“It’s the most  
beautiful place  
in the world.”  
Robert Redford

I had the pleasure of reading the first draft of my friend’s new, yet to be titled, book about growing up in San Francisco. From start to finish, memories of my own childhood and high school years flooded my mind. Growing up in San Francisco in the ‘60s and early ‘70s was an amazing experience! The City has changed through the years. I guess that’s to be expected. Yet here we are nearing the completion of 2026 and I still love The City of my childhood.

In his manuscript, my friend John mentioned the significant loss of personal freedom and independence young people experience today compared to kids in the 1960s. When I was in kindergarten, I was allowed to walk alone from my home on 38th & Vicente to South Sunset Playground at 40th & Vicente. Throughout my elementary school years, I walked from my home to Saint Gabriel School (41st & Ulloa) each morning, then home in the afternoon. Mom would drive my siblings and me to school if it was raining.

After school and during the summer months, my mother would often say, “Go out and play.” This could mean playing with neighbors on 38th Avenue, going to South Sunset Playground, or playing with friends in the trees between Sunset Boulevard and 37th Avenue. I didn’t have to be specific about where I was going. I just knew I had to be home for dinner.

As early as fourth grade, I was allowed to take public transportation from home to downtown San Francisco. For a few years, my Dad, a San Francisco firefighter, worked at Rescue 1, which at that time was located on Jesse Street, an alley just off 5th Street between Market & Mission Streets. I could take the “L” Taraval streetcar or the “72 Sunset” to the corner of 5th & Market, then walk around the corner to the fire station. I felt safe doing this. My parents felt comfortable with me doing this, too. It was The City. It was our City.

I also used to go downtown to do Christmas shopping. I didn’t have much money, of course, and, in fact, I don’t recall if I ever actually purchased anything, but just getting on the streetcar or bus and going downtown was special. On several occasions, I stopped at Woolworth’s at the corner of Powell & Market to eat lunch or get a snack at the always-crowded lunch counter. It was an inexpensive place to get a hamburger, hot dog, BLT, or open-faced turkey sandwich. They also served milkshakes, ice cream, cake, and slices of pie. I felt so grown-up sitting at the counter with adults who were also enjoying their meals.

Occasionally, in my junior high years, I’d jump on the Powell Street cable car and ride it over Nob Hill to Fisherman’s Wharf. There were two stores there where I recall shopping — Cost Plus and Akron. I recall that they had an assortment of items for sale which were not available at our local stores in the Sunset District.

Everything changed after February 10, 1984. The still-unsolved disappearance of Kevin Collins from the corner of Masonic & Oak Streets altered the way parents raise their kids. The freedom and independence kids enjoyed until that time quickly became a thing of the past.

San Francisco has definitely gone through some difficult times over the past sixty years, so I am grateful to see a resurgence of business, improvements in cleanliness, and a sense of safety in the lower Market Street area. Though it’s been many years since Robert Redford said the words quoted above, I still believe that The City is the most beautiful place in the world.