Many of the area 's streets , those named for the capitals of countries , and its avenues , those that are named for the countries themselves , were done so by Emanuel Lewis and his daughter Jeannette . Emanuel built 200 houses which sold as a result of the 1906 earthquake . On the west side of the district , which is also known as the Mission Terrace , many of the streets were named after American Indian tribes ( Mohawk Ave became Seneca Ave for example ) , and Onondaga , Navajo , Modoc , Ottawa , Oneida , Seminole , and Cayuga are named among the rest . It is evident that many names have been retained , and from the various neighborhoods ' inceptions , while some have changed to accommodate changes in political climate . As an example , Excelsior Avenue itself was originally named " China " . Due to anti-Asian feelings that led to the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 , India , Japan and China Streets were changed to Peru , Avalon , and Excelsior Streets
1906 earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Excelsior District, San Francisco