Last Thursday, the Planning Commission heard arguments for and against a descretionary review for a proposed project at 226 Cabrillo between 3rd and 4th Avenue.

Sitting on the lot is a small, yellow cottage house that is set back from the street. On first glance, it appears to be a tired, dilapidated structure that most people wouldn’t give a second glance.

At Thursday’s meeting, the Planning Commission voted 5 to 1 in favor of the 226 Cabrillo project (video), which calls for the demolition of the existing house and construction of a new, 3-story, 2 unit residence in its place (3,360 square feet).

But the beleaguered cottage actually has an interesting history that dates back to the early days of the Richmond District and San Francisco’s historic earthquake.

After the 1906 earthquake, the Department of Lands and Buildings of the Relief Corporation built 5,610 earthquake refugee shacks which housed over 16,000 San Franciscans across 11 refugee camps across the city (source: outsidelands.org).

One of the largest was Camp 25 in the Richmond District, which spanned out over what is now Park Presidio Boulevard from Anza to Lake Streets.

Refugee camp #25 in the Richmond District, occuping what is now Park Presidio Boulevard. Courtesy of Bancroft Library

According to outsidelands.org, “cottages had cedar-shingle roofs, fir floors and redwood walls. All were painted green to better blend into the parks and public squares in which they were erected.”

When the camps began closing in August 1907, refugees began hauling their cottages away to private lots, sometimes combining two or more cottages together to make a larger residence.

An earthquake shack being moved through the streets to a new home. Courtesy of Bancroft Library

The house at 226 Cabrillo Street had long been rumored to contain an old earthquake shack. According to old Sanborn maps, the lot was unoccupied until 1906, which when combined with the cottage like stature of the house, makes it very probable that it started out as an earthquake shack.

In 2009, a portion of the front facade was removed on the house in an attempt to verify its original existence (you can see the exposed portion in the photo at the top of this article). At that time, investigators did find traces of the tell-tale green paint that was used on the earthquake shacks.

However, the building was added onto multiple times and currently, it’s in a sorry state of disrepair. Even an expert would be hard-pressed to determine where the original shack begins and ends.

The view of the 226 Cabrillo lot. Unlike its neighbors, the cottage house is set back from the stree.

A rendering of the new three story, 2 unit building planned for 226 Cabrillo. View plans (pgs. 113-119)

In the Historic Resource Evaluation Response(HRER) that was completed for the project, the Planning Department wrote “The subject building’s date of construction, type of construction and vernacular style suggest that it is a modified earthquake shack. However, even if this building was originally an earthquake shack it appears to have lost integrity and no longer possesses its association, design, workmanship, setting, and feeling.”

Rose Hillson, a resident who lives nearby on Parker Avenue, submitted an interesting, 65 page history about 226 Cabrillo which was included in the Discretionary Review document. Hillson was in the news a few years back because of her efforts to secure landmark status for a manzanita tree that is in her backyard.

Hillson’s document outlines how the lot at 226 Cabrillo was part of the Bay District Racing Track which covered 60 acres from First Avenue (Arguello Boulevard) to Fifth Avenue, between Fulton Street and Point Lobos Road (Geary). The track operated from 1873 until 1896.

In 1898, the U.S. declared war against Spain and San Francisco became a staging area for troops. What is now 226 Cabrillo was part of Camp Merritt, occupied in part by the 23rd Regular Regiment of the U.S. Army who were in training and awaiting orders to go to the Phillipines. Camp Merritt was eventually moved to the Presidio in 1899.

Fast forward to 1906 or 1907, when an earthquake shack was moved from one of the refugee camps to the lot at 226 Cabrillo. It’s unknown if the shack was from Camp 25 here in the Richmond District.

Hillson also uncovered a famous resident that occupied 226 Cabrillo from 1931 until 1948. Engel True Mayne was the house’s fifth occupant and a veteran of WWI. He was a mortician best known for preparing the body of the 29th U.S. President, Warren G. Harding, after he became ill and died at the Palace Hotel in downtown San Francisco.

226 Cabrillo is not the only surviving earthquake shack in San Francisco. According to outsidelands.org, “shack activist” Jane F. Cryan began lobbying for their preservation in the early 1980′s. “Her efforts created City Landmark #171, a complex of four shacks at 1227 – 24th Avenue, and helped rescue two others that are on public display in the Presidio of San Francisco.”

The preserved shacks in the Presidio. Photo by cymro76

The interior of one of the restored shacks in the Presidio. Photo by cymro76

In 2007, the Western Neighborhoods Project received the 2007 Governor’s Historic Preservation Award for the restoration of the earthquake refugee shacks at 4329 & 4331 Kirkham Street. One of them is on view at the San Francisco Zoo’s Conservation Center; the other three were adopted by the 5th Avenue Institute in Oakland.

While it’s sad to know that the earthquake shack at 226 Cabrillo will be demolished, it is honestly very hard to appreciate that it was one given its current condition.

It’s unknown when demolition and construction will begin now that they have Planning Commission approval. So if you’re curious, swing by 226 Cabrillo soon to soak up a bit of San Francisco history.

Sarah B.

Some children at refugee camp #25 in the Richmond District. Courtesy of Bancroft Library

Families at Washington Square Camp in North Beach. Courtesy of Bancroft Library