First known map of San Francisco Bay Area by Fray Juan Crespi in 1772.
Map nerds rejoice—we've combed archives for old maps of San Francisco that cover everything from fire damage to failed transit plans to World's Fair shenanigans. Here now, Curbed presents a collection of some of the coolest, strangest, and most beautiful maps of historic San Francisco.
Note: Be sure to click on the images after the jump to enlarge them. Some of these maps are pretty big files that may take a minute to open, but it's totally worth it to see all the details.
Maps of early San Francisco depict the original Spanish rancho land grants and early development on the city's east side.
Original Ranchos of San Francisco, 1860.
Bird's eye view of San Francisco, drawn by George H. Goddard in 1868. (Follow the link for a detailed high-res version)
Graphic chart of the city, drawn by L. R. Townsend, E. Wyneken & J. Mendenhall in 1875.
The 1906 Earthquake and Fire decimated much of the young city, but reconstruction was quick to follow.
San Francisco burnt area, 1906.
Buildings constructed and buildings under construction during two years after fire of April 18, 1906.
In 1904, Daniel Burnham was invited to San Francisco by former Mayor James Phelan to transform the city from its rough Barbary Coast days into a new "Paris of the Pacific."
Plan showing system of highways, public spaces, parks and park connections, drawn by Daniel Burnham in 1905.
The 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition on the northern edge of the city put San Francisco back on the map (pun intended) after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire.
Proposal for the Panama-Pacific World's Fair to be located in Golden Gate Park and Sutro Heights from 1910. (Be sure to follow the link for a high-res version that shows all the gorgeous details)
Layout of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) of 1915.
Not long after, the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition took place at Treasure Island.
Cartoon map for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition.
Eric Fischer is the true Master of Maps when it comes to San Francisco transportation, and his collection features everything from unbuilt transit proposals to highways.
Municipal Railway / City Map, Municipal Car Lines in 1940.
Airview of City Showing Trafficways in 1948.
By 1945, San Francisco resident John Rebar proposed to fill parts of the bay for development.
Outline of the San Francisco Bay Project, conceived by John Reber in 1945.
Early BART plans called for the train lines to extend down Geary, and even up through Marin, Napa, and Sonoma before looping all the way to San Jose.
Comprehensive Plan for Regional Rapid Transit, prepared for the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit Commission, 1956 (follow the link for a high-res version)
San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit System: San Francisco Geary Line and Former Marin Line in 1961.
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