San Francisco Cable Cars
Why it's listed
San Francisco's cable cars form the last working cable street railway in an American city. The landmark covers the cars themselves, roughly 10 miles of track and underground cable on eight streets in the Nob Hill, Chinatown and North Beach areas, the turntables at line ends, and the brick car barn and power house at Washington and Mason Streets. That building holds the winding machinery that keeps the cables moving, and also stores the 39-car fleet. The system traces to Andrew S. Hallidee, an Englishman who built aerial mine cables in the western states. The first underground cable track was laid in August 1873, and eight companies eventually built 112 miles of track. Electric streetcars displaced cable cars in most cities by the early 1890s, but the steep grades of San Francisco prolonged their use. Residents have repeatedly objected to proposals to remove them, and the system remains a symbol of the city.
Significance in brief: It is the only cable car system still operating in a United States city. The cable system suits San Francisco's steep hills, which kept it in use after electric street railways replaced cable cars elsewhere. It is also a widely recognized symbol of the city.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 66000233, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1390 Washington St., San Francisco |
|---|---|
| County | San Francisco |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000233 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Designer: Andrew Hallidee |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated January 29, 1964 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | System in operation with 39 cars in the fleet; the car barn and power house also houses a cable car museum. |
| Acreage | 5.5 |
| Coordinates | 37.79606, -122.41841 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 66000233.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q374956
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.