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An Early SF Mansion in Western Soma

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Public spaces change fast here in San Francisco, and for better or worse, it can be pretty crazy when you see what the City used to look like. Every week, we'll bring you Then & Now, a comparison of historic photos of the Bay Area with current views from the same perspective. Have a suggestion for a photo comparison that looks totally different (or shockingly the same)? Drop us a tip in the Curbed Inbox or leave a comment after the jump.

Quick note: See that vertical green bar in the middle of the then and now photos? You can move it horizontally to see the photos side by side.





[Then photo: SAN FRANCISCO HISTORY CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY/ Now photo: Google Maps] Before the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, the area of western Soma near South Van Ness looked very different. One mega mansion was the home of William Jessup, former carpenter, owner and operator of W. H. Jessup & Co. at the Eureka Match Factory. Jessup is listed at the address in city directories starting in 1860, so the house was likely built around that time. It stood on the east side of 12th Street just south of Folsom, but was destroyed by the 1906 fires. Today the site is filled with industrial buildings built in 1950.