A guide to San Francisco’s many varieties of Victorians

Ask anyone to describe what makes San Francisco special and Victorian architecture will land near the top of the list, somewhere between sourdough bread and tech money. Here is now a crash course in Victoriana found in the city.

This guide is an introductory book that focuses on architectural styles and is therefore not exhaustive, so don’t be alarmed if your favorite neighborhood gem doesn’t work.

Before we dive too deep, the Victorian era refers to a period, not a style. Calling a building “Victorian” means that it was designed during the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. There are a plethora of architectural styles popular during that time period, and we’ll delve into some of the differences, but here in San Francisco, the styles were primarily applied in Single-family homes in the late nineteenth century and in the reconstruction effort after the 1906 earthquake and fire.

But hey, didn’t we just say the Victorian period lasted until 1901? Yes. But while elements of Victorian architecture did not become popular until late in the Queen’s reign, it took time for the style to become popular in the United States. Rapid industrialization and technological progress led to the mass production of housing materials and innovations in building techniques, long after Her Majesty’s death.

Turn back the clock a little, and many of these patterns were a no-no like SF’s transition from a one-horse city to an urban city during the Gold Rush. Here are the ornate details and patterns to look out for on your next city tour.

Ross Building in the financial district of San Francisco.

Gothic Revival (1840-1880)

This sprawling style was popularized by Andrew Jackson Downing’s style books in the 1840s, and was mostly used in rural areas due to the narrowness of urban areas. This is not to say that our stubborn sixth ancestors did not try to swing. Often found in civic or religious buildings, there are a few surviving examples of apartment houses, although they are usually seen as less ornamental elements applied in a colloquial manner. Typical features of this style are steep roofs, ornate gables, and windows with pointed arches, sometimes with castle-like towers or ramparts.

Example: Russian building

gothic carpenter

Just as it sounds, interpret this traditional stone pattern with wood.

Example: nightingale house

Italian (1850-1890)

The Hotaling Building is perhaps the earliest explanation for this appearance in San Francisco. The style was basically adapted and decorated a group of European styles in something new. These urban dwellings were dominated between 1860-1880 thanks to model books, so at that time SF had grown significantly thanks to the Gold Rush. Many of them managed to survive the 1906 earthquake, despite being made of wood. It began to fall out of fashion in the 1880s, to be replaced by its flashy cousin Queen Anne. Features: Low ceiling with overhanging ledges, decorative arches, tall narrow windows, elaborate frames around doors and windows, many with a dome or turret.

Example: hotel building

Italian flat front

A wide cornice hides the ceiling line behind it. There are plenty of them in the Western Addition and the east side of Pacific Heights, and bungalow versions in Noe Valley and Potrero Hill.

Example: sylvester house

Italian bay window

Late to the party in the 1880s, these flat-fronted Italians took over when trim sizes became smaller, leading to the use of large windows to increase the square footage. You can thank those because bay windows have become synonymous with San Francisco. Countless examples can be found in Mission, Haight, or Castro.

Example: Walker’s house

The wand (1860-1890)

This is all about the decorative details, using the wall itself as a decorative element with “sticks” applied to the surface. Chalk his popularity up to the House of Books in the 1860s and 1870s. The townhouse version is mostly what you see around San Francisco. Features: steep gabled roof, exposed wood tails, large square windows, wood cladding with patterned stick work that is decorative rather than structural.

Example: Shotwell Street

Sarah Mich’s home in the western addition.

Eastlake

This pattern goes hand in hand with the stick pattern. Mills’ works known as “Eastlake” included details such as sunburst arches, roses, flowers, and images of plants. Most exterior details came from local mills or were ordered from catalogs, often painted in a kaleidoscope of colour. Many of these survived the 1906 earthquake and fire in neighborhoods like Mission, Eureka Valley, and Pacific Heights.

Example: Sarah Mich’s house

Queen Anne (1880-1910)

The ruler of Victorian architecture in San Francisco, this is the style most people imagine when they think of the Victorians. Ignore Queen Anne’s reference – style has little to do with her reign (1702-1714) and more so with medieval influences. The gingerbread house detail is a more American addition, as no surface has been left untouched. The style was very popular in large summer houses, but was modified to match the urban row house and even smaller workers’ homes such as those in Glen Park and Potrero. Features: Steep roofs with ornate front gabled, decked or tiled decks, large windows, high front porch, ornate spindle work.

Example: postcard row

Queen Anne’s Tower

Some Queen Anne towers have spiers, usually located in the front corner of a building. In San Francisco, these homes are usually freestanding (often on corners or on lots of duplexes) rather than row houses. Needless to say, the extra space required for larger homes meant that the owners were usually on the richer side.

Example: Haas Lilienthal House

Second Empire (1860-1880)

Revived on a large scale in France during the mid-19th century, the sloping roof was particularly functional to provide an upper floor full of usable space. Other than the specific type of roof, the model has many characteristics similar to the Italian one. There isn’t much in San Francisco, but builders often smack sloping roofs on homes of other styles. Features: pitched ceilings with dormer windows, molded cornices, decorative arches.

Example: Odfried Building

The Shingle/First Bay area tradition (1880-1915)

Transplants from the East Coast might think they are Cape Cod style, and their popularity was due to those homes appearing in magazines at the time. Architect Willis Polk used this style more in his work in San Francisco. Along with Julia Morgan and Bernard Maybeck, the style took its own life in San Francisco with the tradition of the First Bay Area (although this pushed the line in the Victorian era and entered the Edwardian region). You can find it in Russian Hill and Presidio Heights, as well as in Oakland and Berkeley Hills. Features: continuous wooden facade cladding and roofing, asymmetric facades, natural materials, large front porches, oversized arches on porches or doorways.

Example below: Ferguson’s house

SF Gas and Light Building in the Marina.

Richardsonian Romanesque (1880-1900)

Not very popular in San Francisco, we just threw it into the mix because it influenced so many other styles. Named after Boston architect Henry Hobson Richardson (who usually loves the President), this castle looks basically like a castle. Most examples in San Francisco are churches. Features: wide, round arches on squat columns, rough-faced stone walls, and staggered window towers with conical roofs.

The General’s headquarters is at Fort Mason.

Folk Victorian (1870-1910)

Think of this as a farm version. Simple vernacular homes applied decorative details in an attempt to mimic the ornate styles of Queen Anne and Italianate. The growth of railroads suddenly made woodworking machines available to the masses, and carpenters were able to produce inexpensive details that any homeowner would add with a bit of flair. As a traditional rustic look, these aren’t often found in San Francisco. Features: wide balconies with mandrels, jigsaw cut trim, symmetrical facades, cornice line arches.

Example: Fort Mason (while Queen Anne is more traditional in lump and asymmetry, she is closest to Folk Victorian within SF city limits)

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2017 and has been updated with new information.

A guide to San Francisco’s many varieties of Victorians

A guide to San Francisco’s many varieties of Victorians

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