Loading map...

1956 Map of San Francisco North

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of San Francisco North
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The dense urban grid of San Francisco meets the Pacific and the Bay in this mid-century survey, which reveals the city before the full expansion of its freeway system. While the Central Skyway and Skyway begin to carve through the Mission District and Western Addition, the map still emphasizes the primary transit roles of the Ferry Building and the Mission Rock Terminal. To the north, the Golden Gate Bridge connects the city to the Fort Baker Military Reservation, while the Presidio Military Reservation maintains its sprawling presence along the coast.

Institutional and cultural landmarks are meticulously detailed, from the Palace of the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park to the historic Mission Dolores. The map identifies numerous medical facilities including Letterman General Hospital and St Lukes Hosp, alongside dozens of neighborhood schools like Lowell HS and Galileo HS. Across the Golden Gate, the survey covers Angel Island State Park and the distinctively isolated Alcatraz Island, capturing the maritime infrastructure of lighthouses and cable areas that defined the Bay's navigation during this era.