Rare Old Street Map of San Francisco, 1938: Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Presidio, Fisherman's Wharf, Fort Mason

This 1938 map, titled 'City and County of San Francisco', published by Thomas Brothers, is a detailed and fascinating look at the city of San Francisco as it existed nearly a century ago. The map covers the entire northern peninsula of San Francisco, reaching as far south as McLaren Park and Lake Merced, and includes the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, which had recently been completed and is prominently displayed at the top of the map.

This map is a treasure trove of historical information, providing a glimpse into the city's past and the development of its urban landscape. The cartography is meticulous, with hundreds of streets listed on the map along with an accompanying grid reference, making it easy to navigate and locate specific landmarks. The map also features a two-tone design, with the city in monochrome black and white and the sea and lakes in a beautiful shade of blue, adding to its aesthetic appeal.

One of the most striking features of this map is the level of detail it provides. Every street, park, and landmark is carefully labeled, making it a valuable resource for historians, genealogists, and anyone interested in the history of San Francisco. The map also includes a wealth of information about the city's neighborhoods, with many of the districts that are still prominent today clearly visible, such as Chinatown, the Financial District, and the Mission District.

This map is not only a valuable historical document but also a beautiful work of art. The cartography is precise and elegant, and the two-tone color scheme adds a touch of sophistication. It is a testament to the skill and artistry of Thomas Brothers, who were pioneers in the field of mapmaking and helped to shape the way we view and understand our cities.

Overall, this map is a fascinating glimpse into the past of San Francisco and a must-have for anyone interested in the history and cartography of this iconic city.

This is an old map from 1938, so not every modern place is shown, or they may be on the map with a different name. If this was a modern map, covering the same area, the following things would be visible on the map:

Neighbourhoods - Anza Vista - Balboa Terrace - Bernal Heights - Castro - Chinatown - Cole Valley - Cow Hollow - Diamond Heights - Duboce Triangle - Eureka Valley - Excelsior - Fillmore - Financial District - Glen Park - Golden Gate Park - Haight-Ashbury - Ingleside - Japantown - Laurel Heights - Marina District - Mission District - Noe Valley - North Beach - Pacific Heights - Presidio - Richmond District - Russian Hill - Seacliff - South of Market - Sunset District - Telegraph Hill - The Castro - Twin Peaks - Union Square - Western Addition - Yerba Buena Island

Major Streets & Roads - 19th Avenue - 24th Street - 3rd Street - Arguello Boulevard - Balboa Street - California Street - Castro Street - Church Street - Divisadero Street - Fell Street - Fillmore Street - Geary Street - Great Highway - Haight Street - Hayes Street - Howard Street - Judah Street - Lombard Street - Market Street - Mission Street - Ocean Avenue - Park Presidio Boulevard - Polk Street - Post Street - Powell Street - Sacramento Street - Sansome Street - Sutter Street - Townsend Street - Valencia Street - Van Ness Avenue - Washington Street

Major Parks - Buena Vista Park - Dolores Park - Golden Gate Park - Lafayette Park - Lincoln Park - McLaren Park - Mission Dolores Park - Presidio of San Francisco - Russian Hill Park - Washington Square Park

Historic Landmarks - Baker Beach - Cliff House - Coit Tower - Ferry Building - Fisherman's Wharf - Golden Gate Bridge - Japanese Tea Garden - Lombard Street - Mission Dolores - Palace of Fine Arts - Presidio of San Francisco - San Francisco City Hall - Transamerica Pyramid - Union Square - University of California, Berkeley - University of California, San Francisco - Walt Disney Family Museum

Historical Events that occurred in the 20 years prior to the original publishing date of this map - 1915: Panama-Pacific International Exposition - 1918: Spanish Flu Pandemic - 1920: Women's suffrage in the United States - 1921: Completion of the Lincoln Memorial - 1922: Discovery of King Tut's tomb - 1923: Great Kanto Earthquake - 1924: Summer Olympics in Paris - 1925: Scopes Trial - 1927: Lindbergh's transatlantic flight - 1929: Stock Market Crash

Additional labelled features - Baker Beach - Bay Bridge - Buena Vista Park - California Palace of the Legion of Honor - Cliff House - Coit Tower - Crissy Field - Embarcadero - Ferry Building - Fisherman's Wharf - Fort Mason - Golden Gate Bridge - Golden Gate Park - Haight-Ashbury - Japanese Tea Garden - Lombard Street - Marina District - Mission Dolores - North Beach - Palace of Fine Arts - Presidio of San Francisco - Russian Hill - San Francisco Bay - San Francisco City Hall - South of Market - St. Francis Hotel - Transamerica Pyramid - Union Square - University of California, Berkeley - University of California, San Francisco - Walt Disney Family Museum

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 100in (250cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

Please note: the labels on this map are hard to read if you order a map that is 20in (50cm) or smaller. The map is still very attractive, but if you would like to read the map easily, please buy a larger size.

The model in the listing images is holding the 24x36 (60x90cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and custom made maps take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes a day or two.

Please note that for larger framed orders (over 40in/100cm), and some other framed sizes, the delivery time will be closer to 7-10 days.

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps in 22 countries around the world. This means your map will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and reduces the chance of your map being damaged during delivery. There won't be any extra taxes or duties to pay, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all maps within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks or mugs) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

We can sometimes do next-day delivery if you order before 10am. But usually it's best to contact me first before you order.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps are also available as a framed canvas. The map is printed on matte (not shiny) canvas, stretched over a box frame, and then 'floated' within a simple wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing in front of your map.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map yourself, please read my map size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your unique map for any reason, contact me for a no-quibble refund.

I am very confident you will like your old map. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and have over 4,000 real 5-star reviews.

I use a unique process to restore my maps that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore the maps. As a result, I guarantee my maps are a cut above the rest - that's why I can offer a no-quibble refund.

Almost all of my maps look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.