Unfinished History
1859 USGS Coastal Survey Map showing Potrero Hill, Mission Bay (and Mission Rock out in the water), and the eastern part of the Mission District when there were two horse racing tracks occupying what is today all residential. Note the "rope walk" at shore middle left (see photo below).
Map: courtesy David Rumsey
1861 Wackenruder Map, showing Potrero Hill excerpt. Note the small black diagonal line indicating the "rope walk" at shore middle left (see photo below)
Map: courtesy David Rumsey
1869 Salt Marsh Tidelands auction map, showing disposition of various parcels before the imminent sale of still submerged tidelands.
Map: courtesy David Rumsey
1873 Bancroft Map of San Francisco, Potrero Hill and surroundings
Map: courtesy David Rumsey
These massive ropes were made at the Tubbs Cordage Company, which is visible as a small diagonal line on the first two maps above, south of Potrero Hill in today's Dogpatch neighborhood, along the shoreline.
Photo: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Museum