Vallejo Street Crest and Willis Polk Shingle Homes: The Bohemian Ridge

Why is it significant?

Stand upon the high, sheltered ridge of the Vallejo Street Crest between Taylor and Jones Streets, where rustic unpainted cedar shingles and overhanging eaves define the birthplace of the First Bay Tradition.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Stand upon the high, sheltered ridge of the Vallejo Street Crest between Taylor and Jones Streets, where rustic unpainted cedar shingles and overhanging eaves define the birthplace of the First Bay Tradition. In the 1890s, visionary master architect Willis Polk and fellow bohemians rejected the gaudy, candy-colored ornamentation of Victorian pattern-book houses in favor of architecture rooted in California's natural landscape. Polk designed several striking rustic shingle residences along this crest, including his own family home at 1013 Vallejo Street, featuring broad casement windows, exposed redwood timbering, and private garden courtyards.

Look down at the massive rusticated granite retaining wall and balustraded stone ramp supporting the roadway beneath your feet. Designed by Willis Polk in 1914, this elegant classical ramp replaced an impassable mud cliff, allowing pedestrians to traverse the summit while creating a dramatic neoclassical terrace overlooking the city. The contrast between rough-hewn granite walls and rustic brown-shingle houses represents San Francisco architectural eclectic synthesis at its very finest.

This elevated enclave miraculously escaped the inferno of April 1906. While the firestorm devoured blocks directly below on three sides, shifting wind patterns and the heroic bucket brigades of local artists, who hauled water from rooftop cisterns and soaked carpets, saved these historic wooden masterpieces. Taking time to observe these surroundings reveals layers of cultural perseverance, artistic brilliance, and civic pride that continue to inspire residents and travelers alike. Taking time to observe these surroundings reveals layers of cultural perseverance, artistic brilliance, and civic pride that continue to inspire residents and travelers alike. Taking time to observe these surroundings reveals layers of cultural perseverance, artistic brilliance, and civic pride that continue to inspire residents and travelers alike.

Notice the thick climbing ivy and wisteria vines wrapping around the cedar shingles; the entire ridge feels more like an artist colony in the hills of Tuscany than a metropolis.

Walk north along Jones Street for two blocks to Green Street, turning right into the cobblestone entrance of Macondray Lane.