Collection Guide
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Finding Aid to the Joseph B. Pecora Papers.
1943-2013
SFH 644
SFH 644
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
info@sfpl.org
Title: Joseph B. Pecora Papers
Creator:
Pecora, Joseph B., 1937-2020
Identifier/Call Number: SFH 644
Physical Description:
2 cartons
(2 Cubic Feet)
Date (inclusive): 1943-2013
Date (bulk): 1990-2005
Abstract: Joseph B. Pecora, as the de facto historian of the Alamo Square neighborhood, conducted research on historical neighborhood
homes and buildings as part of his involvement in the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association, which he later compiled and published
as a book titled, "The Storied Houses of Alamo Square." This collection contains research papers of Joseph B. Pecora and papers
related to his involvement with the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association. Includes drafts, photographs, newsletters, ephemera,
correspondence, and notes pertaining to research conducted on historic Alamo Square homes and buildings. Of note is a collection
of contemporary photographs of the Alamo Square neighborhood and buildings by Ron Henggeler and a collection of house drawings
by Jack Walsh.
Physical Location: The collection is stored on site.
Language of Materials: Collection materials are in
English.
The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center hours, with photographs available during Photo Desk
hours. Collections that are stored offsite should be requested 48 hours in advance.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
Joseph B. Pecora Papers (SFH 644), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.
The collection was received in 2 accessions. Drawings of researched homes by Jack Walsh came to the San Francisco Public Library
in 2018. Joseph B. Pecora and related Alamo Square Neighborhood Association drafts, photo materials, and personal papers were
donated in 2021.
During processing, the entire collection was re-foldered and re-housed in acid-free folders and boxes. Some metal staples
remain.
Born on February 2, 1937, Joseph Benedict Pecora was a graduate of Taft High School in Taft, California, He went on to graduate
from UCLA in 1959 with a degree in International Relations. He then attended the Air Force language school at Syracuse University
and served in Germany as a Czech radio intercept analyst, and later joined the State Department as a U.S. Diplomatic Courier
with postings in Manila and Frankfurt. He purchased a Victorian house near Alamo Square in San Francisco in 1979. Later, the
neighborhood was slated for demolition by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency but was rescued by a grassroots campaign
of residents including Mr. Pecora. This campaign allowed the neighborhood to be reborn as a renowned designated historic district.
Discovering a love for history and Victorian architecture and design, Mr. Pecora launched a newsletter for the newly formed
Alamo Square Neighborhood Association, with each issue containing a researched history of a neighborhood house, including
its architecture and residents. In the process of studying the historic homes, he became the de facto Alamo Square historian,
and eventually compiled these histories into his book, The Storied Houses of Alamo Square. Mr. Pecora was also an active member
of other local and national organizations, including the Victorian Alliance, the Decorative Arts Forum, and the National Trust
for Historic Preservation. He died on November 30, 2020.
Contains research papers of Joseph B. Pecora and papers related to his involvement with the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association.
Includes drafts, photographs, newsletters, ephemera, correspondence, and notes pertaining to research conducted on historic
Alamo Square homes and buildings. Of note is a collection of contemporary photographs of the Alamo Square neighborhood and
buildings by Ron Henggeler, partially sorted by home address. There is also a sample of house drawings by Jack Walsh commissioned
by Pecora to compliment his articles.
The collection is arranged in 2 series. Series 1: Drafts and research material by home address; Series 2: Documents, correspondence,
and papers arranged by type.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Architecture, Victorian -- California -- San Francisco -- History
Neighborhoods -- California -- San Francisco -- History
Alamo Square (San Francisco, Calif.) -- History
Citizens' Associations -- California -- San Francisco.
Pecora, Joseph B., 1937-2020