West Portal

West Portal Avenue 1927 -

Developed: 1910s and 1920s, carved out of the old Rancho San Miguel land grant.

Primary developer: Fernando Nelson and Sons

Streetcar portal to the West of Twin Peaks section of San Francisco, West Portal acted as the staging area for the construction of the Twin Peaks Tunnel. The best way to learn more about the neighborhood's history and role in the growth of western San Francisco is to click through our virtual West Portal History Walk.

West Portal Articles

• Arden Wood
  The First Church of Christ, Scientist selected the plot of land in the newly-developed West Portal neighborhood for its west coast nursing facility in the 1920s.
• Artifact Discovery
  A piece of Playland history found in West Portal - SF West History Minute
• Fernando Nelson
  Builder of West Portal, Parkway Terrace, and Merced Manor - by Richard Brandi
• Mystery Dividing Line
  Funny shaped buildings in West Portal mark a link to San Francisco's Mexican era - SF West History Minute
• Riding Home with Willie Mays
  Tom O'Toole remembers the day he was the luckiest kid in San Francisco. - by Tom O'Toole
• Savano Luggage
  A West Portal Family Business: Savano's Luggage - by Rosalie Savano
• St. Cecilia's Parish
  History and memories of St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in the Parkside District. - by Jo Anne Quinn
• Streetwise - Dad & Bill's Night Out
  Memories of the 1950s fight against the Western Freeway. - by Frank Dunnigan
• Streetwise - Up & Down West Portal
  A walk on West Portal Avenue is a walk down Memory Lane. - by Frank Dunnigan
• Twin Peaks Tunnel
  The Twin Peaks Tunnel connected downtown with the west side in 1918 - SF West History Minute
• West of Twin Peaks
  The Neighborhoods including St. Francis Wood, Ingleside Terraces, Sunnyside, Balboa Terrace, Forest Hill, and West Portal
• West Portal Creamery
  118 West Portal Avenue
• West Portal Elementary School
  Class photos, history, and memories
• West Portal History Walk
  An historic tour of West Portal Avenue, 15 Web pages of historic photos and text!

Image: Detail of map from San Francisco Chronicle article, Saturday, October 14, 1916.

Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places!

Page launched 13 May 2002; Updated 26 Jaunary 2009.