Finding Aid to the San Francisco Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering Records, 1881-[1986?],, bulk 1908-1944

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Summary

Creators:
San Francisco (Calif.). Public Works., San Francisco (Calif.). Dept. of Public Works., San Francisco (Calif.). Board of Public Works., and San Francisco (Calif.). Bureau of Engineering.
Abstract:
Includes correspondence and project and subject files documenting public infrastructure construction in San Francisco, following the 1906 earthquake and fire.
Extent:
41 cubic feet (43 boxes, 1 manuscripts box, 1 map folder)
Language:
Collection materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], San Francisco Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering Records (SFH 458), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection documents the building of infrastructure in San Francisco following the 1906 earthquake, particularly during the administrations of City Engineers Marsden Manson and M.M. O'Shaughnessy. Later records are mainly drawings of Recreation and Parks Department projects. Includes correspondence, project reports, drawings, bids and specifications, surveys, articles, and photographs. Of note are documents on the dismantling and removal of the relief model of the city. Documentation on the Port of San Francisco, O'Shaughnessy Dam, and the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir are not included.

Biographical / historical:

San Francisco's Board of Public Works was created on January 8, 1900 by Article VI of the City Charter, directed by three commissioners. The original four bureaus were: Engineering, Streets, Building, and Light and Water Services. The department was initially tasked with organizing street construction and paving projects throughout the city.

According to the 1899-1900 report of the City Engineer, "Of the work urgently needed to be done by the city none is probably of greater importance than the systemization of the sewerage and drainage works to fit existing and projected sewers into the lines of main drainage and sewerage disposal, as proposed and adopted during the last year. "This work, as well as the work of extending street line surveys, setting monuments and establishing grades for streets in the outlying rapidly growing districts of the city (also urgently needed) is of a character not productive of revenue. All work of this class will be pushed forward as fast as the available funds will permit."

The August 1902 annual report notes that the department "may be expected to take on larger dimensions and to comprise additional bureaus, such as for a water system and municipal railways. It also notes expected growth of the City with incidental expansion in street operations. The Bureau of Engineering is described as "concerned with the most important features of municipal material interests." Furthermore, the bureau reports of the "coming ownership and administration by the City of all of the interests classed under the head of Public Utilities."

C.E. Grunsky was San Francisco's first City Engineer. Marsden Manson was the City Engineer from 1908 to 1912. M.M. O'Shaughnessy was the City Engineer from 1912-1932.

Long known as the Department of Public Works or DPW, the agency is now known as San Francisco Public Works. It constructs, manages, designs, maintains and repairs the city's public buildings and infrastructure.

Acquisition information:
Transferred to the San Francisco City Archives from the San Francisco Department of Public Works. Additional materials transferred on Jun 26, 2020.
Processing information:

Processed by Tami J. Suzuki with preliminary processing by Shane Ebbert.

Arrangement:

Organized into four series: Series 1. Correspondence; Series 2. Project Files; Series 3. Subject Files; and Series 4. Legal Files. Correspondence is organized into two subseries: Subseries 1A: Outgoing Correspondence; and Subseries 1B: Incoming Correspondence. Project Files are organized into ten subseries: Subseries 2A: Street Work/Renovation; Subseries 2B: Sewers; Subseries 2C: Bridges and Viaducts; Subseries 2D: Airport Development; Subseries 2E: South Basin-South Basin Canal Reclamation District; Subseries 2F: Water Supply and Auxiliary Water Supply System; Subseries 2G: Transit Tunnels; Subseries 2H: Naval Base Sites; Subseries 2I: Garbage Disposal; Subseries 2J: Parks, Playgrounds and Transportation; and Subseries 2K: Other Projects. Correspondence is arranged chronologically. The majority of the rest of the collection is arranged alphabetically by subject.

Physical location:
Open for research. The collection is offsite and advance notice is required for retrieval. Material must be requested at least 4 business days in advance of visit.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research and available for use during San Francisco History Center hours. Photographs are available during Photo Desk hours. This collection must be requested at least 4 business days in advance of visit.

Photographs cannot be photocopied. Gloves are required when handling photographs.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], San Francisco Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering Records (SFH 458), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Location of this collection:
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102, US
Contact:
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
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