Richmond District, San Francisco

The Richmond District is a neighborhood in the northwest corner of San Francisco, on the West Side of the city. It started to grow in the late 1800s. People sometimes confuse it with the city of Richmond, which is about 20 miles away, so locals call this area "the Richmond" to avoid confusion.

The Richmond is bordered by Golden Gate Park on the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and Lincoln Park, Mountain Lake Park and the Presidio of San Francisco to the north. A green area runs through the middle, linking these lovely places.

Name

The Richmond District was named after a person named George Turner Marsh. He came from Australia and called his home "the Richmond House." He chose the name "Richmond" after a place near Melbourne, Australia called Richmond. For a time, the area was called "Park-Presidio District" so it would not be mixed up with another city also named Richmond. But people still used the name Richmond. In 2009, a local leader named Eric Mar helped change the official name back to the Richmond District.

History

The Richmond District started as sandy hills called the Outside Lands. Long ago, the Yelamu Tribe of the Ohlone Nation lived nearby. Spanish explorers arrived and changed things for the Ohlone people.

In the late 1800s, a man named Adolph Sutro helped build the area. He bought land and created fun places like the Sutro Baths near the ocean.

After a big earthquake in 1906, more houses were built. An amusement park called Playland opened by the beach, with rides like a carousel and a roller coaster.

Later, many people from Russia moved to the Richmond. In the 1950s, many Chinese families also moved into the area. Today, almost half of the people living there are of Chinese background.

Location

The Richmond District is in the northwest part of San Francisco. It is bordered by Golden Gate Park to the south, Ocean Beach to the west, and The Presidio, Lincoln Park, and Sea Cliff to the north. The area has two parts: the "Outer Richmond" in the west and the "Inner Richmond" in the east. They are separated by Park Presidio Boulevard, which is part of California State Route 1.

The Richmond is a short bus ride from downtown. The 38R and 38 buses take about 35 minutes, and the 5 bus goes directly to Golden Gate Park along Fulton Street. Other buses like the 31, 2, and 1 also serve the area.

Sub-neighborhoods

The Richmond District is split into four parts:

Lake Street is north of the Inner Richmond and south of the Presidio of San Francisco. It is known for its many old mansions. It is named after Mountain Lake, one of San Francisco's few natural lakes.

Inner Richmond is south of Lake Street. It is famous for its many different foods from China, Thailand, Korea, Burma, and Russia.

Central Richmond lies between Inner Richmond and Outer Richmond. A part of it is sometimes called Little Russia.

Outer Richmond is the westernmost part, close to the ocean. It includes a busy shopping area called Balboa Village.

Streets

The Richmond District and the nearby Sunset District are often called "The Avenues" because many streets run north to south with numbers. When the city was first planned, the avenues were numbered from 1st to 49th, and the east-to-west streets were given letters from A to X. In 1909, some streets were renamed to help mail carriers. The east-to-west streets now honor Spanish explorers, and the first avenue was renamed Arguello Boulevard, while the last became La Playa Street.

Today, the first avenue is 2nd Avenue, just west of Arguello Boulevard, and the last is 48th Avenue near Ocean Beach. The numbers go up, except for what would be 13th Avenue, which is called Funston Avenue after Frederick Funston, a U.S. Army general known for his roles in the Spanish–American War, the Philippine–American War, and the 1906 earthquake.

Many east-to-west streets still carry names of Spanish Conquistadors, but some changed because Golden Gate Park removed a few streets. The old D Street is now Fulton Street, which marks the northern edge of the park. In the Richmond District north of the park, you’ll find streets named Anza, Balboa, and Cabrillo.

Parks and recreation

The Richmond District has many beautiful parks. Lincoln Park and Golf Course is in the Outer Richmond and is home to the California Palace of the Legion of Honor art museum. The historic Fort Miley Military Reservation on Point Lobos is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and includes the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

Mountain Lake Park was built around a small, restored lake near the entrance to the San Francisco Presidio. Mountain Lake is the only natural lake in the entire Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and it helps feed Lobos Creek. Rochambeau Park is between 24th and 25th Avenues and has tennis and basketball courts along with play structures. Sutro Heights Park is located above the Cliff House in the Outer Richmond District and was once the home of a famous silver magnate.

Education

The Richmond District has many schools run by the San Francisco Unified School District. Children can go to elementary, middle, and high schools here.

There are special schools for younger children, like Argonne Early Education School. Some well-known schools are Alamo Elementary, Roosevelt Middle School, and George Washington High School. The area also has private schools such as Katherine Delmar Burke School and Kittredge School. Libraries like the Richmond/Senator Milton Marks Branch and the Anza Branch of the San Francisco Public Library help families learn and explore.

Climate

The Richmond District in San Francisco has a mild climate, like other parts of the city near the coast. Because it is close to the Pacific Ocean, the area has cool, foggy summers and mild, wet winters. This weather keeps temperatures comfortable all year.