Jackson Square, San Francisco

Jackson Square is a San Francisco, California compact neighborhood bounded by Pacific Ave. (and Broadway east of Montgomery St.) on the north (encompassing the Barbary Coast), Washington St. on the south, Columbus Ave. on the west and Battery St. on the east with any number of nearby satellite buildings and residents outside the bounds that truly belong to the neighborhood.

Jackson Square Historic District retains its character as one of the oldest commercial neighborhoods in San Francisco. Though in some cases extensively altered during seismic retrofit, the collection of three-story brick buildings found on the narrow streets and alleys offer a bright glimpse into the California Gold Rush that gave San Francisco its start. Buildings on the north side of Jackson between Montgomery and Sansome retain cast iron shutters as protection against fire, but when the city burned, in one case, a warehouse's contents turned out to be more significant in saving the building in the 1906 earthquake and fire:

If, as they say, God spanked the town for being over frisky,
Why did he burn the churches down and spare Hotaling's whiskey?

Walking tours regularly assemble for the sights and recounting of history, even as the neighborhood changes with dramatic new development and commercial instability fueled by high rents. With few vacancies, there is plenty of evidence of neighborhood vitality. This is the interior designer's district (predating the San Francisco Design Center), where the well-heeled order elegant furnishings, wall coverings, carpets, prints and the like most often only through the trade, and occasionally at retail. Art galleries, advertising agencies, architects and industrial or graphic designers still survive in the neighborhood, and law firms have offices in many of the prime locations. Watering holes and restaurants and clubs dot the streets and alleyways, and many of these are historic institutions in themselves.