National Historic Landmark

San Francisco Civic Center Historic District

San Francisco, San Francisco County, California
Listed
October 9, 1978
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
78000757

About this property

The Civic Center in San Francisco, California, United States is an area located a few blocks north of the intersection of Market Street and Van Ness Avenue that contains many of the city's largest government and cultural institutions. It has two large plazas (Civic Center Plaza and United Nations Plaza) and a number of buildings in classical architectural style. The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (formerly the Exposition Auditorium), the United Nations Charter was signed in the Veterans Building's Herbst Theatre in 1945, leading to the creation of the United Nations. It is also where the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco (the peace treaty that officially ended the Pacific War with the Empire of Japan, which had surrendered in 1945) was signed. The San Francisco Civic Center was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places on October 10, 1978.

Location

San Francisco, San Francisco County, California
37.77954, -122.41700

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREARTENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about San Francisco Civic Center Historic District

This page lists San Francisco Civic Center Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Federal Office Building
Early Republic
0.2 mi
San Francisco Central YMCA
Industrial
0.2 mi
House at 1321 Scott Street
Pre Contact
0.3 mi
House at 1331-1335 Scott Street
Pre Contact
0.3 mi
Building at 1840-1842 Eddy Street
Early Republic
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was San Francisco Civic Center Historic District listed on the National Register?

San Francisco Civic Center Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 9, 1978.

What type of historic resource is San Francisco Civic Center Historic District?

San Francisco Civic Center Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is San Francisco Civic Center Historic District a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. San Francisco Civic Center Historic District has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for San Francisco Civic Center Historic District?

The period of significance for San Francisco Civic Center Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near San Francisco Civic Center Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near San Francisco Civic Center Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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