Twin Peaks Tunnel: Building San Francisco’s 1918 Gateway

Dig into San Francisco’s past with this silent footage capturing the complete saga of the Twin Peaks Tunnel’s construction and grand opening, a 2.27-mile streetcar lifeline under Twin Peaks. Filmed from 1914 to 1918, it chronicles the gritty work—steam shovels carving trenches, workers blasting through rock with dynamite—and the payoff: Mayor James Rolph piloting the first K Ingleside streetcar through on February 3, 1918, greeted by cheering throngs at West Portal. This black-and-white reel, likely produced for Baldwin & Howell Real Estate to tout westward expansion, unveils a feat that halved travel times to the city’s southwest, sparking growth in West Portal and beyond. A riveting find for history buffs, transit enthusiasts, and San Francisco heritage fans, it’s the birth of Muni’s backbone in motion.