I would like to know about the development of the Sunset District, more specifically the zip code of 94116. What was the history of this district? How did the Sunset district receive its name (the meaning behind it)? What was the neighborhood like, the populaton of the area, etc.?

-- Sandra Gee (sandee56@yahoo.com), November 02, 1998

Answers

Zip code 94116 which has its northern border Ortega Street and its Southern border Sloat Boulevard is very much in the heart of the Sunset. Developed by the Parkside Realty Company (which was associated with the Crocker Bank), the area includes most of the land south of Golden Gate Park. The Parkside Pople used "Sunset" to denote "Westerly". The major factor in delveloping the area was the opening of the West Portal Tunnel which brought Muni to the Sunset. Before development, the streets were known by letter only. That is "Taraval" was known as "T" street, Ortega as "O" street, etc. Parkside put its California stamp on the area by assigning manes to these lettered streets. These names were persons associated with California's Spanish and Mexican past-- not a Yankee in the bunch.

-- Kurt Iversen (iversenk@aol.com), November 30, 1998.

I also heard from an oldtimer on the Muni that the Sunset used to be called the Fogbelt but it was changed because it was not appealing enough to home buyers. I don't know how true or untrue that is but it is pretty interesting. He looked like he knew what he was talking about and it seemed like he had been around awhile... -Theo

-- Theo Ounkeo (appopeel@yahoo.com), November 21, 2002.

A humorous version of the naming of the Sunset goes like this: Q. Why do they call it the Sunset district? A. Because the sun set there one evening in 1937 and hasn't been seen since.

Close to true, D.M.

-- D. A. Martinich (dutchm@dcn.org), November 23, 2002.

The Sunset is, in my opinion, the most adequate neighborhood in SF.

Of course the best neighborhood is the SUNNYSIDE!!

Parnassus heights is a close second.

-- Piano Man (seanmhall@hotmail.com), December 13, 2002.