San Francisco is home to two sundials, one in Ingleside Terrace and the other in the Bayview District.
A sundial is one of the oldest tools for telling time, using positions of the sun’s shadow to mark the hour. As the sun moves across the sky, the shadow shifts pointing to the time on the dial.
Long before mechanical clocks were invented, people around the world relied on sundials to organize their day. In San Francisco, city planners installed sundials in two areas, combining education, history, and art.
The Bayview District’s sundial, built in 1987, is located in Hilltop Park.
People’s interest in seeing the sundials in person varies. Francesca Blanchard ’28 said, “Seeing the sundials might be interesting because they show how people in ancient times were able to tell time.”
Some students are curious to see how sundials work, while others don’t have much interest in it. Blanchard added, “I’m not sure I would really take time.”out of my day to see a sundial, but I could see why others might be interested.”
While students might not find sundials extremely fascinating, teachers see value in their educational purpose.
San Francisco Stories teacher Brian Kosewic ’16 said, “Sundials connect us to ancient cultures because they are a form of technology that our ancestors used that we continue to be able to use today.”
Even with smartphones and digital clocks, San Francisco sundials remain relevant. They not only tell time, but also offer lessons about science, nature and the past. This could help in the future where electricity or digital tools no longer exist.
Kosewic said, “In a future where electricity or digital tools are no longer used, the technology of sundials would be incredibly relevant and useful –so it’s important to hang on to and preserve that knowledge.”
