Self-guided · metro area, California
Historical Marker Map in San Francisco, CA
One map with the markers, register listings and landmarks around you, each with coordinates, a distance and the record behind it.
Ask anyone in San Francisco, CA for something to do this weekend that costs nothing and the answer is usually a park. The San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA metro area has about 4,630,041 residents, ranking 13th in the country. The better answer is the history sitting a few miles from the house.
On the record near San Francisco, CA
The 12 nearest
449 listed historic sites on the record within 30 miles of San Francisco, CA.
- San Francisco Juvenile Court and Detention Homeunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 2011National Register of Historic Places
- St. Joseph's Church and Complexunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1982National Register of Historic Places
- Western Manufacturing Company Buildingunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 2024National Register of Historic Places
- Jackson Brewing Companyunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · District · San Francisco · listed 1993National Register of Historic Places
- Warren, Russell, Houseunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1983National Register of Historic Places
- San Francisco State Teacher's Collegeunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · District · San Francisco · listed 2008National Register of Historic Places
- Building at 45--57 Beideman Placeunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
- House at 1331--1335 Scott Streetunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
- Building at 33--35 Beideman Placeunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
- Federal Office Buildingunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 2017National Register of Historic Places
- House at 1321 Scott Streetunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
- Building at 1840--1842 Eddy Streetunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
Distances are straight-line from the center of San Francisco, CA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.
Marker Map in San Francisco, step by step
- 1
Open the map and see what is listed within a few miles
- 2
Pick three stops close enough together for one outing
- 3
Read the record for the first stop before you leave the car
- 4
Stand where it happened and find one detail the sign leaves out
- 5
Collect the stops and pick the next three from what is left
What people in San Francisco, CA ask first
How much does it cost to visit these sites in San Francisco, CA?
Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.
Where does the information on these sites come from?
From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.
How close does a site have to be to show up here?
The list is sorted by straight-line distance from the center of San Francisco, CA and covers sites out to about sixty miles. Most people find several within a short drive, and in older towns a few within walking distance.
Can I visit the sites that are private homes?
You can see them from the street, which is how most listed houses are meant to be enjoyed. Please do not walk onto the property or knock unless the site is open to visitors.
How a visit works in San Francisco
- Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In San Francisco, CA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
- Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
- Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in San Francisco, CA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
- Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.
The rules that make it work
The record comes first
Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.
Read the whole story
A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.
Movement makes it stick
People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.
Local beats famous
The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.
Respect the ground
Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.
Every visitor can improve it
Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.
