San Francisco Neighborhoods · Mt. Davidson Manor
Mt. Davidson Manor
Persistent Fog zoneA quiet 1920s tract of tile-roofed single-family homes tucked below Mount Davidson, San Francisco's highest peak.
- Calm, well-kept residential streets
- Steps from Mount Davidson Park's trails
- Walkable to West Portal's shops
- Muni Metro and bus lines close by
On the map
Open Mt. Davidson Manor on the map →The story
Mt. Davidson Manor was developed beginning in 1923 by Fernando Nelson, one of San Francisco's most prolific homebuilders, who bought roughly 50 acres and filled the blocks with affordable single-family homes in a Spanish-Mediterranean style with tile roofs. It is one of the residence-park-adjacent tracts west of Twin Peaks, sitting between Westwood Park and Balboa Terrace near St. Francis Wood. The neighborhood takes its name from Mount Davidson, which rises just to the northeast and, at 928 feet, is the highest natural point in the city. In 1929 the city acquired about 20 acres at the summit for a public park. A 103-foot concrete cross was erected at the peak in 1934 and remains a landmark visible across the southern city.
Things most people don’t know
City's highest peak
Mount Davidson rises 928 feet, the highest natural point in San Francisco.
Summit cross
A 103-foot concrete cross was built atop Mount Davidson in 1934.
Park since 1929
About 20 acres at the summit were set aside as city parkland in 1929.
Fernando Nelson homes
The tract was built from 1923 by Fernando Nelson, who constructed thousands of SF homes.
Big-screen cameo
The summit cross appears in the climactic scene of the 1971 film Dirty Harry.
Eating and drinking near Mt. Davidson Manor
Mt. Davidson Manor is primarily residential — these sit in West Portal, Ingleside.
Restaurants
- Spiazzo Ristorante · 33 W Portal Ave
- Trattoria da Vittorio · 150 W Portal Ave
- Beep's Burgers · 1051 Ocean Ave
Bars
- The Dubliner · 328 W Portal Ave
Getting around and getting care
Transit. K-Ingleside and M-Ocean View Muni Metro lines run nearby along Ocean Ave and Junipero Serra; buses 23-Monterey, 36-Teresita, 43-Masonic and 44-O'Shaughnessy serve the area. West Portal Station is a short ride away.
Nearest hospital. UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus, 505 Parnassus Ave (about 3 mi)
Thinking about Mt. Davidson Manor?
Send me an address and I will come back with its sun, wind and fog, what is under it, and what has closed on the block.