Western Neighborhoods Project

The Western Neighborhoods Project began in nineteen ninety-nine because its founders realized that San Francisco history often ignored everything west of Divisadero Street. While the city famous landmarks like Chinatown and Fisherman Wharf were well documented, the expansive western side of the city lacked its own collective memory. This area was once known as the Outside Lands, a region largely defined by shifting sand dunes before it was gradually developed into the residential neighborhoods of the Richmond and Sunset districts. The organization set out to capture the stories of ordinary residents, from the tales of Russian princesses living on local streets to the history of long-gone steam trains and small businesses that once shaped daily life in these overlooked corners of the city.