Street.
 City
 and
 County
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 “City
 Within
 a
 
City,”
 2007.
 
 

  13
 
became
 a
 prominent
 route
 of
 travel
 was
 the
 Presidio
 Road.
 This
 road
 also
 began
 at
 the
 
Mission
 Dolores
 Chapel
 and
 ran
 northwest
 to
 the
 Spanish
 military
 encampment
 at
 the
 
Presidio.
 This
 became
 an
 easy
 and
 convenient
 route
 for
 new
 settlers
 arriving
 in
 San
 
Francisco
 to
 easily
 travel
 to
 the
 Mission.
 
 

 
Mission
 Dolores
 reached
 its
 peak
 of
 activity
 in
 the
 1790s,
 with
 a
 large
 number
 of
 converts
 
and
 a
 successful
 self-­‐sustaining
 mission
 settlement.
 However,
 the
 settlement
 began
 to
 
decline
 in
 the
 early
 1800s,
 when
 European
 diseases
 began
 to
 overcome
 the
 health
 of
 the
 
newly
 converted
 and
 acculturated
 Native
 Americans.
 Lack
 of
 immunity
 to
 these
 diseases
 
caused
 a
 significant
 decline
 in
 the
 mission
 population
 and
 a
 continuing
 decrease
 in
 the
 
amount
 of
 resources
 sent
 to
 Mission
 Dolores
 from
 Spain—due
 to
 the
 beginning
 of
 the
 
decline
 of
 the
 Spanish
 Empire.
 
 

 
Mexican
 Ranchos
 and
 Yerba
 Buena
 
The
 Mexican
 Revolution
 that
 began
 in
 1814
 had
 a
 great
 impact
 on
 the
 future
 of
 the
 both
 the
 
Presidio
 and
 the
 Mission
 District.
 When
 Mexico
 won
 its
 independence
 from
 Spain
 in
 1821
 
and
 gained
 rule
 over
 California
 in
 1822,
 the
 Presidio
 fell
 under
 Mexican
 authority
 and
 
began
 its
 decline
 into
 abandonment.
 Similarly,
 every
 mission
 settlement
 along
 the
 
California
 coast
 became
 subject
 to
 Mexican
 jurisdiction.
 Mission
 Dolores
 was
 secularized
 by
 
the
 Mexican
 government
 in
 1834,
 which
 resulted
 in
 the
 dispersion
 of
 Native
 Americans
 
who
 still
 remained
 at
 the
 mission
 to
 their
 former
 tribal
 lands
 or
 other
 areas
 of
 refuge.
14

 The
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14

 In
 1833,
 the
 Mexican
 government
 ruled
 that
 the
 missions
 were
 too
 expensive
 to
 maintain
 and
 ordered
 that
 
they
 be
 secularized.
 Mission
 chapels
 became
 smaller
 Catholic
 parish
 churches
 and
 the
 newly
 converted
 

  14
 
priests
 chose
 to
 stay
 at
 the
 mission
 and
 continue
 their
 work
 even
 though
 it
 proved
 to
 be
 
difficult.
 The
 following
 year,
 the
 site
 of
 Mission
 Dolores
 was
 divided
 into
 rancho
 land
 grants
 
that
 were
 then
 given
 to
 Mexican
 settlers,
 Spanish
 soldiers,
 and
 European
 expatriates,
 
leaving
 the
 Mission
 itself
 with
 eight
 and
 one
 half
 acres
 of
 land.
 
 The
 Mexican
 government
 
gave
 away
 rancho
 grants
 throughout
 the
 San
 Francisco
 Peninsula,
 which
 were
 transformed
 
into
 farms,
 grazing
 or
 pasturing
 land.
 The
 Mission
 District’s
 boundaries
 started
 to
 be
 
defined
 by
 the
 rancho
 territories
 that
 surrounded
 the
 area
 in
 which
 the
 Mission
 was
 
located.
 Most
 of
 the
 newly
 defined
 Mission
 District
 remained
 open
 for
 all
 residents
 to
 
utilize
 as
 combined
 agricultural-­‐residential
 land.
 However,
 a
 small
 group
 of
 rancho
 
territories
 clustered
 themselves
 around
 the
 immediate
 vicinity
 of
 Mission
 Dolores
 with
 the
 
hope
 that
 a
 small
 town
 or
 village
 would
 develop
 around
 the
 chapel.
15

 (See
 Figure
 1.4)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Native
 Americans
 were
 freed.
 The
 Mexican
 government
 gave
 the
 land
 upon
 which
 missions
 were
 built
 away
 
and
 lifted
 the
 ban
 on
 foreign
 trade.
 Starr,
 California:
 A
 History,
 2005.
 
 
15

 Starr,
 California:
 A
 History,
 2005.
 
 

  15
 

 
Figure
 1.4:
 Drawing
 of
 Mission
 San
 Francisco
 de
 Asis
 (Dolores)
 by
 Lithographer
 Captain
 William
 Smyth,
 R.N.,
 
ca,
  1839;
  Photo
  courtesy
  of
  University
  of
  Southern
  California,
  on
  behalf
  of
  the
  USC
  Special
 
Collections/California
 Historical
 Society
 Collection,
 1860-­‐1960;
 filename
 CHS-­‐5756.
 

 
Beginning
 in
 the
 1830s,
 a
 seaport
 began
 to
 develop
 on
 the
 San
 Francisco
 Bay.
 This
 new
 
seaport
 was
 established
 as
 Yerba
 Buena
 (precursor
 to
 the
 city
 and
 county
 of
 San
 Francisco),
 
located
 directly
 on
 the
 waterfront
 and
 included
 a
 docking
 area
 for
 ships
 that
 traveled
 to
 the
 
Bay
 for
 trading
 or
 other
 purposes.
 Another
 road
 was
 built
 that
 allowed
 trade
 to
 be
 
conducted
 efficiently
 between
 the
 Mission
 and
 the
 growing
 commercial
 area
 of
 the
 pueblo.
 
The
 influx
 of
 new
 trading
 routes
 and
 businesses
 resulted
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 becoming
 a
 
busy
 trading
 hub.
 The
 Mission
 District
 began
 to
 experience
 a
 reorganization
 that
 resulted
 

  16
 
in
 the
 development
 of
 a
 village
 with
 Mission
 Dolores
 as
 its
 centrally
 focused
 cultural
 center
 
and
 a
 system
 of
 streets
 and
 roads
 extending
 from
 the
 chapel
 to
 the
 surrounding
 area,
 
including
 what
 is
 now
 Dolores
 Street,
 Valencia
 Street,
 and
 a
 series
 of
 numbered
 streets.
 The
 
area
 started
 to
 transform
 into
 a
 village-­‐type
 community,
 with
 adobes
 and
 leftover
 
structures
 from
 the
 Spanish
 mission.
16

 Mission
 Street
 became
 the
 main
 thoroughfare
 
through
 the
 area
 and,
 subsequently,
 Valencia
 Street
 and
 24
th

 Street
 became
 prominent
 
commercial
 strips
 that
 supported
 the
 Mission
 District.
 These
 three
 streets
 together
 would
 
eventually
 become
 the
 main
 commercial
 corridors
 as
 the
 Mission
 District
 developed
 into
 a
 
self-­‐sufficient,
 sustainable
 community.
 
 

 
Californios
 
 
This
 newly
 formed
 settlement
 around
 Mission
 Dolores
 was
 named
 Dolores
 Village
 and
 was
 
made
 up
 of
 a
 “tight-­‐knit
 society
 of
 Hispanic
 families.”
17

 The
 population
 of
 the
 village
 was
 
mostly
 comprised
 of
 Californios,
 “older
 Spanish
 soldiers,
 Mexican
 gentry,
 ranchers,
 settlers
 
and
 their
 families,
 some
 of
 whose
 ancestries
 may
 have
 included
 African
 and
 Native
 
American,
 as
 well
 as
 Spanish.”
18

 The
 Californios
 represented
 the
 majority
 population
 and
 
maintained
 significant
 ties
 to
 their
 Spanish
 and
 Mexican
 roots.
 They
 also
 maintained
 
control
 of
 all
 trading
 between
 the
 village
 and
 outsiders
 and,
 for
 some
 time,
 were
 able
 to
 
create
 a
 thriving
 local
 economy.
 However,
 British,
 French
 and
 American
 settlers
 who
 were
 
new
 to
 the
 San
 Francisco
 area
 wanted
 to
 become
 part
 of
 the
 settlements
 that
 were
 
established
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 in
 the
 greater
 San
 Francisco
 area,
 resulting
 in
 the
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16

 Richards,
 Historic
 San
 Francisco:
 A
 Concise
 History
 and
 Guide,
 1993.
 
17

 Ibid.
 
 
18

 Ibid.
 
 

  17
 
purchase
 and
 development
 of
 land
 from
 the
 Californios.
 These
 new
 settlers
 saw
 the
 value
 
in
 having
 control
 of
 land
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 in
 California
 as
 a
 whole
 and
 wanted
 to
 
try
 to
 gain
 complete
 control
 of
 the
 state.
 The
 Mexican-­‐American
 War
 that
 lasted
 from
 1846
 
until
 1848
 resulted
 in
 the
 complete
 American
 control
 of
 California.
19

 (See
 Figures
 1.5-­‐1.7)
 

 

 

 
Figure
 1.5:
 Painting
 depicting
 the
 Mission
 Francis
 de
 Asis
 (Dolores)
 before
 the
 Americans
 came,
 1845;
 Photo
 
courtesy
 of
 University
 of
 Southern
 California,
 on
 behalf
 of
 the
 USC
 Special
 Collections/California
 Historical
 
Society
 Collection,
 1860-­‐1960;
 filename
 CHS-­‐7710.
 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19

 Starr,
 California:
 A
 History,
 2005.
 
 

  18
 

 

 

 

 

 
Figure
 1.6:
 Drawing
 depicting
 San
 Francisco,
 1849;
 Photo
 courtesy
 of
 University
 of
 Southern
 California,
 on
 
behalf
 of
 the
 USC
 Special
 Collections/California
 Historical
 Society
 Collection,
 1860-­‐1960;
 filename
 CHS-­‐10082.
 

 

  19
 

 
Figure
 1.7:
 Lithograph
 depicting
 a
 panoramic
 view
 of
 the
 Mission
 Francis
 de
 Asis
 (Dolores)
 ca.
 1900;
 Photo
 
courtesy
 of
 University
 of
 Southern
 California,
 on
 behalf
 of
 the
 USC
 Special
 Collections/California
 Historical
 
Society
 Collection,
 1860-­‐1960;
 filename
 CHS-­‐7709.
 

 

 
The
 Mission
 District:
 1850s
 to
 Today
 
The
 American
 conquest
 of
 California,
 ratified
 by
 the
 Treaty
 of
 Guadalupe
 Hidalgo
 in
 
February
 of
 1848,
 brought
 many
 changes
 to
 San
 Francisco
 and
 the
 Mission
 District,
 
including
 the
 dispersal
 of
 Californios
 to
 other
 areas
 of
 San
 Francisco
 and
 California.
 The
 
Gold
 Rush
 began
 in
 January
 of
 1848
 when
 James
 W.
 Marshall
 found
 gold
 at
 Sutter’s
 Mill,
 a
 
sawmill
 located
 in
 Coloma,
 California,
 approximately
 140
 miles
 northeast
 of
 San
 
Francisco.
20

 Upon
 hearing
 of
 this
 discovery,
 people
 from
 all
 across
 the
 United
 States,
 
Mexico,
 Central
 America,
 Europe,
 and
 Asia
 embarked
 on
 the
 long
 journey
 to
 northern
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20

 Ibid.
 
 

  20
 
California
 in
 search
 of
 gold.
 What
 began
 as
 a
 “nose
 to
 the
 ground”
 effort
 to
 find
 the
 mineral
 
dispersed
 throughout
 the
 ground
 soon
 turned
 into
 panning
 efforts
 in
 many
 northern
 
California
 rivers
 and
 streams.
21

 With
 the
 completion
 of
 the
 transcontinental
 railroad
 in
 
1869,
 the
 Gold
 Rush
 ultimately
 brought
 hundreds
 of
 thousands
 of
 people
 to
 California,
 
prompting
 significant
 changes
 in
 the
 northern
 part
 of
 the
 state,
 including
 a
 large
 wave
 of
 
affluent
 immigrants
 who
 would
 change
 the
 economics,
 society
 and
 culture
 of
 San
 Francisco
 
and
 the
 Mission
 District.
 
 

 
In
 April
 of
 1851,
 the
 first
 city
 charter
 for
 San
 Francisco
 was
 adopted,
 officially
 naming
 San
 
Francisco
 a
 city
 and
 county.
22

 By
 this
 time,
 the
 Mission
 District
 was
 bordered
 by
 the
 now-­‐
U.S.
 Route
 101
 North,
 Potrero
 Avenue,
 Cesar
 Chavez
 Street,
 and
 Guerrero
 Street.
 (See
 
Figure
 1.8)
 The
 Mission
 started
 to
 develop
 into
 a
 visitor-­‐
 and
 tourist-­‐friendly
 place,
 
complete
 with
 resorts
 that
 catered
 to
 the
 lifestyle
 of
 the
 affluent
 society
 that
 now
 began
 to
 
take
 hold
 in
 San
 Francisco.
 The
 National
 Trust
 Guide:
 San
 Francisco
 describes
 the
 Mission
 
District
 and
 its
 many
 resorts
 during
 this
 time,
 
 
The
 Willows,
 a
 resort
 located
 near
 Mission
 and
 Eighteenth,
 included
 a
 zoo,
 outdoor
 
café,
 bar,
 hotel,
 and
 an
 open-­‐air
 pavilion
 for
 moonlight
 dancing.
 The
 more
 elaborate
 
Woodward’s
 Garden
 offered
 an
 amusement
 park
 and
 museum
 near
 Mission
 and
 
DuBoce.
 There
 were
 two
 racetracks…
 The
 Mission
 was
 also
 the
 site
 of
 the
 city’s
 first
 
baseball
 game
 and
 three
 different
 stadiums….
23

 
 

 
The
 Mission
 began
 to
 experience
 changes
 to
 its
 society,
 culture,
 economy,
 and
 politics
 
quickly
 during
 this
 time,
 resulting
 in
 a
 more
 social
 and
 class-­‐driven
 atmosphere.
24

 A
 horse
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21

 Gold
 panning,
 or
 “panning,”
 is
 the
 process
 of
 washing
 away
 soil
 or
 gravel
 in
 a
 pan
 in
 search
 of
 gold
 or
 other
 
valuable
 metals.
 
 
22

 McGloin,
 San
 Francisco:
 The
 Story
 of
 a
 City,
 page
 24-­‐27,
 1978.
 
23

 National
 Trust
 Guide:
 San
 Francisco,
 page
 302,
 2000.
 
 
24

 Starr,
 California:
 A
 History,
 2005.
 
 

  21
 
car
 line
 was
 built
 in
 1857
 that
 traveled
 from
 Market
 Street
 to
 Mission
 Dolores,
 making
 trips
 
to
 the
 Mission
 easier
 and
 more
 convenient.
 Streetcars
 arrived
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 as
 
early
 as
 1866
 to
 allow
 for
 even
 easier
 and
 faster
 travel
 to
 and
 from
 the
 Mission
 and
 within
 
the
 Mission
 District
 itself.
25

 

 

 
Figure
 1.8:
 Map
 of
 Mission
 District.
 Made
 in
 Google
 Maps
 by
 Author.
 

 
Parts
 of
 the
 Mission
 started
 to
 develop
 into
 industrial
 centers,
 attracting
 working
 class
 
families.
 Real
 estate
 professionals
 and
 entrepreneurs
 who
 had
 developed
 other
 areas
 of
 
San
 Francisco
 saw
 similar
 potential
 in
 the
 Mission
 and
 worked
 to
 establish
 factories,
 
breweries,
 mills,
 and
 other
 industrial
 uses.
 The
 district
 changed
 and
 grew
 from
 a
 strictly
 
farming
 countryside
 into
 a
 cityscape
 due
 to
 the
 subdivision
 of
 land
 that
 allowed
 for
 
residential,
 commercial,
 and
 industrial
 development
 and
 the
 frequenting
 of
 the
 affluent
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25

 Although
 the
 Mission
 District
 was
 beginning
 to
 develop
 into
 an
 American
 commercialized
 area,
 there
 were
 
still
 areas
 within
 the
 district
 that
 were
 vacant
 or
 subject
 to
 the
 previous
 lifestyle
 of
 the
 adobe
 village,
 causing
 
travel
 within
 the
 Mission
 and
 to
 other
 areas
 in
 San
 Francisco
 to
 be
 tedious
 and
 long.
 The
 introduction
 of
 
street
 cars
 began
 to
 make
 travel
 within
 the
 Mission
 District
 easier
 and
 more
 efficient.
 
 
Mission
 San
 Francisco
 
de
 Asis
 (Dolores)
 

  22
 
population.
 A
 mix
 of
 Irish,
 Italian,
 German,
 and
 other
 European
 immigrants
 came
 to
 the
 
Mission
 District
 in
 the
 late
 1800s
 looking
 for
 work
 with
 the
 hope
 that
 a
 new
 job
 and
 new
 
home
 in
 a
 new
 American
 land
 would
 create
 a
 better
 life
 for
 them
 and
 their
 families.
 These
 
populations
 immigrated
 to
 the
 Mission
 District
 because
 of
 the
 industrial
 and
 working
 class
 
atmosphere
 that
 appealed
 to
 those
 looking
 for
 an
 affordable
 place
 to
 live
 with
 a
 plethora
 of
 
jobs
 and
 places
 to
 establish
 businesses.
 Alongside
 the
 Latino
 residents
 and
 businesses
 that
 
were
 already
 established
 in
 the
 Mission
 District,
 these
 other
 ethnic
 populations
 created
 
businesses
 that
 catered
 to
 their
 cultural
 needs.
26

 At
 this
 time,
 single-­‐
 and
 multi-­‐family
 
residences
 were
 being
 constructed
 in
 the
 area,
 taking
 over
 the
 much
 smaller
 adobes
 that
 
once
 dominated
 the
 area.
 The
 affluent
 society
 that
 frequented
 the
 Mission
 in
 the
 post-­‐Gold
 
Rush
 era
 dwindled
 after
 the
 San
 Francisco
 earthquake
 and
 fire
 of
 1906,
 when
 much
 of
 the
 
Mission’s
 commercial
 and
 retail
 scene
 was
 destroyed.
27

 The
 downtown
 area
 of
 San
 
Francisco
 had
 also
 been
 completely
 destroyed
 and
 was
 the
 main
 focus
 of
 redevelopment
 
and
 re-­‐growth
 in
 the
 city
 while
 the
 once
 popular
 aspects
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 gave
 way
 to
 
complete
 industrial
 and
 working-­‐class
 domination.
28

 

 
The
 Mission
 “typified
 nineteenth-­‐century
 blue-­‐collar
 San
 Francisco
 and
 became
 even
 more
 
representative
 after
 many
 families
 moved
 there
 from
 South
 of
 Market”
 after
 the
 
earthquake.
29

 The
 city
 began
 experiencing
 a
 housing
 shortage,
 which
 left
 the
 Mission
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26

 Over
 time,
 some
 of
 these
 businesses
 closed
 as
 these
 populations
 drifted
 out
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 into
 
other
 areas
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 leaving
 behind
 a
 limited
 number
 of
 culturally
 associated
 establishments
 that
 
would
 become
 integrated
 into
 the
 Latino
 fabric
 of
 the
 neighborhood
 and
 become
 strongly
 tied
 to
 previously
 
established
 and
 soon-­‐to-­‐be
 established
 Latino-­‐oriented
 businesses.
 
 
27

 For
 more
 information
 about
 the
 1906
 earthquake
 and
 fire,
 see:
 Barker,
 Malcolm
 E.,
 ed.
 Three
 Fearful
 Days:
 
San
 Francisco
 Memoirs
 of
 the
 1906
 Earthquake
 and
 Fire.
 San
 Francisco:
 Londonborn
 Publications,
 1998.
 
 
28

 Yee,
 “Gentrification
 in
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District,”
 2010.
 
 
29

 National
 Trust
 Guide:
 San
 Francisco,
 page
 303,
 2000.
 
 

  23
 
District
 as
 a
 perfect
 place
 to
 begin
 high-­‐density
 residential
 and
 commercial
 development.
 
The
 neighborhood
 received
 an
 overwhelming
 number
 of
 new
 immigrants
 who
 were
 
desperately
 looking
 for
 new—or
 more—work
 to
 support
 themselves
 and
 their
 families,
 as
 
well
 as
 displaced
 residents
 in
 search
 of
 a
 new
 home
 after
 the
 earthquake.
30

 (See
 Figure
 1.9)
 
Although
 the
 Mission
 became
 a
 haven
 for
 working
 class
 citizens,
 these
 individuals
 felt
 
socially
 and
 economically
 isolated
 from
 the
 rest
 of
 the
 city
 in
 part
 because
 they
 were
 
located
 in
 a
 part
 of
 the
 city
 that
 was
 not
 preferred
 by
 the
 more
 affluent
 classes.
31

 
 

 

 
Figure
 1.9:
 Mission
 district,
 showing
 earthquake
 damage,
 San
 Francisco,
 1906;
 Photo
 courtesy
 of
 University
 
of
 Southern
 California,
 on
 behalf
 of
 the
 USC
 Special
 Collections/California
 Historical
 Society
 Collection,
 1860-­‐
1960;
 filename
 CHS-­‐49490.
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30

 Yee,
 “Gentrification
 in
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District,”
 2010.
 
 
31

 Ibid.
 
 
 

  24
 
The
 outbreak
 of
 World
 War
 I
 brought
 another
 round
 of
 significant
 change
 to
 San
 Francisco
 
and
 the
 Mission
 District.
 Already
 a
 mixed
 industrial
 and
 residential
 area,
 the
 Mission
 
District
 became
 a
 primary
 center
 for
 the
 production
 of
 military
 attire
 and
 weapons.
 This
 
production
 of
 wartime
 necessities
 enlarged
 the
 area’s
 working-­‐class
 population,
 as
 more
 
hands
 were
 needed
 to
 produce
 more
 items.
 Many
 European
 migrants
 to
 California
 settled
 
in
 the
 Mission
 District
 in
 order
 to
 find
 work
 and
 a
 place
 to
 raise
 their
 families.
 After
 the
 war,
 
the
 Hispanic
 population
 in
 and
 around
 the
 city
 began
 to
 grow
 even
 more,
 moving
 into
 the
 
northern
 part
 of
 the
 Mission
 District.
 Tomas
 Summers
 Sandoval
 Jr.’s
 book
 entitled
 Latinos
 
At
 The
 Golden
 Gate:
 Creating
 Community
 and
 Identity
 in
 San
 Francisco
 narrates
 the
 
experiences
 of
 the
 Hispanic
 population
 in
 the
 city
 and
 how
 they
 came
 to
 establish
 
themselves
 as
 a
 prominent
 ethnic
 group
 in
 the
 city.
 The
 Hispanic
 population
 did
 not
 arrive
 
suddenly
 or
 out
 of
 nowhere,
 but
 rather
 stemmed
 from
 the
 efforts
 of
 the
 Spanish
 to
 colonize
 
the
 area
 and
 the
 migration
 of
 Latin
 Americans
 over
 time
 searching
 for
 better
 lives
 than
 
what
 their
 homelands
 offered
 them.
 The
 Latino
 population
 became
 attracted
 to
 the
 
opportunities
 that
 California
 and,
 specifically,
 San
 Francisco
 had
 to
 offer
 them
 and
 
continued
 to
 grow
 throughout
 the
 twentieth
 century.
32

 (See
 Figure
 1.10)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
32

 Sandoval,
 Latinos
 at
 the
 Golden
 Gate,
 2013.
 
 

  25
 

 
Figure
 1.10:
 Distribution
 of
 ethnicities
 throughout
 San
 Francisco
 City,
 2010;
 Map
 from
 City
 and
 County
 of
 
San
 Francisco
 Department
 of
 Public
 Health
 Environmental
 Health
 Section
 found
 at
 www.thehdmt.org.
 
 

 

 
The
 Mission
 District
 became
 a
 strong
 central
 Latino
 cultural
 center
 after
 World
 War
 II,
 
when
 the
 neighborhood
 was
 transformed
 by
 Latino
 cultural
 traditions
 and
 practices,
 foods,
 
and
 artwork.
 The
 city
 and
 county
 historic
 context
 statement
 for
 the
 Mission
 District
 
describes
 this
 evolution,
 
As
 American-­‐born
 residents
 abandoned
 the
 Mission
 in
 the
 1950s,
 they
 were
 
gradually
 replaced
 by
 Mexican,
 Salvadoran,
 and
 Nicaraguan
 immigrants.
 The
 
continuous
 immigration
 of
 working
 class
 Latinos
 to
 the
 Mission
 District
 was
 
facilitated
 by
 the
 support
 network
 of
 the
 existing
 Hispanic
 community
 that
 had
 
formed
 there
 in
 the
 1930s
 and
 1940s,
 by
 the
 established
 presence
 of
 Catholic
 

  26
 
parishes
 in
 the
 area,
 and
 by
 the
 availability
 of
 relatively
 affordable,
 higher
 density
 
housing
 centrally
 located
 along
 transit
 lines...
33

 

 
Between
 the
 1960s
 and
 1980s,
 the
 Mission
 became
 ground
 zero
 for
 Latino
 politics
 and
 
movements,
 including
 the
 fight
 against
 urban
 renewal
 projects,
 anti-­‐discrimination
 
movements,
 and
 demonstrations
 for
 peace
 and
 freedom
 in
 Latin
 American
 countries
 and
 
the
 United
 States
 during
 times
 of
 war
 and
 violence.
34

 One
 such
 movement
 was
 the
 Chicano
 
Civil
 Rights
 Movement
 of
 the
 1960s
 during
 which
 Mexican-­‐American
 citizens
 throughout
 
the
 United
 States
 began
 organizing
 a
 movement
 to
 recognize
 the
 need
 for
 equality
 of
 
Mexican-­‐Americans
 (also
 known
 as
 Chicanos).
 “El
 Movimiento,”
 as
 it
 was
 called,
 
empowered
 Mexican-­‐Americans
 in
 some
 of
 the
 largest
 cities
 in
 the
 country
 and
 became
 a
 
platform
 upon
 which
 some
 of
 the
 most
 influential
 Chicano
 figures
 would
 speak
 out
 against
 
harsh
 treatment
 and
 negative
 stereotypes
 of
 Mexican-­‐Americans
 in
 the
 United
 States.
 
 

 
In
 San
 Francisco,
 the
 Mission
 District
 became
 an
 artistic
 realm
 within
 which
 Chicano
 artists
 
produced
 public
 works
 of
 art,
 especially
 murals,
 that
 depicted
 the
 racist
 and
 culturally-­‐
biased
 struggles
 endured
 by
 Mexican-­‐Americans
 and
 other
 Latinos
 throughout
 the
 city,
 
state
 and
 nation.
 Establishments
 such
 as
 the
 Galería
 de
 la
 Raza
 and
 Balmy
 Alley
 in
 the
 
Mission
 District
 became
 significant
 spaces
 where
 artists
 expressed
 their
 anger,
 worries
 and
 
concerns
 for
 the
 Latino
 populations
 in
 the
 United
 States.
35

 This
 art
 became
 integrated
 into
 
the
 cultural
 and
 physical
 fabric
 of
 the
 Mission
 District.
 Marie
 Shier,
 a
 Fall
 2012
 graduate
 of
 
the
 University
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 recognizes
 the
 significance
 of
 the
 development
 of
 public
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
33

 City
 and
 County
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 “City
 Within
 A
 City,”
 page
 86.
 
 
 
34

 Nyborg,
 “Gentrified
 Barrio,”
 page
 27,
 2008.
 
35

 Galería
 de
 la
 Raza
 will
 be
 discussed
 in
 more
 depth
 in
 Chapter
 3.
 

  27
 
art—especially
 murals—during
 the
 Chicano
 Civil
 Rights
 Movement:
 “murals
 provided
 an
 
important
 organizing
 tool
 and
 a
 means
 for
 the
 people
 to
 reclaim
 their
 heritage
 against
 the
 
background
 of
 a
 society
 that
 wanted
 to
 erase
 Latin/a
 American
 cultural
 legacy.”
36

 Murals
 
and
 other
 forms
 of
 artistic
 expression
 became
 important
 ways
 of
 expressing
 anger
 and
 
demanding
 positivity
 and
 acceptance
 among
 the
 Latino
 and
 Chicano
 populations.
 Although
 
many
 of
 these
 murals
 are
 intended
 to
 be
 ephemeral
 and
 have
 pictorially
 changed
 over
 time,
 
their
 existence
 represents
 a
 time
 in
 Mission
 District—and
 United
 States—history
 that
 is
 
outlined
 by
 a
 determination
 to
 break
 the
 cultural
 and
 social
 barriers
 that
 prevented
 a
 long-­‐
standing
 population
 from
 becoming
 fully
 integrated
 into
 American
 society.
 
 

 
Balmy
 Alley
 
 
Balmy
 Alley
 is
 one
 of
 the
 most
 significant
 places
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 depicting
 this
 Latino
 
history,
 culture,
 and
 experience.
 Located
 in
 an
 alley
 that
 spans
 one
 city
 block
 between
 Treat
 
Avenue
 and
 Harrison
 Street,
 Balmy
 Alley
 is
 home
 to
 a
 large
 concentration
 of
 murals
 painted
 
by
 artists
 from
 the
 1970s
 to
 today.
 Prominent
 and
 reoccurring
 themes
 include
 social
 and
 
political
 issues
 pertaining
 to
 Latinos
 in
 San
 Francisco,
 California,
 the
 United
 States,
 and
 
abroad.
 These
 murals
 are
 not
 permanent
 and
 have
 changed
 over
 time.
 However,
 the
 
number
 of
 artists
 wanting
 to
 work
 in
 Balmy
 Alley
 to
 narrate
 the
 stories
 and
 experiences
 of
 
Latinos
 has
 remained
 constant
 and
 the
 alley
 continues
 to
 be
 an
 outlet
 for
 Latino
 artists
 to
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
36

 Shier,
 Marie,
 “Mission
 Muralismo
 Today,”
 2012.
 
http://www.usfca.edu/Latin_American_Studies/divisadero/spring2012/Mission_Muralismo_Today/
 ;
 
“Mission
 Muralismo”
 became
 the
 name
 associated
 with
 the
 mural
 movement
 that
 began
 in
 the
 Mission
 
District
 in
 the
 mid
 to
 late
 1900s.
 The
 murals
 produced
 during
 this
 time
 represented
 the
 struggles
 endured
 by
 
Mexican
 Americans
 and
 other
 Latino
 populations
 in
 the
 United
 States.
 The
 purpose
 of
 producing
 murals
 was
 
to
 visually
 speak
 out
 against
 discrimination
 and
 inequality
 that
 prevent
 these
 populations
 from
 becoming
 
fully
 integrated
 and
 successful
 into
 American
 society.
 Cockcroft,
 Signs
 from
 the
 Heart,
 1990
 and
 Jacoby
 ed.,
 
Street
 Art
 San
 Francisco,
 2009.
 
 

  28
 
speak
 on
 behalf
 of
 their
 culture
 and
 community.
37

 Balmy
 Alley
 has
 become
 an
 outlet
 for
 
Latino
 art
 for
 expanding
 awareness
 of
 Latino
 social
 issues.
 (See
 Figures
 1.11-­‐1.13)
 

 
Two
 of
 the
 original
 artists
 to
 the
 alley,
 Miranda
 Bergman
 and
 O’Brien
 Thiele,
 continue
 to
 
uphold
 the
 artistic
 tradition
 of
 Balmy
 Alley
 through
 continuous
 restoration
 work
 to
 their
 
mural
 that
 originated
 in
 the
 1980s.
 They
 have
 provided
 the
 public
 with
 an
 explanation
 of
 
the
 origins
 of
 Balmy
 Alley
 as
 told
 through
 a
 brochure
 placed
 near
 their
 workspace.
 This
 
brochure
 describes,
 
At
 that
 time
 [1984]
 wars
 were
 raging
 in
 Central
 America.
 A
 group
 of
 artists
 came
 
together
 to
 form
 the
 group
 “PLACA.”
 We
 wanted
 to
 creatively
 express
 opposition
 to
 
our
 government’s
 intervention
 in
 liberation
 struggles
 in
 Central
 America,
 and
 our
 
solidarity
 and
 respect
 for
 the
 people
 of
 those
 nations,
 who
 were
 arriving
 to
 this
 
neighborhood
 by
 the
 thousands,
 as
 exiles
 from
 those
 wars.
 
 

 
Twenty-­‐seven
 artists
 interpreted
 the
 theme
 however
 they
 wished,
 painting
 30
 
murals,
 completely
 transforming
 Balmy
 Alley.
 Decades
 have
 passed,
 and
 fences
 and
 
doors
 have
 been
 remodeled
 or
 changed,
 and
 new
 murals
 depicting
 other
 issues
 have
 
been
 painted,
 continuing
 to
 make
 this
 alley
 a
 much
 visited
 outdoor
 art
 
environment.
38

 
 

 
Balmy
 Alley
 is
 a
 feature
 that
 is
 directly
 related
 to
 the
 culture
 and
 history
 of
 24
th

 Street
 as
 a
 
Latino
 corridor
 but
 also
 is
 a
 continuing
 tradition
 of
 expression
 among
 the
 Latino
 
community
 in
 the
 Mission
 District.
 This
 small
 niche
 of
 public
 art
 represents
 the
 struggles
 
and
 experiences
 of
 the
 Latino
 population
 that
 have
 contributes
 to
 their
 strength
 as
 a
 
unified
 people
 and
 also
 tells
 stories
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 community.
 Although
 the
 alley
 is
 
not
 an
 old
 landscape,
 it
 has
 become
 integrated
 into
 the
 historical
 and
 cultural
 fabric
 of
 the
 
community
 and
 holds
 a
 significant
 place
 in
 the
 heart
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 as
 a
 visual
 and
 
living
 representation
 of
 the
 past,
 present
 and
 future
 of
 the
 community.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
37

 Calle
 24,
 “Cuentos
 del
 Barrio,”
 page
 14.
 
38

 “Welcome
 to
 Balmy
 Alley,”
 Sign,
 2014.
 
 
 

  29
 

 
Figure
 1.11:
 “Mission
 Makeover”
 mural
 on
 Balmy
 Alley.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

 

 
Figure
 1.12:
 “Culture
 Contains
 the
 Seed
 of
 Resistance
 that
 Blossums
 into
 the
 Flower
 of
 Liberation
 “
 mural
 on
 
Balmy
 Alley.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

  30
 

 

 
Figure
 1.13:
 “No
 One
 Should
 Comply
 With
 an
 Immoral
 Law
 “
 mural
 on
 Balmy
 Alley.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

 

  31
 
Landscapes
 such
 as
 Balmy
 Alley,
 along
 with
 historically
 significant
 businesses,
 maintain
 
strong
 connections
 to
 the
 past
 and
 reflect
 many
 aspects
 of
 the
 contributions
 of
 the
 Latino
 
population
 to
 the
 cultural
 life
 of
 San
 Francisco.
 The
 close
 bonds
 created
 between
 residents
 
and
 business
 owners
 in
 the
 Mission
 helped
 to
 strengthen
 its
 prominence
 and
 identification
 
as
 a
 Latino
 community.
 Emily
 Yee,
 author
 of
 “Gentrification
 in
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 
District”
 notes,
 “certain
 common
 cultural
 traits,
 most
 notably,
 the
 Spanish
 language
 itself
 
help
 unite
 a
 heterogenous
 Hispanic
 community
 that
 is
 made
 up
 of
 diverse
 Latin
 American
 
nationalities.”
39

 
 

 
Over
 time,
 the
 Mission
 District
 became
 separated
 into
 three
 socio-­‐economic
 zones:
 the
 
northern
 Mission,
 the
 southern
 Mission,
 and
 the
 western
 Mission.
 The
 northern
 Mission
 
area
 was
 the
 area
 of
 Latino
 settlement
 in
 the
 1930s
 and
 1940s
 and
 was
 comprised
 of
 
mostly
 multi-­‐family
 housing
 as
 well
 as
 a
 Spanish-­‐speaking
 church.
 The
 northern
 Mission
 
area
 was
 thought
 to
 be
 the
 “gateway
 for
 newcomers”
 entering
 the
 Mission
 District.
40

 The
 
southern
 Mission
 area
 of
 the
 district
 grew
 to
 become
 a
 Latino
 community,
 containing
 larger
 
multi-­‐family
 and
 single-­‐family
 residences,
 centered
 on
 Saint
 Peter’s
 Cathedral
 and
 24
th

 
Street.
 The
 western
 Mission
 area
 had
 a
 much
 more
 rugged
 and
 hilly
 terrain
 that
 the
 other
 
two
 regions.
 This
 area
 developed
 characteristics
 of
 Latino
 culture,
 but
 was
 home
 to
 more
 
affluent
 white
 families.
 It
 became
 more
 of
 a
 transitional
 neighborhood
 for
 Latino
 families
 
looking
 for
 more
 of
 a
 city-­‐like
 atmosphere
 but
 unable
 to
 afford
 living
 in
 the
 heart
 of
 the
 city.
 
Today,
 the
 entire
 Mission
 District
 reflects
 Latino
 heritage
 and
 culture,
 but
 it
 is
 the
 southern
 
part
 of
 the
 district
 where
 the
 culture
 prevails.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
39

 Yee,
 “Gentrification
 in
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District,”
 page
 23,
 2010.
 
 
40

 City
 and
 County
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 “City
 Within
 A
 City,”
 page
 87,
 2007.
 
 

  32
 
Latinos
 who
 established
 themselves
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 became
 closely
 tied
 to
 each
 
other
 through
 aspects
 of
 culture,
 education,
 politics
 and
 income.
 Artists,
 intellectuals,
 
radicals,
 and
 residents
 all
 contributed
 to
 the
 voice
 of
 the
 community
 and
 to
 new
 ways
 for
 it
 
to
 stand
 out
 as
 a
 “culturally
 dynamic,
 ethnic
 neighborhood”
 in
 spite
 of
 its
 low-­‐income,
 
working-­‐class
 atmosphere.
41

 Throughout
 much
 of
 the
 twentieth
 century,
 the
 Mission
 
District
 remained
 quite
 separated
 from
 the
 rest
 of
 San
 Francisco
 as
 a
 low-­‐income
 
neighborhood
 and
 did
 not
 succumb
 to
 redevelopment
 as
 they
 progressed
 through
 the
 city.
 
The
 neighborhood’s
 prominence
 as
 a
 culturally
 Latino
 district
 thrived
 and
 continues
 to
 
thrive.
 The
 community
 remains
 proud
 of
 their
 Latino
 and
 Hispanic
 roots
 and
 upholds
 a
 way
 
of
 life
 that
 is
 appreciative
 of
 this
 heritage
 and
 of
 their
 journey
 to
 become
 established
 
residents
 of
 the
 Mission
 District.
 
 

 
24
th

 Street
 and
 Valencia
 Street
 have
 become
 two
 of
 the
 main
 commercial
 strips
 through
 the
 
Mission
 District.
 Since
 the
 1990s,
 24
th

 Street
 has
 begun
 to
 undergo
 minor
 changes
 along
 its
 
commercial
 front,
 including
 the
 establishment
 of
 trendy,
 new
 businesses
 that
 do
 not
 retain
 
or
 reflect
 the
 Mission
 District’s
 Latino
 history
 or
 roots.
 Although
 these
 changes
 have
 begun
 
to
 slowly
 become
 the
 norm
 along
 24
th

 Street,
 the
 majority
 of
 the
 corridor
 still
 retains
 a
 
significant
 percentage
 of
 Latino-­‐oriented
 legacy
 businesses
 that
 represent
 Latino
 history
 
and
 culture.
 Valencia
 Street
 has
 succumbed
 to
 an
 almost
 complete
 transformation
 from
 a
 
Latino
 corridor
 to
 an
 upscale,
 new
 thoroughfare
 with
 trendy
 boutiques,
 restaurants,
 coffee
 
shops,
 and
 organic
 markets.
 These
 two
 thoroughfares
 represent
 the
 various
 stages
 of
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
41

 Yee,
 “Gentrification
 in
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District,”
 page
 25,
 2010.
 

  33
 
change
 that
 have
 begun
 to
 occur
 in
 the
 Mission
 District,
 a
 theme
 that
 will
 be
 carried
 
through
 the
 remainder
 of
 this
 thesis.
 
 

 
Conclusion
 
The
 Mission
 District
 is
 often
 called
 a
 “city
 within
 a
 city”
 because
 of
 its
 emergence
 as
 a
 
separated
 community
 that,
 rather
 than
 integrating
 with
 the
 rest
 of
 the
 city
 as
 it
 developed,
 
developed
 on
 its
 own,
 establishing
 self-­‐sustaining
 businesses,
 cultural
 centers,
 residential
 
niches,
 and
 communal
 areas.
 Beginning
 with
 Spanish
 settlement
 and
 moving
 through
 the
 
Mexican
 conquest
 and
 later
 American
 conquest,
 the
 Mission
 retained
 certain
 aspects,
 small
 
or
 large,
 of
 Spanish
 and
 Hispanic
 heritage.
 Eventually,
 the
 Mission
 developed
 into
 a
 small
 
community
 that
 was
 proud
 of
 its
 cultural
 heritage,
 of
 the
 journeys
 that
 its
 ancestors
 
endured
 to
 reach
 independence
 in
 northern
 California;
 a
 pride
 that
 became
 and
 still
 
remains
 a
 dominant
 characteristic
 of
 the
 community
 to
 be
 felt,
 seen,
 smelled,
 tasted
 and
 
heard
 by
 all.
 The
 National
 Trust
 Guide:
 San
 Francisco
 describes
 the
 Mission
 District
 as
 a
 
place
 “still
 steeped
 in
 the
 culture
 of
 the
 city’s
 working
 class.”
42

 The
 Mission
 District’s
 roots
 
in
 Latino
 culture
 shaped
 the
 district
 into
 a
 cultural
 haven
 for
 the
 often
 underserved,
 
working
 class
 Latino
 citizens
 that
 did
 not
 or
 do
 not
 fit
 in
 to
 other
 areas
 or
 neighborhoods
 in
 
San
 Francisco.
 The
 Mission
 District’s
 prominence
 as
 a
 Latino
 neighborhood
 makes
 it
 a
 
significant
 cultural
 and
 ethnic
 enclave
 that
 retains
 its
 close
 ties
 with
 its
 historical
 narrative
 
and
 brings
 a
 unique
 story
 that
 adds
 to
 the
 cultural
 vitality
 of
 San
 Francisco
 as
 a
 whole.
 
 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
42

 Ibid,
 page
 303.
 
 

  34
 
Chapter
 2:
 Gentrification
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 
 

 

 
The
 Mission
 District’s
 ties
 to
 Latino
 culture
 are
 displayed
 through
 the
 many
 long-­‐time
 
restaurants,
 retail
 stores,
 art
 galleries
 and
 bakeries
 that
 live
 in
 the
 neighborhood.
 The
 
businesses
 that
 thrive
 in
 the
 Mission
 are
 not
 the
 typical
 big
 box
 retail,
 but
 rather
 mom-­‐and-­‐
pop-­‐owned
 local
 businesses
 that
 offer
 a
 variety
 of
 goods
 and
 services
 to
 the
 Mission’s
 
predominantly
 and
 historically
 Latino
 community.
 The
 fact
 that
 the
 district
 has
 maintained
 
successful
 local
 businesses
 and
 that
 it
 has
 retained
 a
 strong
 Latino
 identity
 are
 two
 of
 the
 
characteristics
 that
 make
 the
 neighborhood
 a
 unique
 cultural
 area.
 These
 businesses
 have
 
been
 in
 place
 for
 a
 substantial
 part
 of
 San
 Francisco’s
 history
 and
 have
 experienced
 many
 
changes
 in
 culture,
 society,
 politics,
 and
 economics.
 Many
 of
 them
 have
 continued
 to
 thrive
 
despite
 dramatic
 changes
 over
 time.
 These
 long-­‐time
 mom-­‐and-­‐pop,
 or
 legacy
 businesses
 
have
 become
 a
 significant
 part
 of
 the
 cultural
 fabric
 that
 defines
 the
 Mission
 District.
 They
 
have
 long
 supported
 those
 who
 live
 and
 work
 in
 the
 area.
 Specifically,
 the
 Mission
 District’s
 
long-­‐standing
 Latino
 population
 has
 been
 well
 supported
 by
 these
 small
 local
 businesses,
 
which
 sustain
 the
 local
 economy
 and
 uphold
 a
 strong
 sense
 of
 cultural
 identity
 and
 
collective
 historical
 memory.
 
 

 
The
 Dot
 Com
 Boom
 
The
 last
 three
 decades
 of
 the
 twentieth
 century
 and
 the
 first
 few
 years
 of
 the
 twenty-­‐first
 
century
 proved
 to
 be
 a
 time
 of
 change
 for
 San
 Francisco
 and
 the
 greater
 Bay
 Area.
 The
 
advancement
 and
 spread
 of
 digital
 technology
 led
 to
 a
 revolution
 in
 the
 world
 of
 business
 
and
 the
 lives
 of
 individuals.
 The
 first
 “Dot
 Com
 Boom”
 that
 occurred
 in
 the
 early
 1990s
 saw
 

  35
 
the
 development
 and
 evolution
 of
 cell
 phones,
 the
 internet,
 and
 other
 high-­‐tech
 entities
 
that
 resulted
 in
 a
 significant
 shift
 in
 American
 culture.
43

 

 
The
 first
 Dot
 Com
 Boom
 resulted
 in
 the
 mass
 establishment
 of
 companies
 in
 the
 Bay
 Area
 
that
 produced
 advanced
 technologies
 that
 changed
 the
 way
 people
 communicate
 with
 one
 
another.
44

 (See
 Figure
 2.1).
 Corporations
 formed,
 digital
 technology
 became
 an
 integral
 
part
 of
 every
 day
 life,
 and
 the
 American
 people
 became
 more
 accessible
 to
 one
 another.
 The
 
technological
 developments
 produced
 in
 the
 Silicon
 Valley
 not
 only
 changed
 the
 way
 
people
 interacted
 with
 each
 other
 but
 also
 had
 profound
 impacts
 on
 the
 dynamics
 of
 San
 
Francisco’s
 Mission
 District.
 The
 most
 dramatic
 of
 these
 was
 a
 dramatic
 increase
 in
 
commercial
 and
 residential
 property
 values
 and,
 correspondingly,
 rental
 prices.
45

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
43

 Centner,
 “Places
 of
 Privileged
 Consumption
 Practices,”
 City
 and
 Community,
 August
 2008.
 
 
44

 Silicon
 Valley
 is
 located
 approximately
 40
 miles
 southeast
 of
 San
 Francisco
 and
 is
 home
 to
 some
 of
 the
 
largest
 national
 and
 international
 technology
 businesses
 and
 corporations.
 Such
 corporations
 as
 Google,
 
Facebook,
 Apple
 (formerly
 named
 Macintosh),
 eBay,
 and
 Hewlett-­‐Packard
 are
 among
 the
 Fortune
 100
 
companies
 headquartered
 in
 the
 Silicon
 Valley.
 
 
45

 Subsequent
 smaller
 dot
 com
 and
 technology
 movements
 have
 followed
 the
 initial
 early
 1990s
 boom,
 
generating
 additional
 impact.
 
 
 

  36
 

 
Figure
 2.1:
 Map
 of
 Silicon
 Valley.
 Made
 by
 Author
 in
 Google
 Maps.
 

 
The
 Mission
 District’s
 proximity
 to
 Highway
 101,
 the
 major
 artery
 between
 San
 Francisco
 
and
 the
 Silicon
 Valley,
 and
 its
 location
 just
 south
 of
 downtown
 San
 Francisco
 are
 what
 
make
 the
 neighborhood
 an
 ideal
 area
 to
 live
 for
 newcomers
 to
 the
 city.
 Since
 the
 first
 Dot
 
Com
 Boom
 in
 the
 90s,
 the
 Mission
 District
 has
 experienced
 an
 influx
 of
 new
 residents
 and
 
business
 owners
 looking
 to
 relocate
 from
 the
 Silicon
 Valley.
 The
 lower
 rents
 and
 property
 
values
 in
 this
 area,
 compared
 to
 the
 rest
 of
 the
 city,
 have
 attracted
 many
 newcomers.
 These
 
individuals
 often
 work
 for
 high-­‐end,
 large-­‐scale
 technology
 businesses
 and
 corporations
 as
 
well
 as
 smaller
 start-­‐up
 companies.
46

 Seeking
 a
 refuge
 away
 from
 work
 and
 affordable
 
spaces
 to
 live
 and/or
 establish
 new
 businesses
 as
 side
 projects,
 these
 individuals
 have
 
turned
 to
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District
 to
 provide
 them
 with
 just
 the
 right
 amount
 of
 city
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
46

 Nyborg,
 “Gentrified
 Barrio,”
 University
 of
 California
 San
 Diego
 Masters
 thesis,
 2008.
 
 

  37
 
life
 thrill
 they
 are
 searching
 for.
47

 Zoe
 Corbyn,
 writer
 for
 The
 Observer,
 describes
 this
 
introduction
 of
 newcomers:
 “…San
 Francisco
 has
 become
 a
 bedroom
 city
 for
 people
 who
 
work
 in
 Silicon
 Valley
 and
 prefer
 vibrant
 urban
 neighborhoods
 to
 sleepy
 suburban
 
towns.”
48

 The
 flood
 of
 new
 residents
 and
 new
 hip
 businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 has
 
resulted
 in
 a
 severe
 increase
 in
 rental
 prices.
 These
 increases
 create
 a
 widening
 social,
 
financial
 and
 cultural
 gap
 between
 newcomers
 and
 the
 existing
 population,
 changing
 the
 
dynamics
 of
 the
 neighborhood
 but
 also
 leads
 to
 more
 opportunities
 to
 increase
 rents.
 (See
 
Figure
 2.2)
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
47

 Guynn,
 “Google
 plans
 move
 into
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District,”
 Los
 Angeles
 Times,
 18
 Feb
 2014.
 Accessed
 
June
 10,
 2014.
 http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-­‐fi-­‐tn-­‐google-­‐plans-­‐move-­‐into-­‐san-­‐
franciscos-­‐mission-­‐district-­‐20140218,0,4061494,print.story
 
 
48

 Corbyn,
 “Is
 San
 Francisco
 losing
 its
 soul?,”
 The
 Observer,
 Feb
 22,
 2014,
 page
 3,
 Accessed
 June
 1,
 2014.
 
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/23/is-­‐san-­‐francisco-­‐losing-­‐its-­‐soul
 
 

  38
 

 
Figure
 2.2:
 Rental
 Trends
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 from
 February
 2009
 to
 November
 2013.
 Data
 gathered
 from
 
Craigslist.
 

 

 

 
Since
 the
 initial
 technology
 boom
 of
 the
 1990s,
 there
 have
 been
 subsequent
 movements
 
that
 have
 supported
 and
 maintained
 this
 sense
 of
 change
 throughout
 the
 city.
 Rents
 and
 
property
 values
 have
 continued
 to
 rise
 and
 the
 need
 to
 keep
 up
 with
 rising
 prices
 in
 order
 
to
 maintain
 a
 stable
 lifestyle
 is
 becoming
 an
 even
 greater
 issue.
49

 The
 growing
 rental
 gap
 
continues
 to
 negatively
 affect
 the
 dynamics
 and
 economy
 of
 the
 Mission
 District,
 
threatening
 businesses
 that
 have
 maintained
 themselves
 for
 decades.
50

 Corbyn’s
 article
 
describes
 this
 rental
 gap
 phenomenon,
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
49

 Ibid.
 
 
50

 Ibid.
 
 

  39
 
In
 one
 sense,
 San
 Francisco
 is
 thriving.
 The
 unemployment
 rate
 is
 just
 4.8%,
 
compared
 to
 8.3%
 for
 California
 as
 a
 whole.
 In
 2013
 job
 growth
 in
 San
 Francisco
 
County
 led
 all
 others
 in
 the
 nation.
 But
 the
 influx
 of
 so
 many
 young,
 rich
 tech
 
workers
 has
 caused
 significant
 tensions.
 Starting
 in
 mid-­‐2011,
 rents
 and
 house
 
prices
 began
 to
 soar.
 Eviction
 rates
 soon
 followed
 as
 property
 speculators
 sought
 to
 
cash
 in
 by
 flipping
 rent-­‐controlled
 apartment
 buildings
 into
 flats
 to
 sell.
 Evicted
 
residents
 have
 found
 themselves
 unable
 to
 afford
 to
 live
 in
 their
 city
 anymore
 and
 
many
 businesses
 and
 non-­‐profits
 have
 been
 squeezed.
51

 

 
Since
 the
 Dot
 Com
 Boom,
 the
 Mission
 District
 has
 experienced
 increased
 tension
 between
 
new
 and
 existing
 residents
 as
 new
 residents
 have
 vastly
 different
 cultural
 needs
 and
 
priorities.
 This
 has
 led
 to
 an
 increase
 in
 new
 businesses
 catering
 to
 the
 new
 residents,
 
causing
 even
 greater
 tension
 between
 new
 and
 existing.
 The
 feeling
 of
 existing
 Latino
 
residents
 is
 that
 the
 new
 residents
 show
 little
 or
 no
 regard
 for
 Latino
 heritage
 and
 culture
 
in
 the
 Mission
 District.
 

 
One
 significant
 change
 that
 has
 taken
 place
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 that
 has
 added
 to
 the
 
tension
 between
 the
 new
 population
 and
 the
 historically
 Latino
 community
 is
 the
 
introduction
 of
 the
 “Google
 Bus.”
 Private
 luxury
 bus
 companies
 provide
 tech
 industry
 
employees
 living
 in
 San
 Francisco
 an
 easier,
 more
 direct
 route
 to
 Silicon
 Valley
 than
 public
 
transportation
 or
 individual
 drivers.
 The
 buses
 stop
 at
 various
 city
 bus
 stops
 throughout
 
the
 city—mostly
 in
 the
 Mission
 District—to
 pick
 up
 employees
 traveling
 to
 the
 Silicon
 
Valley.
 Residents
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 have
 taken
 issue
 with
 the
 idea
 of
 segregated
 
private
 transportation
 intended
 only
 for
 tech
 employees.
52

 One
 concerned
 resident,
 Julia
 
Wong,
 spoke
 out
 against
 these
 Google
 Buses
 in
 a
 recent
 blog
 post,
 writing,
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
51

 Corbyn,
 “Is
 San
 Francisco
 losing
 its
 soul?,”
 The
 Observer,
 Feb
 22,
 2014,
 page
 3.
 
52

 Wong,
 “What
 the
 Media
 Gets
 Wrong
 About
 San
 Francisco’s
 Gentrification
 Battles,”
 Blog
 Post
 March
 24,
 2014.
 
Accessed
 May
 27,
 2014.
 http://www.thenation.com/blog/178947/what-­‐media-­‐gets-­‐wrong-­‐about-­‐san-­‐
franciscos-­‐gentrification-­‐battles
 
 

  40
 
The
 image
 of
 Google
 buses
 rolling
 through
 the
 narrow
 streets
 of
 the
 Mission,
 tinted
 
windows
 reflecting
 scenes
 of
 the
 neighborhood’s
 vaunted
 Latino
 culture—murals,
 
vegetable
 stands,
 street
 vendors,
 pupusa
 joints—makes
 manifest
 the
 division
 
between
 the
 people
 inside
 (tech
 workers)
 and
 the
 people
 outside
 (everyone
 else).
53

 

 
The
 attitude
 and
 concerns
 of
 this
 Mission
 District
 resident
 are
 shared
 by
 others
 throughout
 
the
 Latino
 community.
 The
 harmony
 that
 the
 Mission
 was
 once
 woven
 together
 with
 is
 
slowly
 being
 lost
 due
 to
 the
 dominating
 presence
 of
 techies
 and
 “Google
 buses”
 that
 have
 
changed
 the
 face
 of
 the
 Latino
 neighborhood.
 Wong
 also
 describes
 this
 disruption
 of
 culture,
 
“The
 working-­‐class
 Latinos
 waiting
 at
 the
 same
 bus
 stops
 for
 public
 transportation
 are
 the
 
old
 [San
 Francisco],
 creators
 of
 the
 old
 culture
 that’s
 being
 forced
 out.”
54

 Whether
 or
 not
 it
 
is
 the
 intention
 of
 the
 techies
 to
 force
 out
 the
 Latino
 population
 in
 the
 Mission
 District,
 it
 is
 
something
 that
 residents
 feel
 strongly
 about
 and
 is
 something
 that
 the
 community
 wants
 to
 
prevent
 from
 occurring
 fully.
 
 

 
Gentrification
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 
Defined
 in
 the
 Introduction
 chapter
 of
 this
 thesis,
 gentrification
 is,
 “the
 transformation
 of
 a
 
working-­‐class
 or
 vacant
 area
 of
 the
 central
 city
 into
 middle-­‐class
 residential
 or
 commercial
 
use.”
55

 The
 after
 effects
 of
 the
 Dot
 Com
 Boom—rental
 price
 increases
 and
 rises
 in
 property
 
values—in
 the
 1990s
 included
 a
 movement
 toward
 gentrification
 in
 which
 local
 businesses
 
became
 viable
 resources
 for
 redevelopment,
 reinvestment,
 and
 replacement.
 Economically,
 
gentrification
 can
 allow
 for
 significant
 financial
 growth
 of
 what
 has
 been
 deemed
 as
 a
 low-­‐
income
 or
 working-­‐class
 neighborhood,
 which
 can
 lead
 to
 economic
 diversity
 but
 can
 also
 
lead
 to
 the
 loss
 of
 the
 cultural
 and
 social
 fabric
 that
 has
 historically
 defined
 the
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
53

 Ibid.
 
54

 Ibid.
 
 
55

 Lees,
 et
 al.,
 The
 Gentrification
 Reader,
 page
 xv.
 

  41
 
neighborhood
 and
 the
 strong
 sense
 of
 community
 that
 has
 stemmed
 from
 it.
 
56

 
Gentrification
 often
 takes
 hold
 of
 neighborhoods
 or
 communities
 that
 
…are
 deteriorated,
 and
 occupied
 by
 the
 lower-­‐
 and
 moderate-­‐income,
 often
 elderly,
 
households.
 These
 residential
 areas
 are
 located
 close
 to
 the
 central
 business
 district,
 
and
 often
 have
 peculiar
 amenities
 such
 as
 views
 of
 the
 skyline,
 access
 to
 parks,
 or
 
some
 historical
 significance.
 The
 housing
 is
 run-­‐down
 but
 still
 structurally
 
sound…Moderate
 rehabilitation,
 for
 the
 most
 part,
 will
 make
 housing
 suitable
 for
 
“gentry,”
 and
 façade
 improvements
 will
 enhance
 the
 architectural
 qualities
 and
 
contribute
 to
 major
 increases
 in
 its
 market
 value.
57

 

 
Although
 gentrification
 can
 be
 intended
 to
 “bring
 up”
 a
 neighborhood
 that
 has
 either
 fallen
 
into
 disrepair
 or
 is
 a
 low-­‐income
 or
 working-­‐class
 neighborhood,
 it
 can
 have
 dramatic
 
effects
 on
 the
 culture
 or
 history
 of
 the
 area
 and
 people.
 Allowing
 new
 development
 and
 
revitalization
 to
 take
 away
 from
 the
 historically
 profound
 fabric
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 can
 
lead
 to
 a
 significant
 loss
 of
 cultural
 identity
 and
 cultural
 history
 that
 so
 greatly
 adds
 to
 the
 
greater
 history
 of
 the
 City
 and
 acts
 as
 a
 supportive
 foundation
 for
 diversity.
 
 

 
The
 greater
 effects
 of
 the
 developments
 of
 the
 tech
 industry
 have
 become
 “ripple
 effect”
 of
 
their
 technological
 advancements—gentrification.
58

 Low-­‐income
 ethnic
 communities
 and
 
neighborhoods
 become
 the
 primary
 areas
 that
 experience
 redevelopment
 and
 
reinvestment
 that
 result
 in
 the
 displacement
 and
 replacement
 of
 long-­‐time
 residents,
 
businesses,
 and
 cultural
 entities
 that
 define
 the
 area
 as
 an
 ethnic
 neighborhood.
 The
 
practice
 of
 heritage
 conservation
 can
 help
 to
 alleviate
 the
 worry
 and
 concern
 among
 these
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
56

 Lees,
 et.
 al.,
 The
 Gentrification
 Reader,
 page
 4.
 
 
57

 Beauregard,
 “The
 Chaos
 and
 Complexity
 of
 Gentrification,”
 taken
 from
 Lees,
 et
 al.
 eds.
 The
 Gentrification
 
Reader,
 page
 12.
 
 
58

 One
 such
 positive
 impact
 is
 the
 revitalization
 of
 San
 Francisco’s
 Central
 Market
 Downtown
 district.
 The
 
area
 has
 been
 revived
 and
 reinvested
 in
 that
 has
 transformed
 it,
 once
 again,
 into
 a
 frequented
 thoroughfare
 
filled
 with
 shops,
 restaurants,
 and
 ample
 opportunities
 to
 soak
 in
 the
 City’s
 people
 and
 culture.
 For
 more
 
information
 about
 the
 revitalization
 of
 the
 Central
 Market
 Downtown
 district
 can
 be
 found
 at
 
http://www.oewd.org/media/docs/CentralMarketEconomicStrategy.pdf.
 
 

  42
 
ethnic
 and
 low-­‐income
 entities
 in
 the
 face
 of
 a
 growing
 interest
 in
 redeveloping
 and
 
reinvesting
 in
 these
 communities
 by
 working
 to
 sustain
 the
 culturally
 profound
 
neighborhood
 that
 continues
 to
 be
 called
 home
 by
 these
 populations.
 Specifically,
 the
 
Mission
 District’s
 Latino
 population,
 history,
 culture,
 and
 sense
 of
 community
 are
 becoming
 
more
 at
 risk
 as
 newcomers
 to
 the
 City
 look
 to
 this
 neighborhood.
 Since
 the
 1990s,
 
gentrification
 has
 begun
 to
 alter
 the
 social,
 cultural
 and
 physical
 aspects
 of
 the
 Mission
 
District,
 pressuring
 the
 existing
 commercial
 entities
 to
 “keep
 up
 with
 the
 Jones’”
 or
 struggle
 
to
 maintain
 their
 legacies.
 In
 this
 sense,
 two
 of
 the
 Mission
 District’s
 commercial
 spines—
Valencia
 Street
 and
 24
th

 Street—become
 the
 important
 areas
 that
 need
 to
 be
 evaluated
 in
 
terms
 of
 their
 legacy
 businesses
 and
 acted
 upon
 in
 a
 way
 that
 sensitively
 maintains
 these
 
businesses
 for
 the
 sake
 of
 the
 sense
 of
 community
 and
 the
 cultural
 and
 historical
 value
 that
 
they
 bring.
 
 

 
Valencia
 Street
 
Gentrification
 has
 permanently
 changed
 the
 face
 of
 certain
 parts
 of
 the
 Mission
 District,
 
Valencia
 Street
 in
 particular.
 Within
 the
 neighborhood,
 Valencia
 Street
 has
 experienced
 an
 
almost
 complete
 transformation
 from
 its
 historic
 Latino
 roots
 to
 a
 new
 and
 trendy
 
commercial
 strip.
 Valencia
 Street
 has
 gone
 from
 offering
 basic
 services
 to
 the
 community
 to
 
organic
 coffee
 shops,
 bars,
 eateries,
 and
 clothing
 boutiques.
 (See
 Figures
 2.3-­‐2.9)
 Valencia
 
Street’s
 Latino
 history
 and
 culture
 have
 been
 reduced
 to
 a
 few
 newly
 established
 Latino-­‐
inspired
 eateries
 that
 have
 replaced
 long-­‐time
 establishments.
 These
 new
 businesses,
 
rather
 than
 blending
 into
 the
 pre-­‐existing
 neighborhood,
 created
 a
 separate,
 upscale,
 
distinctive
 atmosphere
 that
 attracted
 the
 more
 affluent
 population
 that
 was
 beginning
 to
 

  43
 
inhabit
 the
 Mission.
 Author
 Gregory
 Dicum
 described
 Valencia
 Street’s
 transformation
 as
 
early
 as
 2008,
 
 
Some
 15
 years
 ago,
 Valencia
 Street
 was
 a
 forbidding
 mix
 of
 auto
 body
 shops,
 
papered-­‐over
 storefronts
 and
 hole-­‐in-­‐the-­‐wall
 restaurants…Then
 came
 the
 dot-­‐com
 
money.
 Trendy
 coffeehouses
 arrived.
 Hip
 boutiques
 opened
 next
 to
 cool
 bars.
 And
 
now
 the
 wide,
 low-­‐slung
 street
 has
 become
 a
 gathering
 spot
 for
 the
 city’s
 latest
 
breed
 of
 cool-­‐hunting
 hipsters.
59

 

 
Valencia
 Street,
 which
 once
 was
 a
 vibrant
 span
 of
 Latino
 heritage
 in
 the
 Mission
 District,
 
has
 now
 become
 a
 trendy
 sanctuary
 for
 hip
 techies
 living
 in
 San
 Francisco.
 The
 influx
 of
 
young
 affluent
 tech
 employees
 to
 the
 Mission
 District
 has
 resulted
 in
 a
 dramatic
 change
 in
 
the
 distribution
 of
 wealth
 in
 the
 local
 economy
 and
 in
 the
 culture
 that
 has
 defined
 the
 
neighborhood
 as
 a
 Latino
 corridor
 for
 decades.
 Migrating
 to
 the
 Mission
 from
 Silicon
 Valley
 
allows
 affluent
 techies
 to
 manipulate
 the
 neighborhood—physically
 and
 culturally—
because
 of
 the
 amount
 money
 they
 are
 able
 and
 willing
 to
 invest.
 This
 dramatic
 shift
 in
 the
 
dynamics
 and
 culture
 of
 Valencia
 Street
 has
 begun
 to
 carry
 over
 into
 other
 areas
 of
 the
 
Mission
 District
 at
 an
 alarming
 rate.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
59

 Dicum,
 “Hipster
 Hunting
 Ground,”
 New
 York
 Times,
 July
 13,
 2008.
 Accessed
 May
 27,
 2014.
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/travel/13surfacing.html?_r=0
 
 

  44
 

 
Figure
 2.3:
 Map
 of
 Valencia
 Street.
 Made
 in
 Google
 Maps
 by
 Author.
 
 

  45
 

 
Figure
 2.4:
 Streetscape
 view
 of
 Valencia
 Street.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

 
Figure
 2.5:
 Streetscape
 view
 of
 Valencia
 Street.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

  46
 

 
Figure
 2.6:
 Development
 on
 Valencia
 Street.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

 
Figure
 2.7:
 Streetscape
 view
 of
 Valencia
 Street.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

 

  47
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Figure
 2.8:
 Local
 Farmers
 Market
 on
 Valencia
 Street.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

  48
 

 
Figure
 2.9:
 Local
 businesses
 on
 Valencia
 Street.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

  49
 
The
 transformation
 that
 Valencia
 Street
 has
 undergone
 within
 the
 last
 few
 decades
 
represents
 the
 future
 of
 other
 areas
 of
 the
 Mission
 District,
 such
 as
 24
th

 Street;
 areas
 that
 
still
 retain
 legacy
 businesses
 and
 cultural
 fabric
 that
 offer
 comfort
 to
 those
 who
 have
 
thrived
 in
 the
 neighborhood
 and
 a
 profound
 sense
 of
 community
 among
 residents
 and
 
businesses.
 The
 new
 social
 and
 cultural
 atmosphere
 that
 has
 stemmed
 from
 the
 
reinvestment
 and
 redevelopment
 of
 Valencia
 Street
 offers
 a
 “new
 history”
 that
 considers
 
the
 new
 businesses
 that
 have
 replaced
 long-­‐standing
 businesses.
 These
 new
 developments
 
attract
 a
 clientele
 far
 different
 from
 the
 ones
 established
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 throughout
 
much
 of
 its
 history.
 They
 also
 generate
 higher
 revenues
 than
 legacy
 businesses,
 producing
 
a
 competitive
 atmosphere
 between
 old
 and
 new.
 
 

 
24
th

 Street
 
 
On
 the
 opposite
 end
 of
 the
 transformation
 spectrum,
 24
th

 Street
 has
 experienced
 the
 
beginnings
 of
 gentrification,
 but
 has
 yet
 to
 succumb
 to
 a
 complete
 makeover.
 In
 stark
 
contrast
 to
 Valencia
 Street,
 24
th

 Street
 retains
 significant
 indications
 of
 its
 Latino
 history
 
and
 heritage
 varying
 from
 restaurants
 to
 bookstores
 and
 local
 cafes.
 Although
 this
 side
 of
 
the
 Mission
 is
 on
 new
 residents’
 radars,
 24
th

 Street
 business
 owners
 have
 fought
 a
 
continuous
 battle
 to
 protect
 its
 culture
 and
 its
 name
 as
 a
 Latino
 corridor.
60

 The
 desire
 to
 
protect
 this
 heritage
 that
 can
 be
 felt
 throughout
 24
th

 Street
 has
 not
 been
 enough
 to
 keep
 
some
 residents
 and
 businesses
 from
 being
 forced
 out
 due
 to
 the
 spike
 in
 rent
 prices.
 
Feeling
 the
 aftershocks
 of
 the
 transformation
 of
 Valencia
 Street,
 24
th

 Street
 has
 begun
 to
 
experience
 change,
 resulting
 in
 the
 displacement
 of
 some
 long-­‐time
 businesses
 that
 have,
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
60

 Lagos,
 “A
 mission
 for
 the
 Mission,”
 San
 Francisco
 Gate,
 April
 22,
 2014.
 Accessed
 June
 10,
 2014.
 
http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/A-­‐mission-­‐for-­‐the-­‐Mission-­‐Preserve-­‐Latino-­‐legacy-­‐5419370.php
 
 

  50
 
for
 many
 decades,
 supported
 the
 lives
 and
 life-­‐styles
 of
 the
 Latino
 population.
 Author
 
Cameron
 Scott
 describes
 24
th

 Street
 as
 a
 street
 that
 “has
 long
 been
 home
 to
 a
 mix
 of
 mom-­‐
and-­‐pop
 restaurants,
 hair
 salons,
 and
 bodegas,
 but
 within
 the
 last
 few
 years
 the
 
establishment
 of
 trendy
 new
 coffee
 shops,
 boutiques
 and
 restaurants
 has
 become
 a
 normal
 
sight
 on
 the
 commercial
 front
 of
 the
 street.
61

 Scott
 notes
 that,
 “…24
th

 Street
 looks
 a
 lot
 less
 
like
 the
 quieter
 cousin
 of
 gritty
 Mission
 Street
 and
 a
 lot
 more
 like
 a
 second
 Valencia
 
Street…”
62

 Scott’s
 article
 presents
 the
 concerns
 of
 both
 residents
 and
 business
 owners
 alike,
 
who
 all
 fear
 that
 the
 introduction
 and
 migration
 of
 newer,
 wealthier
 residents
 will
 have
 a
 
significant
 impact
 on
 the
 dynamics
 and
 culture
 of
 24
th

 Street,
 just
 as
 they
 have
 had
 on
 
Valencia
 Street.
 
 

 
Identified
 as
 one
 of
 the
 “commercial
 spines”
 of
 the
 Mission
 District,
 24
th

 Street
 contains
 
eleven
 businesses
 that
 are
 significant
 in
 their
 contribution
 to
 Latino
 history
 in
 the
 district.
 
24
th

 Street
 spans
 approximately
 twelve
 blocks
 and
 runs
 east
 to
 west
 from
 Dolores
 Street
 to
 
Potrero
 Avenue.
 (See
 Figure
 2.10)
 One
 organization
 that
 has
 made
 great
 efforts
 to
 advocate
 
for
 the
 retention
 and
 protection
 of
 legacy
 businesses
 is
 Calle
 24.
 This
 organization—
previously
 named
 the
 Lower
 24
th

 Street
 Merchants
 and
 Neighbors
 Association—was
 
developed
 in
 1999
 by
 “a
 group
 of
 long
 time
 residents,
 merchants,
 service
 providers
 and
 art
 
organizations
 concerned
 with
 quality
 of
 life
 issues
 in
 the
 community.”
63

 The
 organization
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
61

 Scott,
 “The
 Continuing
 Evolution
 of
 24
th

 Street,”
 San
 Francisco
 Weekly,
 March
 6,
 2013.
 Accessed
 March
 24,
 
2014.
 http://www.sfweekly.com/2013-­‐03-­‐06/news/the-­‐continuing-­‐evolution-­‐of-­‐24th-­‐street/
 
 

 
63

 Calle
 24
 Website,
 “About,”
 http://calle24sf.org/about/
 
 

  51
 
works
 toward
 preserving
 the
 “unique
 beauty
 and
 culture
 that
 is
 the
 trademark
 of
 Calle
 24
 
and
 the
 Mission.”
64

 This
 association
 has
 described
 24
th

 street
 as
 being
 
…lined
 with
 family
 and
 Latino-­‐owned
 businesses,
 ranging
 from
 restaurants
 and
 
panaderías
 to
 lavanderías
 and
 jewelry
 shops.
 Some
 have
 endured
 for
 generations
 
and
 today
 comprise
 the
 cultural
 fabric
 of
 the
 neighborhood.
65

 
 

 
24
th

 street
 was,
 and
 still
 is,
 an
 excellent
 representation
 of
 the
 social
 and
 cultural
 identity
 
and
 heritage
 of
 the
 Latino
 population
 in
 the
 Mission
 District.
 It
 encompasses
 aspects
 of
 
Latino
 history
 and
 culture
 that
 are
 woven
 together
 to
 create
 a
 close
 community
 that
 is
 both
 
appreciative
 and
 proud
 of
 their
 heritage
 in
 San
 Francisco.
66

 
 

 
Just
 as
 Valencia
 Street
 experienced
 a
 complete
 renovation
 due
 to
 the
 number
 of
 new
 
techies
 moving
 to
 the
 area
 and
 the
 resulting
 inflation
 of
 rental
 prices,
 so
 too
 is
 24
th

 Street
 
beginning
 to
 fall
 under
 the
 umbrella
 that
 has
 defined
 gentrification
 in
 the
 Mission
 District.
 
Author
 Zoe
 Corbyn
 summarizes
 the
 worries
 and
 concerns
 felt
 by
 those
 in
 the
 Mission
 as
 
well
 as
 those
 throughout
 the
 city,
 
 
Many
 long-­‐time
 San
 Francisco
 residents
 worry
 not
 only
 about
 being
 forced
 out
 of
 
the
 city
 they
 love,
 but
 also
 that
 their
 city
 is
 being
 changed
 for
 the
 worse.
 Critics
 say
 
that
 San
 Francisco’s
 communities
 of
 alternative
 culture,
 ethnic
 or
 otherwise—the
 
soil
 of
 its
 creative
 mojo
 and
 legendary
 social
 movements—are
 being
 turned
 into
 
playgrounds
 for
 rich
 people.
 If
 San
 Francisco’s
 soul
 is
 its
 social
 and
 economic
 
diversity
 and
 status
 as
 a
 refuge
 for
 those
 outside
 the
 mainstream,
 then
 it
 is
 being
 
lost.
67

 

 
Corbyn
 summarizes
 the
 apprehensions
 of
 a
 strong
 majority
 of
 San
 Franciscans,
 particularly
 
those
 who
 have
 thrived
 in
 culturally
 sound
 and
 ethnically
 diverse
 neighborhoods
 such
 as
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
64

 Ibid.
 
 
65

 Ibid,
 page
 18.
 
 
66

 There
 are
 24
th

 Street
 businesses
 that
 are
 of
 different
 cultural
 origins
 other
 than
 Latino.
 These
 non-­‐Latino
 
businesses
 have
 gained
 historical
 significance
 in
 their
 own
 right
 and
 although
 they
 were
 not
 founded
 by
 
Latinos,
 they
 have
 become
 well
 integrated
 with
 the
 Latino
 culture
 that
 dominates
 the
 Mission
 District.
 
 
67

 Corbyn,
 “Is
 San
 Francisco
 losing
 its
 soul?,”
 The
 Observer,
 February
 22,
 2014.
 
 

  52
 
the
 Mission
 District.
 The
 onset
 of
 rising
 rents
 and
 property
 values
 since
 the
 Dot
 Com
 Boom
 
in
 the
 1990s
 was
 the
 precursor
 to
 the
 complete
 gentrification
 transformations
 and
 growing
 
concerns
 within
 the
 Mission
 District.
 
 

 

  53
 
Figure
 2.10:
 Overview
 map
 of
 24
th

 Street
 in
 the
 Mission
 District,
 which
 extends
 from
 Dolores
 Street
 to
 
Potrero
 Avenue.
 Made
 in
 Google
 Maps
 by
 Author.
 

  54
 
The
 legacy
 businesses
 along
 24
th

 Street
 are
 of
 great
 historic
 and
 cultural
 importance
 for
 a
 
number
 of
 reasons.
 They
 were
 established
 by,
 and
 for,
 the
 Latino
 population
 that
 began
 to
 
dominate
 the
 Mission
 District
 in
 the
 late-­‐nineteenth
 century.
 These
 businesses
 continue
 to
 
operate
 today
 in
 spite
 of
 discrimination
 due
 to
 race,
 ethnicity,
 country
 of
 origin,
 and/or
 
skin
 color,
 an
 unfortunate
 reality
 of
 contemporary
 culture.
 The
 Mission
 District,
 and
 
specifically
 24
th

 Street,
 became
 a
 haven
 for
 the
 displaced
 Latino
 populations
 from
 Central
 
and
 South
 America
 and
 Mexico
 seeking
 refuge
 and
 freedom
 from
 oppression;
 these
 
businesses
 became
 their
 primary
 support
 for
 survival
 in
 the
 city—offering
 goods
 and
 
services
 that
 may
 otherwise
 not
 be
 available
 to
 Latinos
 patronizing
 non-­‐Latino
 businesses.
 
(See
 Figures
 2.11-­‐2.13)
 
 

 

 
Figure
 2.11:
 Streetscape
 view
 of
 local
 businesses24
th

 Street.
 Photo
 courtesy
 of
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage.
 

 

  55
 

 
Figure
 2.12:
 Local
 market
 on
 24
th

 Street.
 Photo
 courtesy
 of
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage.
 

 
Figure
 2.13:
 Streetscape
 view
 of
 local
 businesses
 24
th

 Street.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

  56
 
Conclusion
 
Legacy
 businesses
 are
 a
 crucial
 aspect
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 community.
 They
 retain
 and
 
portray
 much
 of
 the
 history
 of
 San
 Francisco
 that
 cannot
 be
 experienced
 along
 other
 tourist
 
routes
 of
 the
 city.
 These
 businesses
 play
 a
 crucial
 role
 in
 creating
 neighborhood
 identity
 
and
 in
 sustaining
 a
 strong
 sense
 of
 community.
 
 Two
 such
 businesses,
 Galería
 de
 la
 Raza
 
and
 El
 Tecolote,
 are
 located
 in
 the
 heart
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 on
 24
th

 Street.
 These
 
businesses,
 which
 contribute
 to
 the
 growing
 sense
 of
 community
 and
 cultural
 identity,
 will
 
be
 examined
 in
 further
 detail
 in
 the
 next
 chapter.
 
 It
 is
 not
 just
 the
 physical
 fabric
 of
 the
 
neighborhood
 that
 defines
 its
 significance
 as
 a
 historically
 Latino
 community,
 but
 it
 is
 more
 
so
 the
 people,
 the
 businesses,
 the
 traditions,
 and
 the
 practices
 that
 become
 important
 
historic
 aspects.
 Legacy
 businesses
 offer
 both
 the
 tangible
 and
 intangible
 aspects
 of
 history
 
that
 drive
 the
 community’s
 love
 and
 appreciation
 for
 history
 and
 heritage.
 Legacy
 
businesses
 are
 proprietors
 of
 social
 relationships
 among
 community
 members
 and
 are
 the
 
connections
 to
 the
 past.
 They
 are
 platforms
 for
 developing
 an
 emotional
 attachment
 to
 the
 
people,
 places,
 and
 things
 that
 are
 a
 part
 of
 a
 place’s
 history.
 Legacy
 businesses
 become
 
ingrained
 in
 peoples’
 minds
 and
 hearts
 as
 spaces
 where
 history
 was
 once
 made
 and
 where
 
people
 can
 go
 to
 encounter
 and
 contribute
 to
 the
 collective
 memory
 of
 the
 public.
 
 These
 
integral
 veins
 of
 culture,
 community,
 and
 society
 collectively
 recall
 memories—individual
 
and
 communal—significant
 to
 local
 history
 and
 offer
 spaces
 for
 people
 to
 gather
 and
 add
 to
 
the
 collective
 memory
 and
 history
 of
 the
 neighborhood.
 The
 Mission
 District’s
 legacy
 
businesses
 build
 upon
 a
 collective
 history
 that
 recognizes
 memory
 and
 community
 as
 it
 has
 
developed
 over
 the
 span
 of
 many
 decades
 and
 have
 become
 vital
 sources
 of
 social
 and
 
cultural
 worth.
 
 

  57
 
The
 field
 of
 Heritage
 Conservation
 recognizes
 the
 need
 to
 protect
 cultural
 niches
 such
 as
 
the
 Mission
 District
 not
 simply
 for
 any
 historically
 significant
 architecture
 they
 might
 yield
 
but
 also
 for
 the
 cultural
 value
 they
 contain.
 Conservation
 of
 legacy
 businesses
 will
 help
 to
 
continue
 legacies,
 traditions,
 and
 heritage
 that
 thrive
 within
 the
 walls
 of
 the
 businesses
 and
 
among
 those
 who
 are
 owners
 and
 customers.
 San
 Francisco’s
 array
 of
 diversity
 is
 only
 
supported
 and
 upheld
 by
 the
 level
 of
 pride
 that
 ethnic
 populations
 take
 in
 their
 
neighborhoods
 and
 by
 the
 strong
 community
 ties
 that
 promote
 history
 and
 culture,
 
whether
 through
 traditions,
 businesses,
 or
 art.
 Without
 establishments
 such
 as
 legacy
 
businesses,
 there
 will
 be
 a
 significant
 loss
 of
 culture,
 heritage,
 and
 history.
 There
 will
 be
 a
 
decline
 in
 the
 number
 of
 establishments
 that
 will
 be
 able
 to
 tell
 the
 story
 of
 certain
 
communities
 or
 neighborhoods
 and
 there
 will
 no
 longer
 be
 places
 for
 advocates
 to
 sustain
 
narratives,
 connections,
 emotional
 experiences,
 and
 collective
 memories
 of
 local
 cultural
 
history.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  58
 
Chapter
 3:
 Legacy
 Businesses
 

 
As
 defined
 in
 the
 Introduction
 chapter,
 legacy
 businesses
 are
 “…establishments
 [that]
 have
 
achieved
 longevity
 of
 40
 years
 or
 more,
 possess
 distinctive
 architecture
 or
 interior
 design,
 
and
 contribute
 to
 a
 sense
 of
 history
 in
 the
 surrounding
 neighborhood.”
68

 This
 chapter
 will
 
examine
 legacy
 businesses
 within
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District,
 the
 importance
 of
 
conserving
 them
 as
 cultural
 resources,
 and
 will
 discuss
 various
 city,
 state,
 national,
 and
 
global
 efforts
 to
 conserve
 such
 establishments
 that
 represent
 significant
 aspects
 of
 culture.
 
This
 chapter
 will
 also
 look
 at
 local
 efforts
 to
 conserve
 legacy
 businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 
District
 that
 have
 recently
 developed.
 

 
Legacy
 Businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 
Currently,
 there
 are
 eleven
 legacy
 businesses
 in
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District
 that
 have
 
been
 identified
 by
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage’s
 “Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurants”
 project
 and
 are
 
scattered
 throughout
 the
 neighborhood
 along
 various
 commercial
 strips
 such
 as
 24
th

 Street,
 
Mission
 Street
 and
 Valencia
 Street.
69

 (See
 Figure
 3.1
 and
 Table
 3.1)
 Overall,
 these
 
businesses
 have
 made
 significant
 contributions
 to
 the
 growth
 and
 strength
 of
 the
 Latino
 
culture
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 by
 offering
 themselves
 as
 communal
 gathering
 spaces
 to
 
voice
 opinions;
 as
 spaces
 for
 important
 political
 and
 social
 discourse;
 as
 spaces
 that
 mark
 
the
 beginnings
 of
 important
 social
 movements;
 as
 spaces
 where
 emotional
 ties
 and
 strong
 
communal
 relationships
 are
 made
 among
 the
 community;
 or
 as
 places
 where
 collective
 
history
 and
 memories
 are
 solidified.
 Legacy
 businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 represent
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
68

 “San
 Francisco’s
 Legacy
 Bars
 &
 Restaurants,”
 Heritage
 News,
 Spring
 2010,
 Vol.
 XLI,
 No.
 I.,
 page
 6.
 
69

 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 is
 a
 non-­‐profit
 organization
 working
 toward
 preservation
 and
 conservation
 efforts
 
in
 the
 City.
 The
 “Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurants”
 project
 is
 discussed
 in
 greater
 detail
 in
 Chapter
 3.
 
 

  59
 
significant
 aspects
 of
 local
 history
 and
 also
 contribute
 to
 the
 growing
 sense
 of
 community
 
and
 the
 way
 of
 life
 among
 the
 people
 who
 live
 and
 work
 there.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Figure
 3.1:
 Map
 of
 Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurants
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 identified
 by
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage’s
 
Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurants
 Project.
 Made
 in
 Google
 Maps
 by
 Author.
 

 

  60
 
Table
 3.1:
 List
 of
 legacy
 restaurants
 and
 bars
 (only)
 identified
 in
 previous
 map.
 

 
Since
 the
 1990s,
 legacy
 businesses
 have
 begun
 to
 be
 threatened
 by
 loss
 and
 replacement
 
despite
 the
 social
 and
 cultural
 worth
 that
 they
 possess
 not
 just
 as
 historical
 features
 but
 
also
 as
 spaces
 for
 the
 community
 to
 develop
 an
 emotional
 connection
 to
 their
 history.
 The
 
loss
 of
 legacy
 businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 would
 compromise
 this
 worth
 and
 begin
 to
 
cover
 up
 the
 collective
 history
 and
 memory
 of
 those
 who
 have
 worked
 so
 hard
 to
 establish
 
their
 businesses
 and
 of
 those
 who
 have
 continued
 to
 support
 these
 businesses.
 Although
 a
 
significant
 number
 of
 legacy
 businesses
 still
 exist
 in
 the
 Mission
 District,
 still
 a
 number
 
have
 yet
 to
 be
 identified,
 and
 many
 have
 already
 been
 replaced
 by
 new
 development
 and
 
reinvestment
 in
 this
 low-­‐income,
 working
 class
 neighborhood.
 The
 reasons
 behind
 the
 
growing
 interest
 in
 redevelopment
 and
 reinvestment
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 is
 due,
 in
 large
 
part,
 to
 the
 ever-­‐growing
 technology
 industry
 that
 has
 made
 northern
 California
 its
 home
 
for
 the
 past
 few
 decades.
 This
 growth
 in
 technology
 businesses
 has
 spilled
 over
 to
 San
 
Label Name Address Type Established
A Elixir 3200 16th Street Bar 1858
B Taqueria la Cumbre 515 Valencia Street Restaurant 1972
C Double Play 2401 16th Street Restaurant & Bar 1909
D Elbo Room 647 Valencia Street Bar 1935
E Whiz Burger 700 S. Van Ness Ave. Restaurant 1955
F The Homestead 2301 Folsom Street Bar 1902
G
Cha Cha Cha/Original
McCarthy's 2327 Mission Street Restaurant & Bar 1933
H Casa Sanchez 2778 24th Street Restaurant 1924
I St. Francis Fountain 2801 24th Street Restaurant 1918
J Roosevelt Tamale Parlor 2817 24th Street Restaurant 1919
K
Dianda's Italian American
Pastry 2883 Mission Street Bakery 1962

  61
 
Francisco,
 particularly
 the
 Mission
 District,
 as
 more
 tech-­‐employees
 search
 for
 a
 small
 part
 
of
 city
 life
 to
 call
 their
 own.
 
 

 
Conservation
 of
 Legacy
 Businesses
 
 
As
 discussed
 in
 the
 Introduction
 chapter,
 legacy
 businesses
 maintain
 a
 distinct
 and
 unique
 
connection
 with
 the
 history
 of
 the
 area
 in
 which
 they
 reside.
 They
 sustain
 a
 strong
 sense
 of
 
community
 and
 connection
 to
 the
 area’s
 history,
 but
 also
 act
 as
 portals
 through
 which
 
community
 members
 establish
 strong
 emotional
 ties.
 Legacy
 businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 
District
 tell
 stories
 of
 culture
 and
 of
 time
 that
 portray
 what
 life
 was
 like
 decades
 ago.
 In
 
particular,
 Mission
 District
 legacy
 businesses
 narrate
 the
 history
 of
 the
 Latino
 population
 in
 
San
 Francisco,
 from
 the
 beginnings
 of
 the
 Spanish
 settlement
 at
 Mission
 Dolores
 and
 
through
 today.
 As
 an
 ethnic
 enclave,
 the
 Mission
 District,
 and
 more
 specifically,
 24
th

 Street,
 
is
 a
 unique
 aspect
 of
 San
 Francisco
 because
 it
 remains
 a
 predominantly
 Latino
 commercial
 
district
 made
 up
 of
 local
 small,
 mom-­‐and-­‐pop
 businesses
 that
 create
 the
 feeling
 of
 
supportive
 family
 as
 opposed
 to
 an
 anonymous
 neighborhood.
 Residents
 and
 business
 
owners
 support
 each
 other
 and
 uphold
 a
 great
 amount
 of
 pride
 for
 their
 Latino
 history
 and
 
heritage
 in
 the
 Mission
 District;
 nowhere
 else
 in
 San
 Francisco
 is
 there
 a
 larger
 population
 
of
 Latinos
 or
 a
 larger
 community
 of
 Latino
 businesses.
 
 

 
The
 growing
 threat
 of
 rising
 rents
 and
 gentrification
 throughout
 the
 Mission
 District
 has
 
raised
 concern
 among
 residents
 and
 business
 owners
 alike.
 Legacy
 businesses
 that
 have
 
flourished
 for
 many
 decades
 are
 becoming
 labeled
 as
 unprofitable
 and
 outdated,
 as
 
younger,
 more
 affluent
 residents
 move
 into
 the
 Mission.
 These
 establishments,
 bursting
 

  62
 
with
 decades
 of
 Latino
 cultural
 and
 social
 history,
 are
 what
 make
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 
24
th

 Street
 a
 valuable
 asset
 to
 the
 city
 of
 San
 Francisco.
 Conservation
 of
 legacy
 businesses
 
within
 the
 Mission
 District
 is
 becoming
 an
 important
 topic
 in
 preservation
 and
 
conservation
 efforts
 in
 the
 Bay
 Area.
 The
 loss
 of
 these
 businesses
 may
 provoke
 the
 
dispersion
 of
 the
 Latino
 community
 and
 diminish
 the
 Latino
 aspects
 of
 San
 Francisco
 
culture
 and
 history
 by
 depleting
 the
 neighborhood
 of
 its
 strong
 sense
 of
 community,
 its
 
strong
 ties
 to
 Latino
 culture
 and
 history,
 and
 the
 collective
 memory
 that
 has
 sustained
 
these
 entities
 for
 many
 decades.
 
 

 
The
 survival
 and
 continuation
 of
 the
 Mission
 District’s
 Latino
 population
 and
 history
 
depend
 greatly
 on
 the
 survival
 and
 continuation
 of
 those
 establishments
 that
 have
 made
 
great
 contributions
 to
 the
 bettering
 of
 the
 lives
 of
 Latino
 citizens
 throughout
 history.
 The
 
Mission
 District
 provides
 an
 opportunity
 for
 outside
 visitors
 and
 residents
 of
 greater
 San
 
Francisco
 to
 learn
 about
 Latino
 history
 and
 heritage
 within
 the
 city,
 California,
 and
 the
 
United
 States;
 without
 this
 opportunity,
 the
 history
 of
 Latinos
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 may
 
never
 be
 fully
 understood
 or
 experienced
 by
 future
 generations.
 
 

 
Modern
 Times
 Bookstore
 is
 one
 of
 the
 many
 businesses
 that
 have
 become
 increasingly
 
aware
 of
 the
 economic
 and
 redevelopment
 changes
 occurring
 throughout
 the
 city
 and
 in
 
certain
 parts
 of
 the
 Mission
 District.
 Established
 in
 1971
 on
 17
th

 Street
 and
 moved
 to
 24
th

 
Street
 in
 1980,
 Modern
 Times
 Bookstore
 has
 no
 direct
 relationship
 with
 Latino
 culture
 and
 
heritage.
 However,
 since
 1980,
 the
 establishment
 has
 become
 fully
 participatory
 and
 
integrated
 with
 the
 Latino
 community
 on
 24
th

 Street,
 making
 certain
 changes
 to
 

  63
 
accommodate
 the
 Spanish-­‐speaking
 population
 in
 ways
 that
 allowed
 them
 to
 feel
 
comfortable
 in
 their
 transition
 to
 an
 American
 way
 of
 life.
 Although
 the
 life
 of
 Modern
 
Times
 Bookstore
 is
 not
 as
 old
 as
 other
 legacy
 establishments
 along
 24
th

 Street,
 the
 business
 
is
 still
 feeling
 the
 pressure
 of
 gentrification.
 The
 bookstore’s
 website
 recognizes
 the
 
changing
 dynamics
 of
 economics,
 society,
 culture,
 and
 politics
 throughout
 the
 Mission
 
District:
 
The
 Latino
 community
 in
 the
 Mission
 is
 under
 threat
 from
 gentrification,
 but
 
remains
 the
 dominant
 demographic
 group-­‐and
 cultural
 heart-­‐of
 the
 neighborhood.
 
When
 Modern
 Times
 moved
 into
 the
 neighborhood,
 the
 local
 Spanish-­‐language
 
bookstores
 dealt
 primarily
 in
 fotonovelas,
 astrology
 and
 Bibles.
 We
 developed
 the
 
city’s
 first
 broad
 selection
 of
 Spanish-­‐language
 literature
 and
 non-­‐fiction,
 in
 effect
 a
 
mini-­‐bookstore
 within
 the
 bookstore…With
 the
 advent
 of
 the
 chains
 and
 the
 
consequent
 threat
 to
 independent
 booksellers,
 we
 came
 to
 realize
 that
 maintaining
 
a
 strong
 and
 viable
 independent
 bookstore
 was
 in
 many
 ways
 the
 most
 politically
 
effective
 thing
 we
 could
 do.
70

 

 
It
 is
 not
 just
 Latino
 businesses
 that
 are
 feeling
 the
 pressure
 brought
 about
 by
 gentrification,
 
but
 rather
 all
 businesses
 throughout
 the
 Mission
 District.
 
 The
 decline
 of
 legacy
 businesses
 
affects
 neighborhoods
 on
 a
 grand
 scale
 by
 maintaining
 the
 small,
 local
 business
 
atmosphere
 while
 catering
 to
 a
 very
 different
 clientele—one
 that
 is
 more
 affluent.
 
 

 
For
 the
 past
 ten
 years,
 Latino
 residents
 and
 businesses
 owners
 throughout
 the
 Mission
 and
 
along
 24
th

 Street
 voiced
 their
 concerns
 about
 the
 changes
 occurring
 with
 the
 hope
 that
 
others
 would
 take
 note
 and
 help
 them
 to
 protect
 this
 precious
 cultural
 community.
 A
 
number
 of
 blogs,
 news
 articles,
 and
 media
 outlets
 have
 been
 increasingly
 covered
 stories
 as
 
gentrification
 has
 accelerated.
 One
 blogger,
 Julia
 C.
 Wong,
 describes
 her
 concerns
 about
 the
 
changes
 taking
 place
 in
 the
 Mission,
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
70

 Modern
 Times
 Bookstore
 website,
 “History,”
 Accessed
 May
 9,
 2014.
 
 

  64
 
The
 working-­‐class
 Latinos
 waiting
 at
 the
 same
 bus
 stops
 for
 public
 transportation
 
are
 the
 old
 San
 Francisco,
 creators
 of
 the
 old
 culture
 that’s
 being
 forced
 out.
71

 

 
Wong’s
 thoughts
 on
 the
 overarching
 issues
 related
 to
 the
 expansion
 of
 technology
 
companies
 and
 gentrification
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 are
 representative
 of
 others
 who
 live
 
and
 work
 in
 or
 frequently
 visit
 the
 Mission.
 There
 is
 a
 growing
 concern
 that
 the
 separation
 
between
 newcomers
 and
 the
 existing
 population
 will
 further
 push
 the
 Latino
 community
 
into
 decline
 and
 will
 result
 in
 a
 complete
 or
 almost
 complete
 loss
 of
 the
 Latino
 population,
 
history,
 and
 culture.
 
 

 
Although
 the
 loss
 of
 Latino
 heritage
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 will
 be
 detrimental
 to
 the
 
inherent
 cultural
 value
 of
 the
 area
 and
 of
 the
 city
 as
 a
 whole,
 this
 loss
 will
 have
 even
 
greater
 economic
 consequences
 for
 those
 who
 want
 to
 remain
 living
 and
 working
 in
 the
 
Mission.
 Wong
 also
 comments
 on
 the
 media
 coverage
 of
 the
 issue
 of
 gentrification
 and
 the
 
threat
 of
 losing
 culture,
 
 
Focusing
 on
 culture
 distracts
 from
 the
 material
 realities
 being
 faced
 by
 working-­‐
class
 San
 Franciscans,
 many
 of
 whom
 are
 people
 of
 color.
 By
 romanticizing
 the
 
aesthetic
 output
 of
 San
 Francisco’s
 immigrant
 communities,
 the
 media
 ignores
 their
 
humanity,
 their
 agency
 and
 the
 actual
 harm
 being
 done
 to
 them.
 The
 culture
 is
 the
 
product
 of
 the
 people,
 but
 those
 people
 are
 not
 being
 heard.
72

 
 

 
Conserving
 the
 Latino
 culture
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 is
 important
 to
 the
 greater
 efforts
 of
 
heritage
 conservation,
 which
 works
 to
 sustain
 strong
 community
 ties
 to
 a
 place’s
 history
 
and
 culture
 in
 order
 to
 maintain
 a
 diverse
 atmosphere.
 However,
 without
 the
 people
 to
 
carry
 on
 the
 legacy
 of
 their
 heritage
 and
 culture,
 it
 is
 difficult
 for
 it
 to
 be
 maintained.
 The
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
71

 Wong,
 “What
 the
 Media
 Gets
 Wrong
 About
 San
 Francisco’s
 Gentrification
 Battles,”
 2014.
 
 
72

 Ibid.
 
 

  65
 
ramifications
 of
 losing
 the
 Latino
 population
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 through
 gentrification
 
goes
 beyond
 losing
 culture
 to
 losing
 a
 sense
 of
 identity
 and
 diversity
 in
 San
 Francisco.
 

 
Local,
 State,
 Nationwide,
 and
 International
 Efforts
 to
 Conserve
 Legacy
 Businesses
 
Japantown
 Cultural
 Heritage
 and
 Economic
 Sustainability
 Strategy
 
The
 city
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 in
 conjunction
 with
 a
 committee
 named
 the
 “Japantown
 
Organizing
 Committee,”
 produced
 the
 Japantown
 Cultural
 Heritage
 and
 Economic
 
Sustainability
 Strategy
 (JCHESS).
 This
 document,
 finalized
 in
 July
 of
 2013,
 focuses
 on
 
identifying
 significant
 cultural
 buildings,
 traditions,
 and
 commercial
 and
 residential
 
resources
 that
 define
 Japantown’s
 unique
 history
 and
 cultural
 heritage.
 The
 purpose
 of
 this
 
study
 was
 to
 have
 an
 in-­‐depth
 discussion
 of
 how
 to
 preserve
 and
 promote
 the
 cultural
 
heritage
 of
 Japantown
 and
 to
 offer
 recommendations
 for
 different
 preservation
 tools,
 
strategies
 and
 methodologies
 to
 utilize
 when
 doing
 so.
 The
 vision
 and
 goal
 of
 this
 document
 
is
 to
 help
 Japantown
 “thrive
 as
 a
 culturally
 rich,
 authentic,
 and
 economically
 vibrant
 
neighborhood,
 which
 will
 serve
 as
 the
 heart
 of
 the
 Japanese
 and
 Japanese
 American
 
communities
 for
 generations
 to
 come.”
73

 This
 city
 effort
 to
 promote
 awareness
 of
 culture
 
and
 heritage
 for
 a
 specific
 neighborhood
 through
 the
 preservation
 and
 conservation
 of
 its
 
legacy
 as
 an
 ethnic
 community
 is
 expected
 to
 be
 the
 first
 of
 many
 to
 come.
74

 
 

 
The
 study
 identifies
 seven
 areas
 of
 concern:
 people,
 land,
 buildings,
 organizations
 and
 
institutions,
 businesses,
 cultural
 activities
 and
 events,
 and
 the
 public
 realm.
 Each
 of
 these
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
73

 City
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 “Japantown
 Cultural
 Heritage
 and
 Economic
 Sustainability
 Strategy,”
 July
 2013,
 page
 
vi.
 
74

 For
 a
 complete
 copy
 of
 the
 Japantown
 Cultural
 Heritage
 and
 Economic
 Sustainability
 Strategy,
 visit
 
http://www.sf-­‐planning.org/index.aspx?page=1692
 
 

  66
 
concerns
 is
 elaborated
 upon
 to
 identify
 specific
 traditions,
 activities,
 buildings,
 resources,
 
sites,
 and
 other
 culturally
 and
 historically
 important
 entities
 that
 contribute
 to
 Japantown’s
 
uniqueness.
 These
 seven
 concerns
 were
 developed
 after
 intense
 study
 of
 the
 relationship
 
between
 the
 community
 and
 the
 Japanese-­‐American
 culture
 that
 has
 prevailed
 for
 many
 
decades.
 This
 combined
 effort
 between
 the
 San
 Francisco
 Planning
 Department
 and
 the
 
Japantown
 community
 produced
 an
 inventory
 of
 entities
 that
 comprise
 the
 comprehensive
 
cultural
 identity
 of
 the
 community.
75

 These
 entities
 were
 then
 discussed
 as
 part
 of
 a
 series
 
of
 recommendations
 that
 addressed
 the
 relevance
 of
 the
 preservation
 and
 conservation
 as
 
significant
 aspects
 of
 Japantown.
 
 

 
Although
 this
 document
 is
 not
 the
 final
 answer
 to
 the
 conservation
 of
 Japantown’s
 identity,
 
it
 is
 a
 significant
 beginning.
 The
 utilization
 of
 the
 JCHESS,
 in
 conjunction
 with
 other
 
conservation
 tools
 and
 organizations,
 will
 advance
 the
 efforts
 to
 sustain
 Japantown’s
 
unique
 cultural
 identity
 and
 community.
 This
 innovative
 collaborative
 production
 is
 
something
 that
 will
 affect
 not
 only
 the
 conservation
 of
 Japantown
 in
 the
 face
 of
 great
 
changes
 in
 San
 Francisco,
 but
 also
 will
 act
 as
 a
 model
 for
 other
 cities
 working
 to
 sustain
 
heritage
 conservation
 in
 the
 wake
 of
 gentrification.
 
 

 
Los
 Angeles
 
The
 Los
 Angeles
 Conservancy
 is
 the
 largest
 conservation
 organization
 in
 Los
 Angeles.
 It
 has
 
taken
 on
 a
 prominent
 advocacy
 role
 in
 the
 awareness
 and
 promotion
 of
 the
 preservation
 of
 
important
 Latino
 heritage
 and
 historic
 sites.
 On
 May
 31,
 2014,
 the
 Conservancy
 held
 a
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
75

 City
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 “Japantown
 Cultural
 Heritage
 and
 Economic
 Sustainability
 Strategy,”
 July
 2013.
 
 

  67
 
workshop
 called
 “Regeneración:
 The
 Next
 Step
 in
 Preserving
 Latina/o
 Historic
 Places
 and
 
Culture.”
 The
 purpose
 of
 this
 workshop
 was
 to
 create
 an
 in-­‐depth
 discussion
 among
 Latino
 
residents,
 preservation-­‐minded
 professionals,
 and
 others
 interested
 in
 the
 conservation
 of
 
significant
 Latino
 historic
 and
 cultural
 sites
 in
 the
 low-­‐income
 areas
 of
 Los
 Angeles
 such
 as
 
Boyle
 Heights
 and
 the
 unincorporated
 area
 of
 East
 Los
 Angeles,
 which
 have
 experienced
 
rising
 levels
 of
 gentrification
 and
 displacement
 similar
 to
 the
 Mission
 District.
 Building
 on
 
San
 Francisco
 Heritage’s
 Legacy
 Project,
 the
 Conservancy
 wanted
 to
 get
 feedback
 from
 the
 
community
 about
 which
 sites
 were
 important
 and
 what
 people
 felt
 would
 be
 the
 best
 
methods
 or
 ideas
 for
 bringing
 about
 understanding
 and
 awareness
 of
 these
 sites.
 

 
This
 discussion
 was
 just
 an
 early
 step
 on
 a
 long
 road
 to
 the
 conservation
 of
 Latino
 historic
 
cultural
 and
 heritage
 sites
 in
 Los
 Angeles.
 In
 an
 article
 titled
 “’Este
 Lugar
 es
 Importante’:
 
Embracing
 Diverse
 Perspectives
 on
 Significance,”
 written
 for
 the
 National
 Trust
 for
 Historic
 
Preservation’s
 Forum
 Journal,
 Karina
 Muniz
 and
 Anthea
 Hartig
 describe
 the
 need
 to
 create
 
a
 platform
 upon
 which
 to
 produce
 and
 develop
 deeper,
 richer
 ethnic
 histories
 and
 promote
 
culture
 through
 preservation
 and
 conservation
 in
 Los
 Angeles,
 
With
 its
 historically
 and
 currently
 extraordinarily
 diverse
 population,
 in
 Los
 Angeles
 
the
 relevance
 and
 future
 of
 historic
 preservation
 depends
 on
 recognizing
 the
 
validity
 of
 multiple
 perspectives
 and
 associated
 places.
 Struggles
 over
 space
 and
 
who
 has
 the
 right
 to
 it
 have
 been
 ongoing
 since
 the
 Tongva
 were
 the
 Los
 Angeles
 
Basin’s
 only
 inhabitants…Within
 this
 landscape,
 the
 production
 of
 multiple
 
historical
 narratives
 has
 been
 limited
 by
 unequal
 access
 to
 the
 mans
 for
 developing
 
and
 sharing
 them.
 This
 inherent
 inequity
 is
 reflected
 in
 the
 built
 environment
 and
 
what
 has
 been
 deemed
 worthy
 of
 preservation:
 Of
 the
 more
 than
 900
 Historic-­‐
Cultural
 Monuments
 designated
 by
 the
 City
 of
 Los
 Angeles
 since
 1962,
 less
 than
 10
 
percent
 relate
 to
 people
 of
 color,
 women,
 and
 Native
 American
 tribes.
 However,
 the
 
tide
 has
 been
 turning
 in
 recent
 years,
 with
 many
 local
 and
 national
 organizations
 

  68
 
recognizing
 the
 need
 to
 reassess
 their
 policies
 and
 priorities
 to
 ensure
 sustainability,
 
inclusivity,
 and
 relevancy
 in
 the
 years
 ahead.
76

 

 
The
 Los
 Angeles
 Conservancy’s
 workshop
 and
 discussion
 promoted
 the
 growing
 idea
 that
 
the
 histories
 and
 cultures
 of
 often
 under-­‐represented
 populations
 need
 to
 be
 recognized
 
and
 their
 significant
 sites
 need
 to
 be
 conserved
 for
 generations
 to
 come.
 
 

 
American
 Latino
 Theme
 Study
 
 
The
 National
 Park
 System
 Advisory
 Board
 (NPSAB)
 recently
 produced
 a
 theme
 study
 for
 
the
 National
 Park
 Service
 titled
 American
 Latinos
 and
 the
 Making
 of
 the
 United
 States:
 A
 
Theme
 Study.
 Comprised
 of
 a
 collection
 of
 essays
 describing
 and
 explaining
 areas
 of
 Latino
 
history
 in
 the
 United
 States.
 The
 study
 will
 “increase
 opportunities
 for
 the
 public
 to
 learn
 
about
 the
 role
 of
 American
 Latinos
 in
 the
 development
 of
 the
 nation.”
77

 Creating
 awareness
 
of
 Latino
 experiences
 in
 the
 United
 States
 throughout
 history
 is
 important
 because
 it
 can
 
help
 to
 identify
 and
 evaluate
 those
 places
 and
 the
 events
 or
 people
 associated
 with
 them
 
that
 are
 pertinent
 to
 this
 aspect
 of
 history.
 Currently,
 American
 Latino
 historic
 places
 are
 
underrepresented
 in
 local,
 state
 and
 national
 designation
 and
 recognition
 programs.
78

 This
 
theme
 study
 is
 a
 significant
 step
 in
 the
 process
 of
 beginning
 to
 identify,
 evaluate
 and
 
designate
 places
 associated
 with
 American
 Latino
 history
 and
 experiences.
79

 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
76

 Hartig
 and
 Muniz,
 “’Este
 Lugar
 es
 Importante,’”
 National
 Trust
 for
 Historic
 Preservation
 Forum
 Journal,
 
Spring
 2010,
 page
 41-­‐42.
 
77

 National
 Park
 Service,
 “The
 Making
 of
 the
 United
 States:
 American
 Latino
 Theme
 Study.”
 
http://www.nps.gov/history/crdi/latinotheme3.html
 
 
78

 Ibid.
 
 
79

 For
 more
 information
 about
 the
 American
 Latino
 Theme
 Study
 and
 to
 read
 the
 various
 essays
 included
 in
 
this
 resource,
 please
 visit:
 http://www.nps.gov/heritageinitiatives/latino/latinothemestudy/index.htm
 
 

  69
 
With
 regard
 to
 heritage
 conservation,
 this
 study
 will
 help
 promote
 awareness
 of
 the
 
importance
 of
 American
 Latino
 history
 and
 will
 act
 as
 a
 supporting
 scholarly
 resource
 for
 
individuals
 and
 organizations
 working
 toward
 conserving
 Latino
 history
 within
 the
 realm
 
of
 legacy
 businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District.
 Much
 of
 Latino
 history
 in
 this
 neighborhood
 is
 
sustained
 through
 its
 businesses,
 long-­‐time
 residents
 and
 spaces
 filled
 with
 public
 art.
 This
 
theme
 study
 will
 help
 further
 the
 understanding
 of
 these
 historically
 representative
 
entities
 by
 placing
 them
 in
 a
 broader
 context.
 Producing
 such
 a
 resource
 for
 American
 
Latino
 history
 and
 experiences
 can
 help
 with
 efforts
 to
 conserve
 Latino
 legacy
 businesses
 
in
 the
 Mission
 District
 by
 providing
 a
 greater
 context
 within
 which
 these
 businesses
 and
 
their
 significance
 can
 be
 placed.
 The
 American
 Latino
 Theme
 Study
 will
 help
 efforts
 in
 the
 
Mission
 District
 as
 well
 as
 efforts
 in
 other
 cities
 and
 neighborhoods
 throughout
 the
 country
 
to
 recognize
 and
 conserve
 important
 places
 of
 Latino
 history,
 heritage
 and
 culture
 for
 a
 
greater
 understanding
 of
 the
 roles
 Latinos
 play
 in
 the
 past,
 present
 and
 future
 of
 the
 United
 
States.
 
 

 
Buenos
 Aires
 
Buenos
 Aires
 is
 another
 city
 that
 has
 begun
 an
 initiative
 to
 protect
 businesses
 that
 have
 
rightly
 gained
 historical
 and
 heritage
 significance.
 In
 1998,
 the
 city
 established
 an
 official
 
process
 for
 designating
 “bars,
 cafes,
 billiard
 halls
 and
 confectionaries
 whose
 antiquity,
 
architecture
 or
 historical
 significance
 make
 them
 worthy
 of
 note
 and
 of
 preservation
 
efforts.”
80

 This
 initiative,
 named
 “Bares
 Notables,”
 grants
 cafes
 and
 eateries
 designation
 
status
 that
 recognizes
 their
 historical
 significance
 as
 heritage
 businesses
 and
 provides
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
80

 Cusumano,
 “Buenos
 Aires
 Spotlights
 Its
 Cafes,”
 New
 York
 Times,
 July
 9,
 2009.
 

  70
 
these
 establishments
 with
 subsidies
 from
 the
 government
 to
 ensure
 their
 conservation.
81

 
The
 purpose
 of
 this
 type
 of
 designation
 in
 Buenos
 Aires
 is
 to
 not
 only
 keep
 culture
 and
 
history
 alive,
 but
 also
 to
 attract
 heritage
 tourism,
 which
 has
 substantially
 boosted
 the
 
economy.
82

 An
 article
 in
 The
 Argentina
 Independent
 by
 Rachel
 Hall
 describes
 “Bares
 
Notables”
 list,
 
These
 are
 the
 54
 Buenos
 Aires
 bars
 which
 have
 been
 enshrined
 by
 the
 government
 
as
 ‘bares
 notables.’
 They
 are
 so
 defined
 according
 to
 a
 number
 of
 criteria:
 unusual
 
architectural
 features,
 because
 they
 occupy
 a
 special
 place
 in
 the
 neighbourhood’s
 
hearts
 and
 minds
 or
 most
 importantly
 because
 they
 have
 a
 sense
 of
 history
 about
 
them,
 with
 square
 wooden
 tables
 which
 have
 been
 graced
 by
 some
 of
 Argentina’s
 
greatest
 historical
 figures…The
 cultural
 contribution
 made
 by
 the
 54
 extends
 to
 all
 
aspects
 of
 Buenos
 Aires’
 colourful
 society.
83

 

 
This
 list
 included
 spots
 that
 were
 named
 as
 important
 landmarks
 to
 the
 neighborhood
 and
 
community;
 places
 that
 hold
 significant
 historical
 and
 cultural
 value
 and
 that
 still
 support
 
the
 local
 community
 in
 the
 same
 manner
 as
 they
 did
 when
 they
 were
 first
 established.
 Most
 
of
 the
 cafes
 included
 in
 “Bares
 Notables”
 were
 established
 in
 the
 first
 half
 of
 the
 twentieth
 
century
 and
 retain
 original
 features
 that
 identify
 them
 as
 unique
 communal
 spaces
 in
 a
 city
 
with
 an
 ever-­‐changing
 landscape,
 including
 recipes
 for
 unique,
 distinctive
 dishes
 and
 
beverages
 that
 are
 often
 the
 reasons
 why
 people
 keep
 going
 back.
84

 Despite
 the
 differences
 
and
 variations
 in
 food
 choices
 and
 atmosphere
 offered
 within
 each
 business,
 each
 
establishment
 has
 a
 strong
 connection
 to
 Buenos
 Aires’
 past,
 creating
 a
 sturdy
 atmosphere
 
of
 cultural
 and
 historical
 awareness
 among
 both
 its
 frequenters
 and
 one-­‐time
 visitors.
85

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
81

 Hall,
 “The
 Buenos
 Aires
 54,”
 The
 Argentina
 Independent,
 January
 11,
 2010.
 
 
82

 Cusumano,
 “Buenos
 Aires
 Spotlights
 Its
 Cafes,”
 New
 York
 Times,
 July
 9,
 2009.
 
83

 Hall,
 “The
 Buenos
 Aires
 54,”
 The
 Argentina
 Independent,
 January
 11,
 2010.
 A
 complete
 list
 of
 Bares
 Notables
 
establishments
 can
 be
 found
 at:
 http://www.turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/es/article/bares-­‐notables
 
84

 Since
 2009,
 the
 list
 has
 expanded
 to
 include
 73
 establishments
 as
 of
 2013.
 “San
 Francisco’s
 Legacy
 Bars
 &
 
Restaurants,”
 Heritage
 News,
 Spring
 2013,
 page
 7.
 
 
85

 Cusumano,
 “Buenos
 Aires
 Spotlights
 Its
 Cafes,”
 New
 York
 Times,
 July
 9,
 2009.
 

  71
 

 
The
 efforts
 of
 Buenos
 Aires
 reflect,
 on
 an
 international
 scale,
 the
 importance
 of
 maintaining
 
a
 conservation
 attitude
 toward
 heritage
 and
 culture.
 Legacy
 businesses
 such
 as
 those
 
identified
 and
 listed
 in
 the
 “Bares
 Notables”
 initiative
 maintain
 a
 distinguished
 sense
 of
 
awareness
 that
 teaches
 both
 locals
 and
 visitors
 about
 the
 culture
 and
 history
 of
 the
 area;
 
teaching
 opportunities
 that
 widen
 the
 collective
 knowledge
 and
 appreciation
 of
 culture
 and
 
heritage
 that
 exist
 in
 the
 smallest
 niches
 of
 the
 smallest
 communities
 in
 some
 of
 the
 largest
 
cities
 in
 the
 world.
 “Bares
 Notables”
 is
 overseen
 by
 the
 City
 of
 Buenos
 Aires
 and
 not
 only
 
offers
 designation
 status
 for
 those
 establishments
 that
 are
 deemed
 worthy
 and
 important,
 
but
 also
 provides
 grants
 for
 preservation
 projects,
 which
 allow
 these
 establishments
 to
 
continue
 their
 legacies.
86

 

 
England
 
England
 is
 often
 praised
 for
 the
 number
 and
 quality
 of
 pubs
 that
 attract
 tourists,
 support
 
the
 local
 communities
 that
 surround
 them,
 and
 offer
 historical
 insights
 into
 these
 dignified
 
establishments.
 However,
 growing
 concern
 has
 sparked
 over
 the
 decades
 about
 the
 
“dwindling
 numbers
 of
 uncompromised
 historic
 pubs.”
 
87

 in
 the
 early
 1990s,
 England’s
 
Campaign
 for
 Real
 Ale
 (CAMRA)
 began
 the
 Pub
 Heritage
 Group,
 which
 is
 made
 up
 of
 
CAMRA
 members
 that
 are
 truly
 passionate
 about
 the
 protection
 and
 promotion
 of
 historic
 
pub
 interiors.
 This
 effort
 to
 maintain
 and
 promote
 pub
 heritage
 came
 about
 as
 a
 result
 of
 
staggeringly
 high
 volumes
 of
 historic
 pub
 interiors
 that
 were
 being
 dramatically
 altered
 
and
 changed
 to
 attract
 more
 or
 new
 clientele.
 This
 dramatic
 alteration
 of
 interiors
 has
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
86

 “San
 Francisco’s
 Legacy
 Bars
 &
 Restaurants,”
 Heritage
 News,
 Spring
 2013.
 
87

 Ibid,
 page
 7.
 
 

  72
 
caused
 a
 huge
 disconnect
 from
 the
 history
 that
 the
 exterior
 of
 the
 pub
 represents
 and
 its
 
interior,
 which
 is
 the
 space
 where
 the
 exterior
 history
 is
 often
 sustained.
 
 

 
The
 Pub
 Heritage
 Group
 recognizes
 and
 works
 to
 maintain
 both
 national
 and
 regional
 
inventories
 of
 historic
 pub
 interiors
 throughout
 the
 country.
 The
 purpose
 of
 the
 inventories
 
is
 to
 help
 conserve
 historic
 interiors
 that
 represent
 the
 period
 in
 which
 the
 establishment
 
was
 founded
 or
 built.
 The
 various
 pubs
 that
 are
 included
 in
 both
 the
 regional
 and
 national
 
inventories
 are
 subdivided
 into
 types,
 which
 define
 the
 era(s)
 in
 which
 each
 pub
 was
 built
 
or
 established.
 These
 typologies
 provide
 insight
 into
 architectural
 trends,
 social
 patterns
 
and
 events,
 and
 other
 aspects
 of
 history
 that
 occurred
 within
 each
 era
 as
 they
 relate
 to
 each
 
pub
 itself.
 These
 fall
 into
 three
 categories:
 
 
Pubs
 whose
 interiors
 have
 remained
 wholly
 or
 largely
 intact
 since
 before
 1945
 or,
 in
 
some
 exceptional
 cases,
 before
 1970;
 interiors
 which,
 though
 altered
 to
 an
 extent,
 
retain
 exceptional
 rooms
 or
 features
 which
 are
 of
 national
 historic
 importance;
 or
 
outstanding
 pub-­‐type
 rooms
 in
 establishments
 like
 hotels
 or
 station
 buffets.
88

 

 
The
 regional
 inventory
 of
 historic
 pub
 interiors
 includes
 spaces
 that
 retain
 historic
 or
 
architectural
 significance
 despite
 the
 great
 amount
 of
 alterations
 or
 changes
 made
 to
 
them.
89

 From
 these
 two
 inventories,
 a
 number
 of
 brochures
 and
 guides
 have
 been
 
developed
 and
 published
 to
 help
 locals
 and
 visitors
 learn
 more
 about
 pub
 heritage
 and
 
history
 in
 various
 cities
 and
 neighborhoods
 throughout
 the
 country.
 
CAMRA
 and
 the
 Pub
 Heritage
 Group
 view
 the
 protection
 and
 conservation
 of
 historic
 pub
 
interiors
 as
 a
 successful
 business
 strategy.
 The
 Pub
 Heritage
 Group
 describes
 this
 business
 
strategy,
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
88

 “What
 are
 historic
 pub
 interiors?”
 The
 Campaign
 for
 Real
 Ale—Pub
 Heritage
 Website,
 Accessed
 June
 10,
 
2014.
 
89

 Ibid.
 

  73
 
Pubs
 with
 historic
 interiors
 have
 something
 special
 to
 capitalise
 upon.
 They
 can
 play
 
to
 the
 popular
 idea
 that
 the
 traditional
 pub
 is
 a
 much
 loved
 and
 unique
 British
 
institution.
 They
 can
 also
 play
 to
 the
 fact
 that
 a
 sizeable
 proportion
 of
 actual
 and
 
would-­‐be
 pub
 goers
 are
 only
 too
 happy
 to
 avoid
 youth-­‐centered
 establishments.
90

 

 
Pub
 Heritage
 Group
 and
 CAMRA
 understand
 what
 historic
 pub
 interiors
 (and,
 to
 a
 certain
 
extent,
 exteriors)
 can
 do
 for
 business
 profit.
 Visitors
 and
 locals
 desire
 to
 have
 a
 unique
 pub
 
experience
 that
 is
 different
 from
 the
 experience
 of
 pubs
 that
 have
 a
 very
 modern
 and
 chic
 
lacquer
 to
 them.
 Historic
 pub
 interiors
 not
 only
 offer
 a
 unique
 experience
 but
 also
 offer
 
something
 very
 valuable
 to
 collective
 knowledge—history.
 The
 history
 maintained
 in
 
historic
 pub
 interiors
 exemplify
 different
 times
 in
 history
 that
 explain
 the
 social
 and
 
cultural
 importance
 of
 why
 pubs
 were
 established,
 what
 their
 purpose
 was,
 and
 why
 it
 is
 
important
 to
 never
 forget
 the
 stories
 that
 accompany
 each
 pub.
 
 

 
The
 Campaign
 for
 Real
 Ale
 and
 the
 Pub
 Heritage
 Group’s
 effort
 to
 identify
 and
 protect
 
historic
 pub
 interiors
 can
 relate
 back
 to
 San
 Francisco’s
 Legacy
 Business
 project.
 Both
 
efforts
 understand
 the
 importance
 of
 identifying,
 creating
 awareness
 of,
 and
 conserving
 
culturally
 significant
 businesses
 not
 only
 for
 their
 value
 to
 the
 local
 community
 and/or
 
tourism
 but
 also
 for
 their
 historical
 value;
 for
 the
 stories
 they
 tell
 about
 a
 time
 that
 was
 
much
 different
 from
 today
 and
 the
 people
 who
 made
 these
 places
 important
 gathering
 
spaces
 for
 the
 community.
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage,
 Buenos
 Aires
 and
 the
 Pub
 Heritage
 
Group
 are
 all
 working
 to
 maintain
 a
 strong
 sense
 of
 cultural
 identity
 through
 the
 historic
 
fabric
 of
 the
 cities
 they
 are
 working
 in.
 Their
 efforts
 to
 conserve
 and
 protect
 cultural
 
identity
 and
 historical
 significance
 exemplified
 through
 local
 establishments
 are
 important
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
90

 Historic
 pub
 interiors
 can
 make
 business
 sense,”
 The
 Campaign
 for
 Real
 Ale—Pub
 Heritage
 Website,
 
Accessed
 June
 10,
 2014.
 http://www.heritagepubs.org.uk/home/pubheritagegroup.asp
 

  74
 
methods
 to
 continue
 the
 legacy
 of
 culture
 and
 heritage
 for
 future
 generations
 to
 experience
 
and
 learn
 from.
 

 

 
Previous
 Efforts
 to
 Conserve
 Legacy
 Businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 
The
 issue
 of
 legacy
 businesses
 and
 gentrification
 in
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District
 is
 a
 
current
 issue
 that
 is
 becoming
 more
 concerning
 among
 residents,
 business
 owners,
 
preservation
 organizations,
 and
 others
 as
 they
 begin
 to
 realize
 that
 the
 loss
 of
 historically
 
significant
 legacy
 businesses
 could
 mean
 the
 demise
 of
 the
 Latino
 culture
 and
 history
 of
 the
 
Mission
 District.
 The
 City
 of
 San
 Francisco
 in
 collaboration
 with
 a
 number
 of
 local
 heritage
 
and
 preservation
 organizations
 are
 working
 to
 create
 awareness
 of
 the
 struggle
 between
 
these
 resources
 and
 gentrification
 and
 to
 produce
 programs
 to
 protect
 legacy
 businesses
 in
 
the
 face
 of
 dramatic
 change.
 The
 intention
 is
 not
 to
 produce
 a
 negative
 attitude
 toward
 new
 
development
 or
 new
 businesses,
 but
 rather
 to
 create
 a
 sense
 of
 harmony
 between
 the
 new
 
and
 old
 that
 will
 recognize
 the
 importance
 of
 retaining
 legacy
 business
 while
 allowing
 a
 
new
 community
 to
 arise.
91

 The
 following
 efforts
 are
 currently
 being
 made
 to
 preserve
 and
 
conserve
 legacy
 businesses
 in
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District.
 Other
 cities
 facing
 this
 same
 
issue
 and
 their
 efforts
 will
 also
 be
 examined.
 

 
San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 
 
Founded
 in
 1971,
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 is
 a
 nonprofit
 membership
 organization
 that
 
“aims
 to
 help
 manage
 change
 over
 time,
 advocating
 for
 smart
 growth
 through
 the
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
91

 Scott,
 “The
 Continuing
 Evolution
 of
 24
th

 Street,”
 San
 Francisco
 Weekly,
 March
 6,
 2013.
 Accessed
 June
 16,
 
2014.
 http://www.sfweekly.com/2013-­‐03-­‐06/news/the-­‐continuing-­‐evolution-­‐of-­‐24th-­‐street/
 
 

  75
 
protection
 and
 reuse
 of
 historic
 structures
 and
 landscapes.”
92

 The
 organization’s
 intent
 is
 
to
 not
 only
 advocate
 for
 the
 preservation
 of
 the
 city’s
 historic
 resources
 but
 to
 also
 vie
 for
 a
 
harmonious
 relationship
 between
 San
 Francisco’s
 past,
 present
 and
 future.
 SF
 Heritage
 
produces
 a
 number
 of
 programs
 and
 workshops
 that
 delve
 into
 the
 importance
 of
 
preservation
 in
 an
 ever-­‐changing
 city
 where
 economic
 growth
 is
 sometimes
 sudden
 and
 
quick.
 In
 regard
 to
 the
 cultural
 heritage
 issues
 of
 the
 Mission
 District,
 SF
 Heritage
 has
 two
 
important
 programs
 to
 help
 sustain
 the
 legacy
 of
 the
 Mission
 as
 a
 repository
 of
 Latino
 
culture.
 
 
 

 
The
 first
 project
 developed
 by
 SF
 Heritage
 is
 called
 the
 “Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurants”
 
project.
93

 Modeled
 after
 the
 Buenos
 Aires
 project
 “Bares
 Notables,”
 this
 project
 is
 focused
 
on
 protecting
 the
 viability
 legacy
 establishments
 that
 are
 significant
 to
 the
 cultural
 
diversity
 and
 history
 of
 the
 city
 and
 on
 indentifying
 specific
 commercial
 establishments
 
that
 have
 thrived
 in
 the
 city
 for
 forty
 or
 more
 years.
94

 In
 the
 wake
 of
 rising
 rental
 prices
 
and
 property
 values
 and
 the
 overarching
 sprawl
 of
 gentrification,
 it
 has
 become
 
increasingly
 important
 to
 identify
 such
 establishments
 so
 that
 awareness
 can
 be
 made
 of
 
their
 significance
 to
 the
 city’s
 diversity
 and
 greater
 efforts
 can
 be
 made
 to
 ensure
 their
 
legacies
 live
 on.
 SF
 Heritage’s
 quarterly
 membership
 newsletter
 describes
 this
 project
 as,
 “a
 
new
 educational
 initiative
 that
 invites
 users
 to
 explore
 the
 history
 of
 some
 of
 San
 
Francisco’s
 most
 legendary
 eateries,
 watering
 holes,
 dives,
 and
 haunts.”
95

 The
 project
 has
 
been
 presented
 as
 a
 publicly
 accessible
 online
 guide
 to
 the
 locations,
 hours
 of
 operation,
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
92

 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 Website,
 “About.”
 Accessed
 June
 5,
 2014.
 http://www.sfheritage.org/about/
 
 
93

 The
 Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurants
 project
 is
 also
 referred
 to
 as
 the
 “Legacy
 Business”
 project.
 
94

 “Bares
 Notables”
 will
 be
 examined
 later
 in
 this
 chapter.
 
 
95

 San
 Francisco’s
 Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurants,”
 Heritage
 News,
 Spring
 2013,
 page
 6.
 
 

  76
 
and
 brief
 histories
 of
 these
 legacy
 establishments
 throughout
 the
 city.
 The
 project
 includes
 
a
 number
 of
 Mission
 District
 resources
 that
 retain
 historic
 integrity
 and
 cultural
 
importance
 to
 the
 history
 of
 the
 community.
 (See
 Figure
 3.2)
 
Figure
 3.2:
 Screenshot
 by
 Author
 of
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurant
 Project
 overview
 
with
 emphasis
 on
 Mission
 District
 legacy
 bars
 and
 restaurants.
 

 
This
 project
 comes
 at
 a
 pivotal
 time
 in
 conservation
 history
 for
 the
 city
 and
 specifically
 the
 
Mission
 District.
 Long-­‐time
 residents
 are
 beginning
 to
 take
 note
 of
 the
 cultural,
 as
 well
 as
 
financial,
 value
 of
 protecting
 these
 establishments
 that
 have
 served
 their
 local,
 mostly
 
ethnic
 communities
 for
 many
 decades.
 
 

 
San
 Francisco
 has
 come
 to
 be
 known
 and
 treasured
 as
 one
 of
 the
 most
 culturally
 diverse
 
cities
 in
 the
 country.
 It
 is
 filled
 with
 various
 ethnic
 niches
 that
 have
 produced
 and
 continue
 
to
 sustain
 their
 own
 successful
 local
 economies
 through
 promotion
 of
 cultural
 traditions
 
and
 establishments.
 SF
 Heritage’s
 legacy
 project
 has
 come
 to
 realize
 the
 importance
 of
 

  77
 
creating
 awareness
 of
 these
 establishments
 within
 cultural
 communities
 not
 only
 for
 the
 
historical
 value
 they
 bring
 to
 the
 city
 but
 also
 for
 the
 value
 they
 hold
 as
 educational
 
opportunities
 for
 future
 generations.
96

 The
 reason
 behind
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 choosing
 
to
 focus
 on
 bars
 and
 restaurants
 is
 described,
 
One
 of
 the
 primary
 reasons
 for
 featuring
 bars
 and
 restaurants
 in
 this
 initiative
 is
 
because
 so
 much
 of
 the
 history
 of
 San
 Francisco
 can
 be
 uncovered
 through
 these
 
establishments.
 The
 city
 is
 known
 for
 having
 a
 thriving
 food
 and
 cocktail
 scene,
 both
 
historically
 and
 today,
 which
 makes
 the
 bar
 and
 restaurant
 industry
 a
 compelling
 
case
 study
 for
 understanding
 the
 challenges
 facing
 longtime
 establishments,
 as
 well
 
as
 their
 inherent
 cultural
 and
 economic
 value.
 In
 many
 ways,
 San
 Francisco
 is
 a
 city
 
of
 close-­‐knit
 neighborhoods,
 and
 these
 businesses
 play
 a
 crucial
 role
 in
 creating
 and
 
anchoring
 neighborhood
 identity.
 Preserving
 legacy
 businesses
 is
 an
 important
 
means
 of
 sustaining
 neighborhood
 heritage
 and
 a
 certain
 quality
 of
 life.
 As
 we’ve
 
seen
 through
 this
 project,
 San
 Francisco’s
 bars
 and
 restaurants
 represent
 the
 city’s
 
vast
 cultural
 diversity,
 from
 longtime
 taquerías
 to
 iconic
 cocktail
 lounges
 to
 beloved
 
espresso
 houses,
 and
 this
 living
 history
 has
 an
 important
 role
 to
 play
 in
 the
 city’s
 
future.
97

 

 
The
 Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurants
 initiative
 represents
 a
 significant
 step
 in
 the
 conservation
 
world
 as
 an
 innovative
 tool
 for
 further
 identifying
 and
 caring
 for
 cultural
 resources
 that
 are
 
significant
 and
 pertinent
 to
 the
 understanding
 of
 history.
 The
 ultimate
 goal
 of
 this
 project
 is
 
to,
 “not
 only
 celebrate
 the
 history
 and
 flavor
 of
 these
 vital
 businesses,
 but
 also
 to
 broaden
 
traditional
 notions
 of
 what
 is
 significant
 in
 the
 city’s
 fabric
 and
 to
 devise
 solutions
 for
 
cultural
 preservation
 that
 acknowledge
 competing
 social
 priorities.”
98

 San
 Francisco
 
Heritage
 will
 continue
 to
 add
 legacy
 establishments
 to
 this
 list
 so
 that
 visitors
 and
 residents
 
alike
 can
 indulge
 in
 the
 diversity
 of
 the
 city
 and
 city
 officials
 and
 preservation
 
organizations
 can
 pursue
 a
 collaborative
 attitude
 toward
 city
 planning
 that
 includes
 and
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
96

 Currently,
 there
 are
 seven
 legacy
 establishments
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 that
 are
 listed
 on
 SF
 Heritage’s
 
project
 site,
 although
 more
 will
 continue
 to
 be
 added
 as
 historical
 information
 becomes
 obtainable
 and
 as
 
more
 members
 of
 the
 community
 speak
 up
 about
 sites
 they
 feel
 are
 important
 and
 should
 be
 listed.
 
97

 Laura
 Dominguez,
 original
 manager
 of
 “Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurants”
 project,
 July
 2014
 interview.
 
 
98

 San
 Francisco’s
 Legacy
 Bars
 and
 Restaurants,”
 Heritage
 News,
 Spring
 2013,
 page
 7.
 

  78
 
retains
 the
 historical
 establishments
 that
 contribute
 to
 the
 cultural
 diversity
 of
 the
 city.
 The
 
Mission
 District
 has
 received
 recognition
 for
 its
 significant
 legacy
 businesses
 that
 have
 
been
 conserved
 over
 the
 years
 and
 continue
 to
 display
 Latino
 pride
 and
 history.
 
 

 
The
 second
 project
 that
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 has
 developed
 to
 promote
 the
 conservation
 
of
 the
 city’s
 legacy
 businesses
 is
 a
 self-­‐guided
 walking
 tour
 of
 24
th

 Street
 called
 “Calle
 24:
 
Cuentos
 del
 Barrio
 (24
th

 Street:
 Stories
 of
 the
 District).”
 The
 guide
 was
 created
 in
 
collaboration
 with
 the
 San
 Francisco
 Latino
 Historical
 Society
 in
 2013
 in
 the
 offices
 of
 
Acción
 Latina,
 located
 in
 the
 original
 building
 where
 El
 Tecolote
 newspaper,
 a
 significant
 
bilingual
 newspaper
 in
 the
 Mission
 District,
 was
 founded
 on
 24
th

 Street
 in
 the
 Mission.
 A
 
group
 of
 local
 high
 school
 and
 college
 students
 were
 offered
 the
 opportunity
 to
 participate
 
in
 workshops
 that
 promoted
 urban
 history
 and
 taught
 how
 to
 conduct
 oral
 histories.
99

 
Students
 used
 the
 methods
 and
 practices
 taught
 in
 workshops
 to
 conduct
 interviews
 with
 
legacy
 business
 owners
 of
 24
th

 Street
 to
 gather
 information
 about
 their
 past,
 their
 legacies,
 
and
 why
 their
 establishments
 are
 important.
 The
 stories
 and
 histories
 gathered
 through
 
these
 interviews
 were
 organized
 and
 summarized
 to
 produce
 the
 Calle
 24
 tour
 guide.
 (See
 
Figures
 3.3-­‐3.4)
 The
 booklet
 is
 intended
 to
 take
 visitors
 on
 a
 trip
 through
 history,
 pointing
 
out
 businesses
 and
 spaces
 that
 have
 great
 historical
 significance
 to
 the
 development
 of
 24
th

 
Street
 as
 a
 Latino
 cultural
 corridor.
 This
 tour
 not
 only
 teaches
 about
 Latino
 history
 on
 24
th

 
Street
 but
 also
 provides
 insight
 into
 why
 they
 are
 important
 and
 why
 they
 deserve
 to
 
survive.
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
99

 Dr.
 Carlos
 Cordova
 of
 San
 Francisco
 State
 University
 provided
 the
 training
 in
 oral
 history
 methodology
 and
 
practice.
 
 

  79
 

 

 

 

 

 
Figure
 3.3:
 Cover
 of
 “Calle
 24
 Cuentos
 del
 Barrio”
 Walking
 Tour
 Guide
 created
 by
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage.
 
Screenshot
 by
 Author.
 

  80
 

 
Figure
 3.4:
 Tour
 Map
 of
 Cuentos
 del
 Barrio
 walking
 tour.
 Screenshot
 by
 Author.
 

 

 
Calle
 24
 Latino
 Cultural
 District
 
Another
 recent
 effort
 to
 further
 the
 conservation
 of
 the
 Latino
 culture
 represented
 by
 
legacy
 businesses
 is
 the
 designation
 of
 24
th

 Street
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 as
 the
 “Calle
 24
 
Latino
 Cultural
 District.”
 This
 designation
 was
 the
 production
 of
 collaborative
 efforts
 
between
 the
 San
 Francisco
 Latino
 Historical
 Society,
 Calle
 24
 SF
 (the
 local
 neighbors
 and
 
merchants
 association),
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage,
 the
 Mayor’s
 Office
 of
 Economic
 and
 
Workforce
 Development,
 and
 Supervisor
 David
 Campos.
 Spanning
 from
 Potrero
 Avenue
 at
 

  81
 
the
 east
 end
 to
 Mission
 Street
 at
 the
 west
 end
 (See
 Figure
 2.10),
 the
 24
th

 Street
 designation
 
now
 recognizes
 this
 area
 as
 the
 epicenter
 for
 Latino
 activism,
 culture,
 arts,
 and
 commerce
 
in
 San
 Francisco
 that
 began
 in
 the
 1940s
 and
 has
 continued
 through
 today.
100

 As
 the
 heart
 
of
 the
 Mission
 District,
 the
 corridor
 represents
 significant
 moments
 in
 Latino
 history
 that
 
define
 their
 success
 and
 that
 contribute
 to
 the
 strength
 of
 the
 culture
 and
 traditions
 of
 the
 
community.
101

 An
 article
 written
 by
 Marisa
 Lagos
 for
 the
 SF
 Gate
 describes
 the
 process
 of
 
designating
 this
 corridor,
 
Longtime
 neighbors
 want
 to
 put
 a
 halt
 to
 those
 dramatic
 changes
 and
 make
 sure
 the
 
area’s
 cultural,
 architectural
 and
 artistic
 history
 is
 maintained.
 …they
 are
 working
 
with
 Supervisor
 David
 Campos
 to
 designate
 the
 area
 around
 the
 24
th

 Street
 
commercial
 corridor
 the
 Calle
 24
 Latino
 Cultural
 District
 in
 hopes
 of
 preserving
 the
 
area’s
 flavor
 and
 history.
 
 

 
The
 designation
 of
 24
th

 Street
 as
 a
 Latino
 cultural
 district
 has
 come
 at
 a
 pivotal
 time
 in
 
heritage
 conservation,
 when
 cityscapes
 and
 their
 underlying
 cultural
 histories
 are
 changing
 
at
 a
 rapid
 pace
 in
 the
 face
 of
 rising
 rents,
 growing
 property
 values,
 and
 gentrification.
 The
 
designation
 of
 24
th

 Street
 proves
 to
 be
 an
 innovative
 and
 constructive
 tool
 that
 not
 only
 
contributes
 to
 the
 understanding
 of
 the
 area
 as
 a
 historically
 Latino
 corridor,
 but
 also
 acts
 
as
 an
 advocate
 for
 future
 conservation
 efforts
 of
 significant
 resources.
 San
 Francisco
 
Heritage
 writes
 describes
 the
 purpose
 of
 the
 designation:
 
 
The
 purpose
 of
 the
 designation
 is
 to
 stabilize
 the
 displacement
 of
 Latino
 businesses
 
and
 residents,
 preserve
 Calle
 24
 as
 the
 center
 of
 Latino
 culture
 and
 commerce,
 
enhance
 the
 unique
 nature
 of
 Calle
 24
 as
 a
 special
 place
 for
 San
 Francisco’s
 
residents
 and
 tourists,
 and
 ensure
 that
 the
 City
 of
 San
 Francisco
 and
 interested
 
stakeholders
 have
 an
 opportunity
 to
 work
 collaboratively
 on
 a
 community
 planning
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
100

 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 Website,
 “Calle
 24
 Latino
 Cultural
 District.”
 Accessed
 June
 16,
 2014.
 
http://www.sfheritage.org/calle-­‐24-­‐latino-­‐cultural-­‐district/
 
 
101

 Lagos,
 “A
 mission
 for
 the
 Mission,”
 SF
 Gate,
 April
 22,
 2014.
 
 

  82
 
process,
 which
 may
 result
 in
 the
 Designation
 of
 a
 Special
 Use
 District
 or
 other
 
amendment
 to
 the
 Planning
 code.
102
 

 
The
 resolution
 notes
 significant
 points
 throughout
 history
 that
 further
 support
 the
 
designation
 of
 24
th

 Street
 as
 an
 important
 Latino
 cultural
 corridor.
103

 As
 of
 May
 19,
 2014,
 
the
 City
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 in
 collaboration
 with
 local
 preservation
 organizations
 and
 the
 
Mission
 District
 community,
 has
 successfully
 built
 a
 stable
 foundation
 upon
 which
 future
 
efforts
 to
 conserve
 significant
 historically
 Latino
 resources
 will
 grow.
 This
 resolution
 will
 
set
 the
 precedent
 for
 future
 similar
 efforts
 that
 work
 to
 sustain
 local
 history,
 diversity
 and
 
culture,
 and
 a
 sense
 of
 community
 that
 can
 be
 shared
 with
 others.
 The
 designation
 of
 the
 
Calle
 24
 Latino
 Cultural
 District
 is
 expected
 to
 lead
 to
 a
 Special
 Use
 District
 or
 other
 
amendment
 to
 the
 San
 Francisco
 Planning
 code
 that
 will
 “stabilize
 Latino
 businesses
 and
 
residents
 threatened
 with
 displacement…”
104

 

 
San
 Francisco
 Latino
 Historic
 Context
 Statement
 
The
 San
 Francisco
 Latino
 Historic
 Context
 Statement
 titled
 “Nuestra
 Historia:
 Documenting
 
the
 Chicano,
 Latino,
 and
 Indígena
 Contribution
 to
 the
 Development
 of
 San
 Francisco”
 is
 
another
 strong
 effort
 made
 by
 the
 city
 to
 further
 the
 conservation
 of
 Latino
 culture
 and
 
legacy
 businesses
 in
 San
 Francisco.
 This
 effort,
 funded
 by
 the
 City
 of
 San
 Francisco’s
 
Historic
 Preservation
 Fund,
 is
 a
 citywide
 effort
 that
 will
 work
 towards
 documenting
 Latino
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
102

 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 Website,
 “Calle
 24
 Latino
 Cultural
 District.”;
 The
 designation
 resolution
 for
 the
 
Calle
 24
 Latino
 Cultural
 District
 significantly
 drew
 upon
 the
 “Calle
 24:
 Cuentos
 del
 Barrio”
 Self-­‐Guided
 
Walking
 Tour
 that
 SF
 Heritage
 and
 the
 San
 Francisco
 Latino
 Historical
 Society
 produced
 to
 create
 awareness
 
of
 the
 significance
 of
 24
th

 Street
 as
 a
 Latino
 cultural
 corridor.
 The
 information
 gathered
 for
 the
 production
 of
 
the
 walking
 tour
 (information
 that
 was
 obtained
 at
 a
 local
 level
 by
 students
 and
 youth
 conducting
 oral
 
histories)
 was
 used
 as
 a
 foundation
 for
 the
 development
 of
 the
 designation
 resolution
 of
 24
th

 Street.
 
 
103

 For
 more
 information
 and
 to
 review
 the
 complete
 Resolution,
 please
 see
 
http://www.sfbos.org/ftp/uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/committees/materials/LU051914_140421.pdf
 
 
104

 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 Website,
 “Advocacy
 Alert:
 Calle
 24
 Latino
 Cultural
 District,”
 Accessed
 June
 16,
 2014.
 
http://www.sfheritage.org
 
 

  83
 
history
 “as
 it
 pertains
 to
 the
 physical
 and
 cultural
 landscape
 of
 San
 Francisco
 and
 will
 offer
 
recommendations
 on
 how
 best
 to
 preserve
 and
 maintain
 architectural,
 cultural,
 and
 
historical
 resources
 important
 to
 Latino
 communities.”
105

 This
 historic
 context
 statement
 
will
 be
 a
 collaborative
 effort
 between
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage,
 San
 Francisco
 Latino
 
Historical
 Society,
 the
 Latino
 community
 throughout
 the
 city,
 a
 Latino
 Community
 Advisory
 
Board,
 and
 a
 team
 of
 scholars.
 It
 will
 document
 and
 detail
 the
 history
 and
 experiences
 of
 
Latinos
 as
 they
 settled
 in
 San
 Francisco.
 Although
 this
 historic
 context
 statement
 will
 focus
 
on
 the
 broader
 context
 in
 Latinos
 in
 the
 city
 of
 San
 Francisco,
 it
 is
 a
 crucial
 tool
 that
 can
 and
 
will
 be
 used
 to
 further
 preservation
 efforts
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 as
 more
 and
 more
 legacy
 
businesses
 succumb
 to
 the
 changing
 dynamics
 of
 the
 neighborhood
 caused
 by
 rising
 rents
 
and
 the
 influx
 of
 new
 migrants
 from
 the
 Silicon
 Valley.
 

Conclusion
 
 
The
 effects
 of
 gentrification
 on
 legacy
 businesses
 are
 being
 felt
 not
 only
 in
 San
 Francisco
 
but
 throughout
 the
 world.
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District
 is
 one
 of
 the
 many
 
neighborhoods
 throughout
 the
 world
 that
 is
 working
 hard
 to
 protect
 its
 reputation
 as
 a
 
Latino
 cultural
 corridor.
 In
 the
 wake
 of
 financial,
 social,
 and
 structural
 changes
 that
 are
 
leaving
 behind
 little
 or
 no
 remnants
 of
 the
 Latino
 history
 and
 culture,
 these
 legacy
 
businesses
 are
 becoming
 more
 vital
 to
 the
 future
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 as
 a
 Latino
 corridor.
 
Other
 places
 such
 as
 Los
 Angeles,
 England,
 and
 Buenos
 Aires
 are
 also
 working
 to
 maintain
 a
 
strong
 sense
 of
 history
 and
 culture
 in
 ethnically
 diverse
 communities
 through
 the
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
105

 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 Website,
 “Latino
 Heritage,”
 Accessed
 June
 2,
 2014.
 
http://www.sfheritage.org/social-­‐heritage/latino-­‐heritage/;
 for
 more
 information
 on
 the
 San
 Francisco
 
Historic
 Preservation
 Fund
 Committee,
 visit
 http://sfgsa.org/index.aspx?page=676
 
 

  84
 
conservation
 of
 legacy
 businesses.
 These
 businesses
 and
 the
 significance
 they
 possess
 
contribute
 to
 the
 diversity
 of
 a
 place
 and
 expose
 great
 narratives
 and
 accounts
 of
 the
 area’s
 
history,
 of
 the
 people
 who
 contributed
 to
 the
 growth
 and
 prominence
 of
 the
 area
 as
 a
 
cultural
 niche,
 and
 of
 the
 events
 that
 strengthened
 the
 ties
 between
 people
 and
 place.
 
These
 places
 are
 becoming
 the
 focus
 of
 conservation
 efforts
 throughout
 the
 world
 and
 are
 
being
 recognized
 not
 only
 for
 their
 contribution
 to
 diversity
 but
 also
 for
 their
 prominence
 
as
 locally
 supportive
 establishments
 and
 as
 places
 that
 become
 vital
 parts
 of
 collective
 
memory.
 They
 become
 the
 “go-­‐to”
 spots
 that
 are
 a
 home
 away
 from
 home
 for
 the
 locals
 and
 
retain
 strong
 levels
 of
 social
 significance
 that
 tell
 stories
 of
 the
 relationships
 and
 bonds
 that
 
are
 formed
 between
 people
 and
 place.
 Although
 they
 vary
 in
 their
 overall
 purpose
 and
 
focus,
 the
 projects,
 programs
 and
 efforts
 taking
 place
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 
throughout
 the
 world
 are
 all
 working
 to
 contribute
 to
 the
 conservation
 of
 cultures
 and
 
histories
 that
 have
 developed
 within
 and
 have
 been
 sustained
 by
 legacy
 businesses.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  85
 
Chapter
 4:
 Recommendations
 for
 Conserving
 Legacy
 Businesses
 
In
 the
 previous
 chapters
 of
 this
 thesis,
 legacy
 businesses
 have
 been
 identified
 as
 crucial
 
aspects
 of
 local
 culture
 and
 as
 important
 vessels
 through
 which
 cultural
 identity
 is
 formed
 
and
 sustained
 within
 a
 community.
 The
 Mission
 District
 community
 maintains
 strong
 
connections
 to
 legacy
 businesses
 that
 identify
 with
 the
 Latino
 heritage
 that
 has
 been
 
secured
 in
 the
 neighborhood
 for
 a
 long
 time.
 This
 thesis
 will
 examine
 two
 specific
 legacy
 
businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 that
 are
 significant
 to
 Latino
 culture
 in
 the
 neighborhood
 
and
 will
 provide
 recommendations
 for
 the
 conservation
 of
 these
 businesses
 based
 on
 
precedents
 discussed
 in
 the
 previous
 chapter.
 
 

 
Case
 Study
 3.1:
 El
 Tecolote
 (Acción
 Latina)
 
After
 California’s
 Gold
 Rush,
 English
 became
 the
 most
 prominent
 language
 in
 San
 Francisco.
 
It
 became
 increasingly
 difficult
 for
 Latinos
 to
 stay
 informed
 about
 issues
 both
 in
 the
 United
 
States
 and
 abroad
 due
 to
 the
 prevalence
 of
 the
 English
 language
 in
 every
 day
 life
 and
 in
 
such
 entities
 as
 newspapers.
 A
 number
 of
 newspapers
 developed
 in
 the
 mid-­‐1900s
 as
 a
 
way
 for
 the
 Spanish-­‐speaking
 community
 to
 keep
 up
 with
 political,
 economic,
 and
 social
 
issues
 both
 at
 home
 and
 abroad.
106

 In
 1970,
 El
 Tecolote
 newspaper
 was
 established
 on
 24
th

 
Street
 and
 became
 an
 important
 mode
 of
 communication
 and
 advocacy
 among
 the
 local
 
Spanish-­‐speaking
 community.
 Initiated
 as
 a
 class
 project
 among
 a
 group
 of
 Raza
 Studies
 
students
 at
 San
 Francisco
 State
 University
 in
 1970
 that
 fittingly
 named
 themselves
 Acción
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
106

 Spanish
 newspapers
 in
 San
 Francisco
 were
 a
 prominent
 form
 of
 communication
 and
 of
 receiving
 local
 and
 
global
 news
 among
 the
 Spanish-­‐speaking
 community
 in
 the
 pre-­‐Gold
 Rush
 era.
 The
 first
 newspaper
 that
 was
 
published
 by
 Americans
 in
 California
 was
 titled
 the
 Californian.
 This
 newspaper
 was
 printed
 in
 Monterey
 in
 
1846
 and
 was
 written
 in
 half
 English
 and
 half
 Spanish.
 However,
 after
 the
 onset
 of
 the
 Gold
 Rush,
 English
 
publications
 outnumbered
 Spanish
 newspapers.
 However,
 a
 number
 of
 Spanish
 newspapers
 developed
 after
 
the
 Gold
 Rush
 that
 provided
 news
 to
 Spanish-­‐speakers
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 in
 greater
 San
 Francisco.
 
These
 newspapers
 include:
 El
 Bohemio
 News,
 El
 Observador,
 El
 Mensajero
 and
 El
 Tecolote.
 
 

  86
 
Latina,
 the
 purpose
 of
 El
 Tecolote
 was
 to
 try
 to
 bring
 the
 Latino
 population
 into
 the
 practice
 
and
 business
 of
 journalism.
107

 The
 result
 of
 this
 effort,
 El
 Tecolote,
 was
 a
 bilingual
 
newspaper
 that
 provided
 journalism
 job
 opportunities,
 a
 forum
 to
 publicly
 discuss
 issues
 
important
 to
 the
 Latino
 population,
 and
 to
 promote
 advocacy
 of
 Latino
 culture
 and
 life
 in
 
the
 Mission
 District.
 El
 Tecolote’s
 website
 describes,
 “The
 newspaper
 has
 played
 an
 
important
 advocacy
 role
 in
 the
 community,
 taking
 up
 vital
 community
 issues
 often
 ignored
 
by
 the
 mainstream
 news
 media.”
108

 El
 Tecolote’s
 website
 reminisces
 about
 two
 significant
 
stories
 covered
 by
 the
 newspaper:
 
El
 Tecolote
 has
 also
 played
 an
 important
 role
 in
 promoting
 the
 talents
 of
 Mission
 
district
 artists.
 The
 Arts
 &
 Culture
 pages
 were
 often
 the
 first
 to
 cover
 local
 artists
 
who
 are
 now
 nationally
 recognized.
 In
 1971
 the
 newspaper
 interviewed
 with
 Jose
 
Santana,
 the
 proud
 father
 of
 the
 talented
 up-­‐and-­‐coming
 guitarist,
 Carlos
 Santana.
 El
 
Tecolote
 first
 covered
 
 internationally
 renowned
 Latin
 jazz
 percussionist
 John
 
Santos
 when
 he
 was
 arrested
 as
 a
 teenager
 in
 San
 Francisco’s
 Dolores
 Park
 for
 
playing
 his
 conga
 drum
 too
 loudly.
109

 

 
El
 Tecolote
 brought
 about
 a
 significant
 change
 in
 the
 Latino
 community
 and
 in
 greater
 San
 
Francisco.
 It
 became
 an
 important
 mode
 of
 communication
 for
 the
 Latino
 population
 to
 
speak
 out
 about
 issues
 of
 discrimination
 or
 racism
 that
 they
 were
 facing,
 to
 discuss
 political,
 
economic,
 and
 social
 issues
 within
 their
 home
 countries
 as
 well
 as
 the
 United
 States,
 and
 to
 
present
 themselves
 in
 a
 positive
 light,
 encouraging
 the
 community
 to
 be
 proud
 of
 their
 
heritage
 and
 to
 encourage
 artistic
 and
 cultural
 development
 of
 the
 community
 in
 the
 
broader
 context
 of
 the
 city.
 (See
 Figures
 4.1-­‐4.2)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
107

 Acción
 Latina
 formed
 as
 a
 non-­‐profit
 organization
 that
 promotes
 Latino
 participation
 in
 the
 arts,
 media,
 
and
 civic
 engagement.
 Founded
 before
 the
 establishment
 of
 El
 Tecolote
 newspaper
 but
 not
 incorporated
 until
 
1987,
 Acción
 Latina
 works
 to
 promote,
 engage,
 education,
 and
 support
 the
 Latino
 community
 in
 the
 Mission
 
District
 so
 that
 they
 may
 have
 ample
 opportunities
 to
 better
 their
 lives
 and
 express
 pride
 in
 their
 heritage.
 
Acción
 Latina
 website,
 “Our
 Mission.”
 Accessed
 May
 9,
 2014.
 
 
108

 El
 Tecolote
 Newspaper
 website,
 “About.”
 Accessed
 May
 5,
 2014.
 
 
109

 Ibid.
 
 

  87
 

 
Figure
 4.1:
 Accion
 Latina/El
 Tecolote
 Newspaper.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

 

 
Figure
 4.2:
 Accion
 Latina/El
 Tecolote
 Newspaper.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

 

 

  88
 
Today,
 the
 newspaper
 continues
 to
 operate
 and
 provides
 news
 to
 the
 local
 community
 
about
 local
 issues
 and
 the
 greater
 aspects
 of
 Latino
 life
 in
 the
 Mission
 District.
 El
 Tecolote
 
still
 retains
 its
 prominence
 as
 a
 way
 for
 Latinos
 to
 enter
 into
 this
 profession,
 providing
 
guidance
 and
 experiences
 that
 Latino
 journalists
 utilize
 as
 they
 make
 their
 way
 into
 the
 
bigger
 world
 of
 national
 and
 international
 journalism.
 
 

 
El
 Tecolote’s
 legacy
 contributes
 to
 the
 Latino
 history
 and
 cultural
 fabric
 that
 makes
 up
 the
 
Mission
 District.
 Although
 it
 is
 a
 fairly
 young
 legacy
 business,
 it’s
 existence
 along
 24
th

 Street
 
helps
 to
 tell
 the
 story
 of
 Latinos
 in
 San
 Francisco.
 This
 legacy
 business
 has
 become
 an
 
important
 depiction
 of
 the
 struggles
 Latinos
 endured
 throughout
 their
 presence
 in
 the
 City
 
and
 other
 areas
 of
 the
 United
 States
 as
 told
 through
 news
 articles.
 This
 newspaper,
 along
 
with
 others
 that
 developed
 in
 the
 wake
 of
 growing
 racial
 and
 ethnic
 discrimination
 in
 the
 
United
 States,
 covered
 the
 protests
 and
 movements
 that
 made
 Latinos
 an
 important
 focal
 
point
 of
 social
 movements.
 In
 light
 of
 the
 shift
 in
 commercial
 culture
 throughout
 the
 
Mission
 District,
 El
 Tecolote
 has
 been
 identified
 as
 a
 significant
 legacy
 business
 by
 San
 
Francisco
 Heritage
 and
 Calle
 24
 and
 should
 continue
 to
 be
 recognized
 as
 an
 important
 
establishment
 that
 needs
 to
 be
 conserved.
 As
 rent
 prices
 and
 property
 values
 continue
 to
 
rise,
 it
 will
 become
 increasingly
 more
 difficult
 for
 culturally
 significant
 legacy
 businesses
 to
 
maintain
 themselves
 without
 financial
 assistance
 or
 a
 specific
 type
 of
 city
 planning
 that
 
allows
 these
 businesses
 to
 continue
 to
 thrive
 and
 represent
 local
 culture
 within
 a
 new,
 
younger,
 more
 affluent
 community.
 If
 El
 Tecolote
 reaches
 a
 pinnacle
 in
 which
 it
 is
 no
 longer
 
able
 to
 afford
 to
 keep
 its
 doors
 open,
 it
 may
 be
 forced
 to
 either
 find
 a
 new,
 cheaper
 location
 

  89
 
or
 close
 its
 doors
 after
 44
 years
 of
 being
 a
 part
 of
 the
 24
th

 Street
 and
 Mission
 District
 
Community.
 
 

 

 Case
 Study
 3.2:
 Galería
 de
 la
 Raza
 
The
 Galería
 de
 la
 Raza
 is
 a
 non-­‐profit
 organization
 that
 sparks
 awareness
 and
 appreciation
 
of
 Latino
 art
 and
 artists
 throughout
 the
 Mission
 District
 community.
 The
 organization
 was
 
founded
 in
 1970
 by
 a
 group
 of
 local
 artists:
 Rupert
 García,
 Peter
 Rodríguez,
 Francisco
 X.
 
Camplis,
 Graciela
 Carrillo,
 Jerry
 Concha,
 Gustavo
 Ramos
 Rivera,
 Carlos
 Loarca,
 Manuel
 
Villamor,
 Robert
 González,
 Luis
 Cervantes,
 Chuy
 Campusano,
 Rolando
 Castellón,
 Ralph
 
Maradiaga,
 René
 Yañez,
 and
 Peter
 Rodríguez,
 all
 of
 whom
 have
 made
 significant
 
contributions
 to
 the
 growth
 and
 prominence
 of
 Latino
 art.
 The
 organization
 offers
 
opportunities
 to
 engage
 in
 artistic
 practices
 and
 programs
 to
 the
 surrounding
 community.
 
The
 Galería’s
 mission
 statement
 reads,
 
…the
 Galería
 is
 a
 non-­‐profit
 community-­‐based
 arts
 organization
 whose
 mission
 is
 to
 
foster
 public
 awareness
 and
 appreciation
 of
 Chicano/Latino
 art
 and
 serve
 as
 a
 
laboratory
 where
 artists
 can
 both
 explore
 contemporary
 issues
 in
 art,
 culture
 and
 
civic
 society,
 and
 advance
 intercultural
 dialogue.
 To
 implement
 our
 mission,
 the
 
Galería
 supports
 Latino
 artists
 in
 the
 visual,
 literary,
 media
 and
 performing
 art
 fields
 
whose
 works
 explore
 new
 aesthetic
 possibilities
 for
 socially
 committed
 art.
110

 

 
This
 24
th

 Street
 organization
 has,
 throughout
 the
 years,
 allowed
 Latino
 artists
 to
 become
 
important
 voices,
 representatives,
 and
 storytellers
 of
 Latino
 culture,
 heritage,
 and
 the
 
struggles
 they
 have
 endured
 throughout
 their
 history
 in
 the
 United
 States.
 It
 is
 considered
 
to
 be
 one
 of
 the
 most
 successful
 Latino
 organizations
 in
 the
 United
 States
 because
 of
 its
 
contemporary
 and
 cutting-­‐edge
 facilities
 and
 programs
 that
 push
 for
 the
 greater
 
acknowledgement,
 appreciation,
 and
 practice
 of
 Latino
 artists.
 Artists
 who
 work
 with
 the
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
110

 Galeria
 de
 la
 Raza
 website,
 “About.”
 Accessed
 May
 9,
 2014.
 
 

  90
 
organization
 are
 given
 the
 opportunity
 to,
 through
 artistic
 means,
 produce
 works
 that
 
express
 ideas
 and
 explanations
 of
 Latino
 experiences
 as
 an
 ethnic
 group
 in
 the
 United
 
States
 and
 can
 represent
 such
 concepts
 as
 “community
 memory,
 popular
 culture,
 ceremony,
 
and
 family
 and
 social
 activism;”
 concepts
 that
 are
 significant
 to
 the
 Latino
 experience
 
throughout
 history
 and
 into
 the
 present.
111

 (See
 Figure
 4.3)
 

 
Figure
 4.3:
 Galería
 de
 la
 Raza.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

 
The
 organization
 played
 a
 part
 in
 the
 Chicano
 civil
 rights
 movement
 in
 the
 1970s,
 when
 
Latinos/Chicanos
 pushed
 for
 better
 treatment
 and
 enhancement
 of
 their
 everyday
 lives.
 
Galería
 de
 la
 Raza
 played
 an
 important
 role
 as
 one
 of
 the
 venues
 where
 the
 Chicano/Latino
 
community
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 gathered
 together
 to
 fight
 for
 social
 equality
 and
 justice
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
111

 Ibid.
 
 

  91
 
by
 displaying
 exhibitions
 and
 providing
 community
 art
 programs
 that
 not
 only
 allowed
 
artists
 to
 artistically
 voice
 their
 and
 the
 community’s
 concerns
 but
 also
 engaged
 the
 
community
 in
 the
 arts;
 an
 engagement
 that
 made
 the
 community
 and
 others
 outside
 of
 the
 
community
 more
 aware
 and
 more
 appreciative
 of
 Latino
 art
 and
 the
 social
 statements
 they
 
made
 through
 their
 art.
112

 This
 organization
 has
 become
 an
 “internationally
 recognized
 
Latino
 art
 gallery”
 that
 continues
 to
 support
 Latino
 art
 and
 artists’
 strong
 desire
 to
 create
 
greater
 awareness
 of
 social
 issues
 that
 Latinos
 have
 faced
 and
 continue
 to
 face.
 
 

 
Galería
 de
 la
 Raza
 has
 also
 played
 a
 significant
 role
 in
 the
 production
 of
 public
 art
 spaces
 
such
 as
 murals
 throughout
 24
th

 Street.
 When
 it
 was
 founded,
 the
 organization
 created
 a
 
community
 mural
 program,
 the
 first
 in
 the
 United
 States.
 The
 intention
 of
 this
 mural
 
program
 was
 to
 allow
 artists
 to
 create
 pieces
 and
 works
 outside
 of
 the
 gallery,
 on
 bigger
 
platforms
 that
 could
 speak
 messages
 on
 a
 larger
 scale
 to
 the
 community
 and
 to
 all
 others
 
who
 traveled
 along
 24
th

 Street.
 The
 development
 of
 a
 mural
 program
 and
 of
 subsequent
 
mural
 programs
 that
 continue
 today
 brought
 new
 talents
 to
 the
 organization
 and
 greater
 
implementation
 of
 the
 arts
 throughout
 the
 community
 that
 have
 become
 an
 integral
 part
 of
 
the
 beauty
 and
 landscape
 of
 the
 neighborhood.
 The
 mural
 programs
 have
 since
 sparked
 a
 
number
 of
 other
 mural
 programs
 and
 movements
 throughout
 the
 Mission
 District.
 (See
 
Figures
 4.4-­‐4.7)
 
 

 
Since
 its
 foundation,
 Galería
 de
 la
 Raza
 has
 evolved
 into
 a
 highly
 supportive
 establishment
 
that
 opens
 up
 exhibits
 depicting
 Latino
 stories,
 histories,
 and
 art.
 For
 many
 decades,
 their
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
112

 Ibid.
 
 

  92
 
purpose
 has
 been
 to
 create
 a
 supportive
 platform
 upon
 which
 Latino
 artists
 can
 create
 
awareness
 of
 social
 and
 cultural
 issues
 that
 the
 Latino
 community—local
 and
 abroad—
have
 faced
 and
 continue
 to
 face
 as
 well
 as
 portray
 the
 pride
 that
 the
 Latino
 community
 
takes
 in
 their
 heritage
 and
 history.
 The
 Galería
 has
 become
 a
 locally
 and
 nationally
 
recognized
 organization
 for
 the
 awareness
 of
 Latino
 heritage
 and
 continues
 to
 act
 as
 a
 
binding
 element
 for
 the
 community
 in
 the
 Mission
 District.
 It
 is
 a
 socially
 and
 culturally
 
important
 institution
 that
 acts
 as
 a
 gathering
 space
 for
 the
 community
 and
 its
 resident
 and
 
visiting
 artists
 to
 teach
 about
 Latino
 experiences
 in
 the
 Mission
 District,
 in
 San
 Francisco,
 in
 
California,
 the
 United
 States
 and
 abroad.
 

 

 

 
Figure
 4.4:
 “La
 Llorona”
 Mural
 on
 24
th

 Street.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

 

 

  93
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Figure
 4.5:
 Mural
 on
 St.
 Peter’s
 Basilica
 on
 24
th

 Street.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

  94
 

 
Figure
 4.6:
 Mural
 on
 St.
 Peter’s
 Basilica
 on
 24
th

 Street.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

  95
 

 
Figure
 4.7:
 Modern
 Times
 Bookstore
 Mural.
 Photo
 by
 Author.
 

  96
 
Having
 had
 such
 a
 great
 impact
 on
 the
 Latino
 art
 culture
 within
 the
 Mission
 District,
 Galería
 
de
 la
 Raza
 is
 a
 significant
 establishment
 that
 should
 be
 incorporated
 into
 the
 changing
 
culture
 of
 the
 Mission
 District
 rather
 than
 lost
 at
 the
 hands
 of
 gentrification.
 However,
 just
 
as
 El
 Tecolote
 is
 beginning
 to
 face
 a
 changing
 economy
 that
 includes
 higher
 rents
 that
 
coincide
 with
 a
 higher
 cost
 of
 living,
 so
 too
 is
 the
 Galería
 de
 la
 Raza
 beginning
 to
 come
 in
 
contact
 with
 the
 same
 environment
 of
 growing
 rental
 prices
 and
 property
 values.
 If
 faced
 
with
 a
 significant
 increase
 in
 rent
 or
 lease,
 the
 gallery
 may
 also
 be
 forced
 to
 make
 a
 
decision
 of
 whether
 to
 keep
 its
 doors
 open
 and
 cope
 with
 the
 increase
 in
 rent
 or
 to
 close
 its
 
doors
 and
 possibly
 find
 a
 new
 location,
 if
 any
 are
 available.
 
 
 
 

 
Recommendations
 
Moving
 forward,
 it
 would
 be
 beneficial
 to
 develop
 a
 strong
 financial
 and
 social
 relationship
 
between
 legacy
 businesses
 and
 new
 businesses.
 Given
 the
 precedents
 that
 other
 
neighborhoods
 and
 cities
 have
 set
 for
 preservation
 and
 conservation
 of
 legacy
 businesses,
 
it
 would
 be
 a
 best
 scenario
 to
 develop
 a
 strong
 connection
 between
 Galería
 de
 la
 Raza
 and
 
El
 Tecolote
 to
 the
 new
 culture
 being
 introduced
 to
 the
 Mission
 District.
 This
 can
 be
 done
 
through
 a
 cultural
 heritage
 and
 economic
 sustainability
 effort
 such
 as
 the
 JCHESS
 strategy,
 
which
 is
 a
 plan
 to
 preserve
 the
 culture
 and
 heritage
 of
 Japantown
 in
 the
 wake
 of
 new
 
development
 interests.
 The
 Mission
 District
 is
 changing
 at
 a
 rapid
 pace
 and
 it
 is
 important
 
to
 recognize
 the
 need
 for
 the
 historically
 Latino
 community
 and
 new
 businesses
 and
 
residents
 to
 unite
 and
 work
 with
 each
 other.
 A
 cultural
 heritage
 and
 economic
 
sustainability
 strategy
 could
 blend
 new
 businesses
 into
 the
 community
 in
 a
 sustainable
 and
 
respectful
 way
 so
 that
 both
 new
 businesses
 and
 legacy
 businesses
 are
 given
 ample
 

  97
 
opportunity
 to
 succeed
 and
 flourish
 in
 the
 community.
 Developing
 a
 strategy
 similar
 to
 
JCHESS
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 would
 help
 to
 alleviate
 the
 worries
 and
 concerns
 about
 
losing
 culturally
 significant
 establishments
 by
 offering
 an
 opportunity
 for
 legacy
 businesses
 
and
 new
 businesses
 to
 form
 a
 strong
 supportive
 relationship
 in
 which
 they
 feed
 off
 of
 each
 
other
 and
 support
 one
 another.
 A
 strategy
 like
 this
 would
 recognize
 the
 economic
 
importance
 of
 new
 businesses
 while
 highlighting
 the
 cultural
 and
 social
 importance
 of
 
legacy
 businesses.
 This
 strategy
 will
 mesh
 the
 new
 with
 the
 old
 and
 will
 create
 an
 
economically
 diverse
 community
 while
 maintaining
 the
 strong
 Latino
 connections
 to
 the
 
past.
 
 

 
Along
 with
 a
 detailed
 planning
 strategy
 that
 blends
 the
 legacy
 businesses
 and
 new
 
businesses
 to
 create
 a
 culturally
 profound
 yet
 up-­‐to-­‐date
 commercial
 scene,
 another
 
recommendation
 for
 maintaining
 legacy
 businesses
 can
 include
 the
 implementation
 of
 
financial
 incentives,
 such
 as
 those
 provided
 by
 Buenos
 Aires
 within
 the
 Bares
 Notables
 
program.
 Providing
 financial
 incentives
 for
 maintaining
 the
 actual
 businesses
 such
 as
 
property
 tax
 or
 rent
 reductions
 or
 through
 creating
 a
 commercial
 rent
 assistance
 program
 
for
 cultural
 resources
 can
 help
 to
 offset
 the
 increasing
 costs
 of
 rent
 and
 property
 values
 
that
 are
 proving
 to
 be
 non
 feasible
 for
 legacy
 businesses
 that
 have
 been
 in
 existence
 for
 
many
 decades.
 These
 will
 recognize
 the
 changing
 economics
 of
 the
 neighborhood
 and
 the
 
city
 and
 will
 offer
 significant
 incentives
 for
 cultural
 establishments
 to
 be
 maintained
 and
 
secured
 that
 help
 to
 strengthen
 and
 sustain
 cultural
 identity,
 tourism,
 and
 diversity
 within
 
the
 city.
 
 

 

  98
 

 
Conclusion
 
Legacy
 businesses
 are
 not
 just
 entities
 within
 the
 United
 States,
 but
 rather
 are
 located
 in
 
many
 places
 throughout
 the
 world.
 As
 the
 global
 economy
 continues
 to
 change
 and
 
experience
 increases
 in
 cost
 of
 living
 per
 capita,
 legacy
 businesses
 that
 have
 sustained
 
themselves
 for
 decades
 or
 centuries
 will
 begin
 to
 experience
 financial
 hardships
 brought
 
about
 by
 increases
 in
 rent,
 leases,
 and
 property
 values.
 This
 chapter
 has
 discussed
 various
 
state,
 nation
 and
 worldwide
 efforts
 to
 conserve
 legacy
 businesses
 that
 bring
 strong
 cultural
 
identities
 to
 neighborhoods
 and
 cities,
 have
 strong
 ties
 to
 local
 history,
 offer
 unique
 
experiences
 to
 those
 who
 are
 visiting
 and
 become
 second
 homes
 for
 those
 who
 frequent
 
them.
 This
 chapter
 has
 also
 analyzed
 two
 legacy
 businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 
provided
 recommendations
 for
 conserving
 them
 based
 on
 program
 and
 efforts
 initiated
 by
 
other
 neighborhoods
 and
 cities
 throughout
 the
 world.
 To
 date,
 there
 are
 eleven
 legacy
 bars
 
and
 restaurants
 that
 have
 been
 identified
 in
 the
 Mission
 District,
 but
 there
 is
 great
 potential
 
for
 many
 more
 businesses
 to
 be
 identified.
 The
 legacy
 businesses
 that
 have
 been
 
acknowledged
 by
 various
 institutions
 as
 contributors
 of
 culture
 and
 history
 to
 a
 city
 or
 
neighborhood
 can
 and
 will
 pave
 the
 way
 for
 more
 businesses
 to
 be
 identified
 and
 
recognized
 as
 important
 symbols
 to
 local
 character.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

  99
 
Conclusion
 
This
 thesis
 has
 demonstrated
 the
 need
 for
 heritage
 awareness
 and
 conservation
 in
 
neighborhoods
 that
 contain
 underrepresented
 but
 significant
 aspects
 of
 cultural
 history.
 As
 
these
 communities
 begin
 to
 be
 challenged
 by
 the
 introduction
 of
 new
 development,
 
changing
 demographics,
 and
 gentrification,
 it
 is
 important
 to
 develop
 a
 plan
 of
 action
 for
 
sustaining
 cultural
 identity
 and
 existence.
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District
 is
 one
 of
 the
 
many
 cultural
 neighborhoods
 throughout
 the
 world
 that
 is
 experiencing
 drastic
 changes
 to
 
its
 internal
 systems
 and
 practices.
 The
 Latino
 population
 in
 this
 area
 was
 established
 
centuries
 ago.
 Over
 time,
 religion,
 culture
 and
 a
 profound
 sense
 of
 community
 have
 played
 
a
 role
 for
 those
 settle
 in
 the
 neighborhood.
 This
 largely
 Latino
 population
 has
 grown
 and
 
continues
 to
 survive
 today,
 proudly
 displaying
 its
 heritage
 and
 history
 as
 a
 community
 that
 
helped
 the
 city
 grow.
 The
 stories
 about
 the
 Mission
 District’s
 distinct
 Latino
 past
 and
 
present
 are
 experienced
 in
 the
 legacy
 businesses
 that
 continue
 to
 proudly
 exhibit
 Latino
 
culture
 and
 heritage.
 

 
Legacy
 businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 can
 be
 thought
 of
 as
 ordinary
 places
 with
 an
 
extraordinary
 ability
 to
 tell
 stories
 about
 local
 history,
 about
 the
 community,
 about
 the
 
culture
 that
 has
 prevailed
 for
 decades
 and
 about
 the
 profound
 sense
 of
 unity
 among
 the
 
people
 and
 businesses.
 The
 future
 of
 legacy
 businesses
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 will
 
determine
 the
 continuation
 of
 Latino
 culture,
 history
 and
 heritage
 and,
 therefore,
 are
 
important
 resources
 that
 should
 be
 conserved.
 

 

  100
 
The
 role
 that
 heritage
 conservation
 plays
 in
 the
 protection
 and
 promotion
 of
 the
 Latino
 
culture
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 is
 one
 that
 works
 to
 protect
 and
 maintain
 the
 legacy
 of
 
establishments
 that
 have
 proudly
 displayed
 this
 culture
 and
 history
 so
 that
 future
 
generations
 can
 become
 fully
 engaged
 in
 the
 emotions
 and
 experiences
 that
 define
 this
 
neighborhood
 as
 Latino.
 The
 legacy
 businesses
 identified
 as
 case
 studies
 in
 chapter
 3
 
represent
 only
 a
 small
 percentage
 of
 the
 many
 establishments
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 that
 
are
 significant
 not
 only
 to
 the
 local
 community
 but
 also
 to
 the
 greater
 context
 of
 the
 City
 of
 
San
 Francisco.
 Collectively,
 these
 establishments
 paint
 a
 colorful
 and
 detailed
 picture
 of
 the
 
Latino
 culture
 that
 developed
 in
 San
 Francisco
 over
 the
 course
 of
 many
 decades,
 a
 picture
 
that
 tells
 the
 many
 stories
 of
 the
 struggles,
 successes,
 and
 strength
 of
 the
 Latino
 community
 
as
 it
 worked
 to
 maintain
 a
 respectable
 place
 in
 the
 city.
 Heritage
 conservation
 has
 played
 
and
 continues
 to
 play
 a
 role
 in
 the
 recognition
 and
 protection
 of
 the
 Latino
 legacy
 in
 the
 
Mission
 District
 by
 providing
 tools
 and
 skills
 needed
 to
 promote
 awareness
 and
 unity
 
among
 the
 community.
 Conservation-­‐minded
 organizations
 as
 well
 as
 the
 City
 of
 San
 
Francisco
 have
 begun
 various
 efforts
 to
 protect
 Latino
 heritage,
 specifically
 in
 the
 Mission
 
District.
 
 

 
The
 designation
 of
 the
 Calle
 24
 Latino
 Cultural
 District
 and
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage’s
 Legacy
 
Business
 project
 are
 just
 two
 of
 the
 achievements
 in
 the
 conservation
 of
 Latino
 heritage.
 
Both
 of
 these
 efforts
 have
 sustained
 a
 unified
 attitude
 concerned
 with
 the
 protection
 and
 
the
 legacy
 of
 the
 Latino
 culture
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 and
 both
 efforts
 are
 significant
 
steppingstones
 to
 leading
 an
 enhanced
 practice
 of
 heritage
 conservation
 in
 San
 Francisco.
 
The
 designation
 of
 the
 Calle
 24
 Latino
 Cultural
 District
 is
 an
 important
 first
 step
 in
 the
 

  101
 
protection
 of
 Latino
 culture
 and
 history.
 This
 designation
 is
 beginning
 to
 pave
 the
 way
 for
 
other
 possibilities,
 such
 as
 the
 designation
 of
 a
 Special
 Use
 District
 that
 will
 allow
 24
th

 
Street
 in
 the
 Mission
 District
 to
 stabilize
 historic
 Latino
 businesses
 as
 well
 as
 residents
 that
 
are
 threatened
 with
 displacement.
 This
 amendment
 to
 the
 City
 of
 San
 Francisco’s
 Planning
 
Code
 will
 mark
 a
 significant
 act
 to
 protect
 other
 significant
 cultural
 resources
 and/or
 
neighborhoods
 that
 are
 also
 being
 threatened
 with
 displacement
 by
 gentrification.
113

 
 

 
Similarly,
 San
 Francisco
 Heritage’s
 Legacy
 Business
 project
 is
 also
 acting
 as
 an
 important
 
resource
 for
 the
 recognition
 of
 future
 cultural
 institutions
 that
 need
 to
 be
 conserved.
 By
 
taking
 an
 inventory
 of
 the
 city’s
 entire
 collection
 of
 legacy
 businesses,
 San
 Francisco
 
Heritage
 is
 contributing
 to
 the
 growth
 of
 a
 conservation
 atmosphere
 that
 upholds
 and
 
protects
 cultural
 resources
 that
 reflect
 social
 and
 historical
 growth
 of
 heritage.
 As
 the
 city’s
 
form
 and
 society
 continue
 to
 change
 and
 adapt
 to
 new
 technologies,
 designs,
 and
 
methodologies,
 the
 agendas
 that
 have
 begun
 in
 San
 Francisco
 will
 become
 important
 
resources
 for
 ongoing
 efforts
 to
 protect
 culture
 and
 heritage.
 These
 efforts
 to
 promote
 
heritage
 conservation
 as
 a
 way
 to
 protect
 culture
 in
 San
 Francisco
 have
 created
 a
 platform
 
upon
 which
 other
 institutions,
 organizations,
 and
 communities
 can
 vocalize
 their
 views
 
about
 the
 importance
 of
 retaining
 heritage
 as
 a
 part
 of
 local
 history.
 This
 platform
 and
 the
 
methodologies
 and
 tools
 used
 to
 build
 it
 can
 and
 are
 beginning
 to
 become
 the
 precedents
 
for
 other
 cities
 and
 neighborhoods
 to
 develop
 a
 keen
 sense
 of
 pride
 and
 a
 strong
 attitude
 
for
 protection.
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
113

 San
 Francisco
 Heritage
 Website,
 “Advocacy
 Alert:
 Calle
 24
 Latino
 Cultural
 District,”
 accessed
 June
 10,
 2014.
 
http://www.sfheritage.org
 
 

  102
 
As
 more
 efforts
 to
 conserve
 Latino
 heritage
 throughout
 San
 Francisco
 develop,
 it
 is
 
important
 to
 understand
 the
 benefits
 of
 retaining
 cultural
 establishments
 such
 as
 legacy
 
businesses
 that
 depict
 a
 colorful
 history
 of
 development
 in
 the
 greater
 context
 of
 a
 large
 
city.
 The
 conservation
 of
 these
 types
 of
 establishments
 will
 create
 a
 vibrant
 historical
 
narrative
 for
 the
 world
 and
 will
 become
 a
 key
 factor
 in
 the
 city’s
 ongoing
 vitality.
 This
 
thesis
 has
 explored
 the
 various
 projects
 and
 programs
 working
 to
 raise
 awareness
 about
 
the
 conservation
 of
 Latino
 heritage
 in
 the
 Mission
 District.
 With
 the
 help
 and
 support
 from
 
other
 organizations,
 concerned
 individuals
 and
 the
 Mission
 District’s
 community,
 whether
 
or
 not
 of
 Latino
 descent,
 these
 efforts
 will
 ensure
 the
 survival
 of
 Latino
 heritage
 and
 history.
 
 

 
The
 issue
 relating
 to
 the
 protection
 and
 conservation
 of
 cultural
 heritage
 through
 the
 
prevalence
 of
 such
 entities
 as
 legacy
 businesses
 is
 being
 recognized
 throughout
 the
 world.
 
Various
 public
 and
 private
 organizations
 concerned
 with
 the
 continuation
 of
 cultural
 
legacies
 have
 begun
 similar
 efforts
 as
 those
 occurring
 in
 San
 Francisco.
 Buenos
 Aires,
 
England,
 and
 Los
 Angeles
 are
 a
 few
 of
 the
 places
 world-­‐wide
 that
 are
 initiating
 projects,
 
programs,
 and
 other
 efforts
 to
 conserve
 culture,
 heritage,
 and
 history
 through
 local
 
resources
 that
 both
 significantly
 display
 culture
 and
 tell
 great
 stories
 of
 history.
 As
 
gentrification
 expands
 and
 grows
 globally,
 the
 future
 of
 legacy
 businesses
 and
 other
 
historically
 important
 cultural
 establishments
 are
 faced
 with
 the
 possibility
 of
 financial
 
hardship,
 loss
 of
 popularity
 and
 displacement.
 It
 is
 important
 for
 government
 entities
 to
 
partner
 with
 community
 activist
 organizations
 to
 ensure
 that
 these
 cultural
 establishments
 
will
 surpass
 challenges
 and
 changes
 so
 that
 local
 histories
 relating
 to
 the
 prominence
 and
 
growth
 of
 culture
 in
 the
 greater
 context
 of
 large
 cities
 will
 not
 disappear.
 
 

  103
 
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 Simon
 Velasquez.
 “Gentrification
 in
 San
 Francisco’s
 Mission
 District:
 Indicators
 
and
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 Recommendations.”
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 Development
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 California
 at
 Berkeley,
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 et.
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Making
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Buhler,
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 Jeremy
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 Noah
 Christman,
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use
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 the
 city.”
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Calle
 24.
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Asset Metadata
Creator Cisneros, Stephanie Anne (author) 
Core Title Culture, history, and gentrification: conserving Latino-oriented legacy businesses in San Francisco's rapidly changing Mission District 
Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance) 
School School of Architecture 
Degree Master of Heritage Conservation 
Degree Program Heritage Conservation 
Publication Date 09/16/2014 
Defense Date 09/15/2014 
Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital) 
Tag conservation,gentrification,History,Latino,legacy businesses,Mission District,OAI-PMH Harvest,San Francisco 
Format application/pdf (imt) 
Language English
Advisor Sandmeier, Trudi (committee chair), Platt, Jay (committee member), Watson, Shayne (committee member) 
Creator Email sacisner@usc.edu,scisneros123@gmail.com 
Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-478421 
Unique identifier UC11286790 
Identifier etd-CisnerosSt-2950.pdf (filename),usctheses-c3-478421 (legacy record id) 
Legacy Identifier etd-CisnerosSt-2950.pdf 
Dmrecord 478421 
Document Type Thesis 
Format application/pdf (imt) 
Rights Cisneros, Stephanie Anne 
Type texts
Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection) 
Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law.  Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a... 
Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA
Abstract (if available)
Abstract The field of heritage conservation works to recognize and protect aspects of culture and history integrated and welded into the historic built environment. A growing issue in heritage conservation is the loss of neighborhood-specific legacy businesses and institutions that represent strong community ties to local history and heritage in the wake of gentrification and gentrifying activities. The loss of these establishments that have created close ties throughout the community, ties that represent cultural unification and historical connections, resembles a shift in historical representation and in American culture. Without these establishments, local ethnic communities that have historically defined and been defined by them will begin to face a level of decline and will be overpowered by new, more affluent establishments and residents that may forget the neighborhood’s ethnic history. ❧ Characterized by a long-standing Latino population and a long history of Latino culture, San Francisco’s Mission District is facing high levels of reinvestment and redevelopment that are jeopardizing long-time establishments and the long-time Latino residents. Replacing long-time establishments that have formed strong ties among the community and with the history of the neighborhood results in a significant loss of recognition of culture and heritage. This thesis will explore the significance of legacy businesses in San Francisco’s Mission District and will analyze efforts being made throughout the community, city, state, nation and world to conserve businesses, which represent significant aspects of history and are community-binding establishments. 
Tags
conservation
Latino
legacy businesses
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University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
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University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses 
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