A Brief History of the “SoMa” Community

San Francisco’s most rapidly changing neighborhood, SoMa, or South of Market, continues to see its older residential neighborhoods revitalized and its former industrial areas redeveloped into towering condos, new convention centers, and office parks. Now, known to us as the vibrant, diverse microcosm of sub-neighborhoods we love today, SoMa’s current landscape belies its once much flatter, more confined origins.

In 1847, South of Market was officially referred to by an arguably equally pedestrian name, the “100 Vara Business District”—100 vara being a surveying unit of measure that is equivalent to about a city block. The new subdivision that expanded south of Market Street was a flourishing pioneer community that largely consisted of low-density residential buildings and an emerging industrial area with flourishing neighborhood businesses. By the early 20th century, the block and the surrounding region saw an influx of European immigrants who contributed to its heavy industrial scene, complete with a vast network of cable cars that carried the booming city’s residents and occupants along the long blocks of Mission, Folsom, Bryant Streets, and so on.

Eventually, the area south of Market Street became known as “South of the Slot” in reference to the street channels housing the cables along which its iconic cable cars traveled. It is still affectionately referred to as such by some long-standing members of the community.

More commonly today, this larger district, which encompasses a variety of sub-neighborhoods, restaurants, large companies, and civic centers, is referred to as “South of Market,” while others prefer the diminutive “SoMa” — as a nod to SoHo (South of Houston Street) of New York City, which in turn is a tip of the hat to the original Soho area of London.

Today, no longer does SoMa employ cable cars. And many of the low-density residential buildings have since grown considerably taller. But by whatever name you call it—SoMa, 100 Vara, or the Slot—South of Market continues to be a hub for development and growth and is home to a thriving and diverse community.