Last September we received an email from a reader inquiring about a particular 1842 18th Ave. “that stands out from the neighborhood. I’ve been told there is a lot of history surrounding the home, but I am finding it difficult to get any information. Do you or your readers happen to know why this home is custom on a double wide lot when most of the neighborhood is more typical of Sunset?” Curbed SF posted the same question to its readers and the most complete explanation, until now, has been:
House was originally located in the Presidio and was moved to that location in t
he teens or twenties, maybe. The house itself is probably from around the turn of the century. That’s what I was told at the estate sale about 2 years ago. I forget what else they said… The place was a disaster inside, but pretty cool. I think it sold for around $1.2 shortly after the estate sale.
Over the weekend we received more insight from, John Zanardi, stating:
My grandparents bought the house in 1955, and lived there until my grandmother passed in 2006. As far as the history of the house, it was moved there as one of the first homes in the area. The rumor was that General “Blackjack” Pershing had once lived in the house. It had to be moved around Golden Gate Park because the curator of the park wouldn’t allow it through, so it was moved via ocean beach on the great highway past the cliff house and up to 17th ave where it was placed on top of a sand hill. The house is actually sitting sideways with the front porch facing the park. The interior consisted of a large entry hall with vaulted ceilings. To the left of the entry was a bedroom with a sitting room/nursery another large bedroom was behind that with attached servants quarters. The main bath was across a small hallway from the nursery. The back porch was enclosed at some point and there was laundry and a very small WC. The kitchen and breakfast room were adjacent to the back porch and a formal dining room with fireplace faced 18th ave, with a living room to the right of the entry hall. The garage on the street level was originally a carriage house, and my grandfather used it at first to restore and work on cars and after he retired converted it partially into a machine shop.
And there ya have it…
John, thanks for reading and helping out!
Help Wanted [SF Schtuff]
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I have SOME photos of the outside of the house from over the years in its original condition with wood shingle exterior and leaded glass windows.
john—i’m sure folks would love to see them. you can email them to me if you like: [email protected]