Naming the Richmond District
by Woody LaBounty George Turner Marsh, Asian Art importer whose estate provided inspiration for naming the Richmond District. -
In early 2009, thanks to the efforts of local historian (and WNP member) John Freeman and District One Supervisor Eric Mar, San Francisco s Richmond District officially reclaimed its name. The Board of Supervisors passed ordinance 36-09 on March 3, 2009 to designate the neighborhood bounded by Arguello Boulevard, Ocean Beach, Lake Street, and Fulton Street, the Richmond District.
1 Unlike controversial renamings of years past examples include the use of Spanish names for east-west streets in the Richmond and Sunset districts in 1909, and Cesar Chavez Street supplanting Army Street in 1995 no protests arose over officially calling the Richmond District the name used by residents, merchants, writers, politicians, and reporters for 125 years.