Powell and Market Changes Through the Years

Unfinished History

Powell-from-Market-1856.jpg

This image taken in 1866 looking north on Powell is just fifteen years after the area was still largely sand dunes covered in scrub. Note Temple Emanu-el in distance, a block north of Union Square.

Photo: Private collection

Baldwin-Hotel-Market-and-Powell-Sts-w-cable-cars-and-pedestrians-c-1880s.jpg

Baldwin Hotel at Market and Powell in the late 1880s.

Photo: Private collection

Flood-Bldg-c-1908.jpg

Flood Building at Powell and Market, 1908.

Photo: C.R. collection

Powell-and-market-techau-tavern-c-1910s.jpg

Powell and Market, c. 1910.

Photo: Private collection

Market-and-powell-techau-tavern-c-1910.jpg

Flood Building across from Techau Tavern at Powell and Market, c. 1910.

Photo: Private collection

Powell-Eddy-and-Market-c-1920s.jpg

Powell, Eddy, and Market Streets, c.1920s, when this corner was the entry point to the Tenderloin.

Photo: C.R.collection

Man-gazing-at-cable-car-turnaround-Eddy-and-Powell-c-1940s.jpg

Man standing under awning of Owl Drugs on ground floor of Flood Building at Powell and Eddy and Market Streets, c. 1940s.

Photo: Private collection

Cable-car-turnaround-Eddy-and-Powell-c-1940s.jpg

Cable car turnaround at Eddy/Powell and Market Streets, c. 1940s.

Photo: Private collection

Powell and Market Cable Car Turnaround.2023.sharpened twice.jpg

Cable car still ends here, but turnaround no longer in use at Powell/Eddy and Market Streets, 2023.

Photo: Eihway Su

Flood Building 2023.sharpened.jpg

Flood Building, 2023.

Photo: Eihway Su

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Erased Landscape

Video: Glenn Lym