Originally a quiet residential neighborhood of mansions , the street was used as a firebreak by the U.S. Army during the 1906 earthquake and fire that destroyed most of San Francisco . Many of the buildings were dynamited along the street by soldiers in an ultimately successful attempt to prevent the firestorm from spreading west to the entire city . Following the quake , Van Ness served as the temporary commercial center and main thoroughfare of San Francisco , as it ultimately evolved into a busy commercial district in its own right , attracting many car dealerships that exist to this day as the majority of the city 's car and scooter dealerships line the street . It still remains a generally upscale area with large and grand apartment buildings , restaurants , and movie theaters
1906 earthquake and fire
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Van Ness Avenue