San Francisco, CA

San Francisco on When It Was is 50 addresses and the 76 businesses that have occupied them, the oldest from 1849. 26 are still open today; 50 are gone, and 15 of the buildings themselves have been demolished. Every entry below opens a page with the full history of that address, and the map lets you slide the year and watch the city change.

Start here

Coit Tower

1 Telegraph Hill Boulevard · 1933–present

Lillie Hitchcock Coit left a third of her fortune to beautify San Francisco, and the tower built with it opened in 1934 after a fight over i…

Cliff House

1004 Point Lobos Avenue · 1863–2020 · 3 businesses here

Condor Club

1025 Columbus Avenue · 1964–present · 6 businesses here

James C. Flood Mansion (Pacific-Union Club)

240 California Street · 1886–present · 4 businesses here

Transamerica Pyramid (site of Montgomery Block)

2 New Montgomery Street · 1972–present · 8 businesses here

Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island · 1934–present

Caffe Trieste

601 Vallejo Street · 1956–present

Doolan-Larson House and Storefronts

557 Ashbury Street · 1907–present · 2 businesses here

San Francisco, decade by decade

• 1840s
  1 opened — Tadich GrillSee the map in 1845 →
• 1850s
  9 opened — Belli Building (Melodeon Theater), Montgomery Block (Monkey Block), Montgomery Block, Old Ship Saloon, and 5 moreSee the map in 1855 →
• 1860s
  4 opened — Cliff House, The Saloon, Hotaling Building, Woodward's GardensSee the map in 1865 →
• 1870s
  6 opened — Palace Hotel, Palace Hotel (Original), Mark Hopkins Mansion, Grand Opera House, and 2 moreSee the map in 1875 →
• 1880s
  2 opened — James C. Flood Mansion (Pacific-Union Club), Haas-Lilienthal HouseSee the map in 1885 →
• 1890s
  3 opened — Sutro Baths, Cliff House (Victorian Chateau), The EmporiumSee the map in 1895 →
• 1900s
  6 opened — Bank of Italy Building, Fairmont San Francisco, The Westin St. Francis, Doolan-Larson House and Storefronts, and 2 moreSee the map in 1905 →
• 1910s
  2 opened — Sam Wo Restaurant, Tosca CafeSee the map in 1915 →
• 1920s
  7 opened — Alioto's Restaurant, Fox Theatre, Kezar Stadium (Original), Winterland Ballroom, and 3 moreSee the map in 1925 →
• 1930s
  9 opened — Original Joe's (Taylor Street), Bimbo's 365 Club, Black Cat Cafe, Seals Stadium, and 5 moreSee the map in 1935 →
• 1940s
  4 opened — Coronet Theatre, Vesuvio Cafe, Neal and Carolyn Cassady House, Doggie DinerSee the map in 1945 →
• 1950s
  7 opened — The Fillmore Auditorium, Compton's Cafeteria, City Lights Booksellers & Publishers, City Lights Bookstore, and 3 moreSee the map in 1955 →
• 1960s
  14 opened — Candlestick Park, Condor Club, Fillmore West, Albin House / Big Brother and the Holding Company Birthplace, and 10 moreSee the map in 1965 →
• 1970s
  2 opened — Transamerica Pyramid (site of Montgomery Block), Mabuhay GardensSee the map in 1975 →

Still here, and gone

By kind of place

Restaurant (9)

Cliff House · Cliff House (Victorian Chateau) · Alioto's Restaurant · Sam Wo Restaurant · Original Joe's (Taylor Street) · Compton's Cafeteria · Tadich Grill · Coppa's Restaurant · and 1 more

Bar (8)

The Saloon · Vesuvio Cafe · Tosca Cafe · Black Cat Cafe · Old Ship Saloon · The Old Ship Saloon · Twin Peaks Tavern · Maud's Study

Theater (7)

Coronet Theatre · Fox Theatre · Belli Building (Melodeon Theater) · Warfield Theatre · Castro Theatre · Grand Opera House · Pagoda Palace Theatre

Concert Venue (6)

The Fillmore Auditorium · Winterland Ballroom · Mabuhay Gardens · Fillmore West · Straight Theater · Avalon Ballroom

Hotel (5)

Palace Hotel · Palace Hotel (Original) · Fairmont San Francisco · The Westin St. Francis · International Hotel (I-Hotel)

Historic Residence (4)

Albin House / Big Brother and the Holding Company Birthplace · Grateful Dead House · Jefferson Airplane Mansion · Janis Joplin Residence

Stadium (3)

Candlestick Park · Kezar Stadium (Original) · Seals Stadium

Nightclub (3)

Condor Club · Bimbo's 365 Club · Finocchio's Club

Every place in San Francisco (50)

• Albin House / Big Brother and the Holding Company Birthplace 1090 Page Street · 1964–1968
• Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island · 1934–present
• Alioto's Restaurant 8 Fisherman's Wharf · 1925–2022
• Avalon Ballroom 1268 Sutter Street · 1966–1969
• Caffe Trieste 601 Vallejo Street · 1956–present
• Candlestick Park 602 Jamestown Avenue · 1960–2014
• City of Paris Department Store 150 Stockton Street · 1850–1972
• Cliff House 1004 Point Lobos Avenue · 1863–2020 · 3 businesses
• Coit Tower 1 Telegraph Hill Boulevard · 1933–present
• Condor Club 1025 Columbus Avenue · 1964–present · 6 businesses
• Coppa's Restaurant 628 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94111 · 1900–1906
• Doggie Diner Sloat Blvd at 45th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94116 (surviving sign) · 1948–1986
• Doolan-Larson House and Storefronts 557 Ashbury Street · 1907–present · 2 businesses
• Fairmont San Francisco 950 Mason Street · 1907–present
• Fillmore West 10 South Van Ness Avenue · 1968–1971
• Finocchio's Club 506 Broadway · 1936–1999
• Forbidden City 363 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94108 · 1938–1970
• Fox Theatre 1350 Market Street · 1929–1963
• Ghirardelli Square 900 North Point Street · 1852–present · 2 businesses
• Grand Opera House 23 Mission Street · 1876–1906 · 2 businesses
• Haas-Lilienthal House 2007 Franklin Street · 1886–1972
• Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic 558 Clayton Street · 1967–present
• Hotaling Building 451 Jackson Street · 1866–1943
• International Hotel (I-Hotel) 848 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108 · 1907–1981
• James C. Flood Mansion (Pacific-Union Club) 240 California Street · 1886–present · 4 businesses
• Janis Joplin Residence 122 Lyon Street · 1967–1968
• Jefferson Airplane Mansion 2400 Fulton Street · 1968–1985
• Kezar Stadium (Original) 755 Stanyan Street · 1925–1989
• Mabuhay Gardens 443 Broadway · 1976–1987
• Maud's Study 937 Cole Street · 1966–1989
• Neal and Carolyn Cassady House 29 Russell Street · 1949–1952
• Old Ship Saloon 298 Pacific Avenue · 1851–present · 2 businesses
• Old United States Mint 88 5th Street · 1874–1937 · 2 businesses
• Original Joe's (Taylor Street) 144 Taylor Street · 1937–2007 · 2 businesses
• Pagoda Palace Theatre 1731 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94133 · 1967–1994
• Playland-at-the-Beach 700 Great Highway · 1928–1972
• Sam Wo Restaurant 813 Washington Street · 1912–2012
• Seals Stadium 2000 16th Street · 1931–1959
• Six Gallery 3119 Fillmore Street · 1954–1957
• Straight Theater 1535 Haight Street · 1967–1969 · 2 businesses
• Straight Theatre 1702 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117 · 1966–1969
• The Emporium 835 Market Street · 1896–1996
• The Fillmore Auditorium 3575 Geary Boulevard · 1954–present · 2 businesses
• The hungry i 599 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133 · 1950–1970
• The Saloon 1232 Grant Avenue · 1861–present
• The Westin St. Francis 335 Powell Street · 1904–present
• Transamerica Pyramid (site of Montgomery Block) 2 New Montgomery Street · 1972–present · 8 businesses
• Twin Peaks Tavern 429 Castro Street · 1935–present · 2 businesses
• Warfield Theatre 982 Market Street · 1922–present
• Winterland Ballroom 2000 Post Street · 1928–1978