Cow Hollow, San Francisco – urban farming in the 1800’s

Chinese vegetable gardens, c. 1880s, below Pacific Heights at approx. today’s Union and Gough Streets in “Cow Hollow”.
Photo: San Francisco History Center, SF Public Library

“Cow Hollow’s history shows that cities used to produce much of their own food.”

By Ben Tarnoff
Where the Buffalo Roam
Apr 11, 2011

Excerpt:

In 1849, when the Gold Rush brought hordes of gold speculators to San Francisco and rapidly transformed the small Mexican village into a major city, Cow Hollow was a valley irrigated by several creeks, with a large freshwater pond. It was an ideal place to graze cattle. The first dairy sprung up in 1861, and more soon followed.

On land now occupied by cupcake shops, clothing boutiques, and sports bars, there existed hundreds and hundreds of cows, supplying milk to the growing population of San Francisco. The city needed it, because no large agricultural region yet existed: San Francisco developed so rapidly, most food was imported rather than grown in California.

That soon changed. By 1890, there were roughly 800 cows roaming the area. And cows weren’t the only thing in Cow Hollow. The Chinese kept large vegetable gardens in the area. They would peddle the vegetables on the street, or sell them to local cooks. By the late 19th century, tanneries, slaughterhouses, and sausage factories had moved into the area, generating sewage.

Read the complete article here.

More: Cow Hollow Sanitation Scandal c. 1900 here.