Columbus Avenue (San Francisco)

{{Short description|Street in San Francisco, California}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox street

| name = Columbus Avenue

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| image = Transamerica Pyramid from Columbus.jpg

| caption =The Transamerica Pyramid rising from the foot of Columbus Avenue

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| location = San Francisco

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| maint = San Francisco DPW

| direction_a = Southeast

| terminus_a = Washington and Montgomery Streets

| direction_b = Northwest

| terminus_b = Beach Street

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| coordinates = {{coord |37.80107|-122.41137|region:US-CA_type:landmark|display=inline}}

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Columbus Avenue is one of the major streets of San Francisco that runs diagonally through the North Beach and Chinatown areas of San Francisco, California, from Washington and Montgomery Streets by the Transamerica Pyramid to Beach Street near Fisherman's Wharf. This street is home to several notable venues, such as Jack Kerouac Alley, named for poet Jack Kerouac, City Lights Bookstore, Vesuvio Cafe, Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe (in an alley off Columbus), and Bimbo's 365 Club.

The street's original name was Montgomery Avenue, and was built in the 1870s.{{cite news |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |date=December 8, 2011 |url=http://www.sfgate.com/outdoors/urbanoutings/article/Columbus-Avenue-Colorful-path-distinct-flavors-2373749.php |title=Columbus Avenue: Colorful path, distinct flavors |access-date=August 24, 2013}}{{cite web |website=SFGeneology |url=http://www.sfgenealogy.com/boards/sfhistory/messages/1682.html |title=Re: Columbus Avenue |access-date=August 24, 2013}}{{unreliable source?|date=February 2022}} It was renamed Columbus Avenue in 1909.{{cite web |website=Encyclopedia of San Francisco |url=http://www.sfhistoryencyclopedia.com/articles/s/streetNaming.html |title=Street Naming Controversy - 1909 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516220827/http://www.sfhistoryencyclopedia.com/articles/s/streetNaming.html |archive-date=2008-05-16 |access-date=August 24, 2013}}