The Bush Street-Cottage Row Historic District covers the eastern half of the block bounded by Bush Street, Webster Street, Fillmore Street and Sutter Street. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and was designated a San Francisco historic district in September of 1991.The district is an intact group of architecturally consistent Italianate and Stick houses built between 1870 and 1885. It demonstrates several modes of speculative housing during those years, from The Real Estate Associates, which developed whole square blocks, through individual investors John H. Smyth and Charles L. Taylor, who built houses to rent out for income. Taylor himself chose the name Cottage Row, which was listed among San Franciscos streets as early as the 1886 Directory.Since they were built, the houses have been residences with some alterations. The walkway of Cottage row continued until 1944 as part of a single piece of private property. The Cottage Row houses were separated into individual ownership from 1956 to 1967. In 1967, the walkway was singled out as an individual holding separate from any house.In the 1930s Cottage Row was popularly called Japan Street, because the entire district was inhabited by Japanese-Americans until their internment during World War II. In the tiny rear yards they grew vegetables, which they offered for public sale at an informal weekly open market held every Saturday along the Row.

How beautiful is this alley during the fall.

Beautiful houses, historical building.Great visit !

Beautiful historical buildings.