Historical Markers
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On foot · metro area, California

History Scavenger Hunts in San Francisco, CA

Turn nearby markers into a hunt: find the sign, answer one question from its story, and collect the stop before moving on to the next.

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There is no shortage of things to do around San Francisco, CA. There is a shortage of things that leave you knowing something you did not know at breakfast. The San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA metro area has about 4,630,041 residents, ranking 13th in the country.

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On the record near San Francisco, CA

The 12 nearest

449 listed historic sites on the record within 30 miles of San Francisco, CA.

  1. San Francisco Juvenile Court and Detention Homeunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 2011National Register of Historic Places
  2. St. Joseph's Church and Complexunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1982National Register of Historic Places
  3. Western Manufacturing Company Buildingunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 2024National Register of Historic Places
  4. Jackson Brewing Companyunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · District · San Francisco · listed 1993National Register of Historic Places
  5. Warren, Russell, Houseunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1983National Register of Historic Places
  6. San Francisco State Teacher's Collegeunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · District · San Francisco · listed 2008National Register of Historic Places
  7. Building at 45--57 Beideman Placeunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
  8. House at 1331--1335 Scott Streetunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
  9. Building at 33--35 Beideman Placeunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
  10. Federal Office Buildingunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 2017National Register of Historic Places
  11. House at 1321 Scott Streetunder a mile from the center of San Francisco · Building · San Francisco · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
  12. 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.

Scavenger Hunts in San Francisco, step by step

  1. 1

    Set the area and the list of markers to find

  2. 2

    Split into teams or go solo, with the map open

  3. 3

    Find each marker and answer one question from its story

  4. 4

    Photograph the marker to prove the find

  5. 5

    Count the badges and pick a harder hunt for next time

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

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