Published in the July, 2025 Noe Valley Voice

Editor:
In a Letter to the Editor last month, Yames expounds upon a misunderstanding of local geography and history. Upper Noe Valley banners on Church St answer the question, “Where am I?” geographically, historically and politically.

Looking south down Castro St from Alvarado St into the lower valley

Geographically, the Oxford Dictionary defines a valley as a low area of land between hills or mountains. Yame’s view from 23rd St and Church looking south does indeed look downhill into the valley we call Noe. However, the valley continues beyond 30th Street, rising all the way to Miguel. However, if one took a view more familiar to early residents, one sees two valleys. Looking south from 23rd and Castro, a valley that is closer to DOWNtown falls to 24th St and then rises up to Duncan Street. Beyond that is a an UPPER valley that falls to 30th St and then rises through Billy Goat Hill and beyond.

Historically, commerce grew separately in the upper and lower valleys. Noe Valley first developed around 24th and Castro. The first train connecting to DOWNtown ran along Castro street from Market Street and terminated in the lower valley. The more bucolic upper valley was served by commerce along the higher numbered addresses on Church St, such as the butcher shop that has done business continuously since the 1880s.

Politically for administrative purposes, the Planning Dept drew boundary lines in the 1990s that were convenient to define a smaller set of neighborhoods, ignoring history, geography and communities that often overlapped. For instance, the entire area of Fairmount was simply rolled into the new boundaries of “Glen Park” which suddenly abutted the entirety of “Noe Valley”.

Looking north from Billy Goat Hill toward Castro St descending into Upper Noe Valley.

Upper Noe Valley has been a recognized community for over 150 years. Upper Noe Recreation Center started as a project under that name a hundred years ago by the Upper Noe Valley Improvement Association. The recently installed banners on Church St celebrate the neighborhood’s history and vitality. Thank you for dining in Upper Noe Valley. Now you know where you were. For more info see https://uppernoeneighbors.com/neighborhood-history/

Chris Faust