Mission Dolores Neighborhood Historic Context Statement & Survey

The Mission Dolores Neighborhood Association (MDNA) survey area includes all or parts of 14 blocks bounded by Market Street to the north; 20th Street to the south; Dolores Street to the east; and Sanchez/Church Streets to the west. The MDNA survey area covers the western portion of a larger area that is identified by MDNA as the Mission Dolores Neighborhood. The eastern portion of the area identified by MDNA as the Mission Dolores Neighborhood (bounded by Market Street/Central Freeway to the north; 20th Street to the south; Valencia Street to the east; and Dolores Street to the west) was surveyed as part of the Department’s comprehensive Inner Mission North Historic Resource Survey, and therefore was not included within the MDNA survey.

The MDNA historic context statement and survey was designed to provide greater comprehensive coverage in historic documentation for the western portion of the Mission Dolores neighborhood. The project has been supported by numerous grants from the Historic Preservation Fund Committee (HPFC), the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), and the San Francisco Victorian Alliance.

The final document creates a set of preservation goals and priorities, identifies sites that might qualify for historic designation, provides recommendations for future research, and creates a framework for evaluating the significance of properties in the neighborhood. These findings will contribute to the larger Citywide Cultural Resources Survey (SF Survey) currently ongoing.

What is a Historic Context Statement?

The California Office of Historic Preservation website states, “The development of historic contexts is the foundation for decisions about the identification, evaluation, registration, and treatment of historic properties and surveys.” “Historic context statements provide the basis for evaluating significance and integrity. Whether developed for a single property evaluation, a register nomination, or a survey, an adequate and appropriate context needs to be developed before making an evaluation.” More information of historic context statements is available at the OHP website.