Bernal History Project

Bernal Heights is a hilltop village, tucked away in the southern part of San Francisco. Freeways and urban thoroughfares now bound a neighborhood once defined by the swamps and creeks of the original Mexican land grant. From the 1860s legend of Widow O'Brien's cow to the current fight over the preservation of the branch library's murals, residents have tirelessly guarded and recorded their environment. Bernal is diverse, vibrant, and still evolving.

Bernal Heights from 26th and Fair Oaks 1921 - David Gallagher

This site aims to provide a solid basis in researching the neighborhood. Browse the links, subscribe to our newsletter, and contact us if you want to know more about anything Bernal-related not shown here.

Historic Bernal News

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Bernal Heights Says No Gang in District December 11, 1920

Residents of the Bernal Heights district feel that there are no conditions in that part of the city that justify the appellation "gang" in referring to the boys and young men who live out there. Protest against the use of the word has been made in resolutions signed by the Bernal Progressive Club, Ladies' Auxiliary, Bernal Heights Athletic Club, Bernal Community Council, Felicia Club and Parent Teachers' Association.