Flashback Friday: Islais Creek – The Sh*t Creek of San Francisco’s Butchertown

Islais Creek Storm Sewer Construction in 1928 - San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library

Happy Friday, friends! I’m so excited to bring back Flashback Friday, a series where I share some of my favorite weird, wonderful, and occasionally smelly stories from San Francisco’s past. As a total history nerd and a lover of The City, this has always been one of my favorite ways to connect with you—and what better day to revive it than on a rainy Friday?

Speaking of rain, let’s kick things off with a story that’s all about water—specifically, the (not-so-clean) kind that ran through Butchertown back in the day. Today, we’re talking about Islais Creek, affectionately (and accurately) nicknamed “Sh*t Creek.” Yep, this is going to be a good one.

A Creek Full of… Well, You Know

Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Islais Creek flowed through what was then called Butchertown, now part of Hunters Point. It was the hub of San Francisco’s meatpacking and slaughterhouse industry—and as you might guess, they weren’t exactly eco-friendly back then. Animal waste, blood, and all kinds of refuse were dumped straight into the creek, alongside the city’s untreated sewage, yes, sh*t 💩🤢.

The result? A waterway so foul it earned the nickname “Sh*t Creek.” And when it rained? All that nastiness spilled over into the surrounding area, turning streets into a soggy, stinky mess. The working-class immigrants who lived in Butchertown had no choice but to deal with it, while wealthier San Franciscans stayed far away from the chaos (and the smell).

A Storm Sewer Transformation

Fast forward to the early 20th century: San Francisco finally decided it was time to address the problem. The photo above, taken on August 9, 1928, shows workers constructing a storm sewer to manage the runoff and clean up the area. Eventually, Islais Creek was culverted—essentially buried underground—and became part of the city’s sewer system.

Though most of the creek is now hidden beneath industrial Bayview and Hunters Point, you can still find a small restored section near Cesar Chavez Street. It’s a rare glimpse into what the creek might have looked like before Butchertown turned it into a giant, smelly dumping ground.

Rainy Reflections

Looking out at today’s rainy skies, it’s a good reminder of how far San Francisco has come in managing its stormwater and infrastructure (though some neighborhoods, like the Mission, are still a work in progress). Islais Creek is a piece of that history—a messy, smelly, but fascinating chapter in The City’s story.

I hope you enjoyed rainy-day edition of the revived Flashback Friday! I can’t wait to share more quirky, surprising, and downright wild stories about the place we all call home.

Stay dry out there, and the next time you see a storm drain doing its thing, take a moment to appreciate the history beneath your feet. Who knows—maybe it’s part of Islais Creek’s legacy.

Catch you next week for more SF history nerdery!
💙 Luba