Richmond District (San Francisco)

Richmond District (San Francisco)

The Richmond District is an area in the northwest corner of San Francisco. Lying directly north of Golden Gate Park, "the Richmond" is bounded roughly by Fulton St. to the south, Arguello St. to the east, The Presidio and Lincoln Park to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Park Presidio Boulevard, a major thoroughfare, divides the Richmond into the western "Outer Richmond" and the eastern portion, called the "Inner Richmond."

Originally an expanse of rolling sand dunes, the Richmond District was developed initially in the late 19th century. After the 1906 earthquake, development increased with the need to provide replacement housing.

In the 1950s, Chinese Americans began to replace the ethnic Jewish and Irish Americans who dominated the district before World War II. The area became known as the "New Chinatown," particularly along Clement Street between Arguello and Park Presidio, which is a bustling commercial strip of restaurants and shops. Richmond also features a prominent Russian community with many stores along Geary street and a high concentration of Eastern European immigrants.