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History of San Francisco, California, USA
Journey back in time to San Francisco, California, USA
Explore the history, people, photographs, newspapers, postcards, and genealogy connected to San Francisco, California, USA.
About San Francisco
During his engagement at the Fillmore West in San Francisco, Otis Redding stayed on a houseboat in Sausalito. While there he wrote his last song and greatest hit: "The Dock of the Bay."
San Francisco Nostalgia: Vintage Photos, Ads, and Postcards

Jackson Foundry, No. 523 Jackson Street, Between Montgomery and Kearny, San Francisco, 1871

Picturesque America... Oliver Bell Bunce, William Cullen Bryant
New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1872-1874.
"The Cliff House is a restaurant perched on the headland above the cliffs just north of Ocean Beach, on the western side of San Francisco, California. It overlooks the site of the former Sutro Baths and is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, operated by the National Park Service. On the terrace of the Cliff House is a room-sized camera obscura.
Cliff House has had five major incarnations since its beginnings in 1858. That year, Samuel Brannan, a prosperous ex-Mormon elder from Maine, bought for $1,500 the lumber salvaged from a ship that foundered on the basalt cliffs below. With this material he built the first Cliff House.
The second Cliff House was built in 1863, and leased to Captain Junius G. Foster. It was a long trek from the city and hosted mostly horseback riders, small game hunters or picnickers on day outings. With the... Read more

Bennett Distilling Co., San Francisco, California
Found at The Way It Was Museum, Virginia City, Nevada

M. J. Brandenstein & Co.
about 1899
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Genealogy gifts & optional resources
Genealogy Gifts & Resources Related to SAN FRANCISCO

CALIFORNIA Dreamin' Ancestry Coffee Mug - Genealogy
Showcasing a witty caption that reads, "I'm from California! That explains a lot about my love for surfing at sunrise and wine tasting at sunset," this mug is designed to bring a smile to your face with every sip.

CALIFORNIA - NEVADA - Lake Tahoe Shower Curtain - Crystal Clear Waters with Mark Twain Quote - Nature-Inspired Bathroom Décor
Transform your bathroom into a serene escape with this Lake Tahoe Shower Curtain, featuring the breathtaking crystal-clear waters of Lake Tahoe and an inspiring quote from Mark Twain. Whether you want to relive your favorite Tahoe memories, bring the beauty of the lake inside your home, or add a stunning touch to your Lake Tahoe vacation rental, this shower curtain is the perfect addition to any nature lover’s space. Designed to complement a Lake Tahoe home, it enhances the ambiance with a refreshing, tranquil vibe that captures the lake’s timeless allure.
Discover San Francisco: History, News, Travel, and Stories
Explore the events, newspaper stories, people, and moments that shaped San Francisco through the years.
Population. — The inhabitants of San Francisco have been variously estimated from ...
A terrible explosion of what was supposed to be nitro glicerine, occurred at a 1:15 o'clock to-day, near WELLS, FARGO & Co.'s building. The explosion shook the earth like an earthquake for a circle of a quarter of a mile.
SAMUEL KNIGHT, Superintendent of Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express, died in half an hour of injuries received. G. W. BELL, Supervisor and Assayer, was instantly killed. MR. WALLUT, Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Assayer; JOSEPH ELLIOTT; JOHN GALLAGHER; FRANK WEBSTER and WILLIAM JUSTIN were also killed.
Eight dead bodies were so mutilated that they could not be identified. LOUIS McLANE, Capt. ELDRIDGE, of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and Judge HOFFMAN, were bruised and cut. FELIX LAMAX, D. STACY, JEFFERSON TAYLOR, H. BLANE, clothing dealer, Capt. J. AYRES, FRED LEIZ, FRANK MORAN and others, were injured, but not fatally. Some will never be identified, as fragments of human flesh, bones and brains were found nearly two blocks...
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Anglers Who Are Returning From Their Vacations.
Anglers are returning from their summer vacations with reports of excellent fishing enjoyed at some of the mountain resorts. Fish Commissioner Vogelsang, who had a very pleasant outing in the big meadow country, states that the rainbows take a large fly of rough pattern, and when hooked they make a game struggle for freedom. A majority of the anglers who visit the meadows catch their trout by either whipping or trolling a spoon.
Henry Skinner, a popular salesman of E. T. Allen & Co., is enjoying first-class trout-fishing on the Truckee near Boca. Mr. Skinner is a master of the rod, and there are few among the fraternity who can cast a fly as stylishly as Colonel Skinner and with such precision. It is no wonder, then, that his many friends in this City have been recipients of some nice boxes of Truckee River trout.
Anglers must not lose sight of the fact that thee best fishing on Truckee River is invariably to...
San Francisco (Special). - By the collapse of the roof of the Pacific Glass Works while it was crowded with men and boys who were watching a football game between the Stanford and University of California teams, fifteen persons were killed. More than 100 persons fell into the furnace of the factory upon ovens and retorts containing molten glass when the roof collapsed. The injured number eighty-three, and of these several cannot survive.
The dead are:
EDGAR FAIRHAVEN, eleven years old.
W. H. ECKFELDT, twelve years old.
WILLIAM VANELCIA, eighteen years old.
THOMAS J. RIPPON, twenty-four years old.
JAMES A. MULRONEY, forty years old.
MARQUIS VAN DURN, forty-five years old.
VIRGIL NEUBY, fifteen years old.
CHARLES MONSHAN, thirty-four years old.
TALLEYRAND BARNWELL, sixteen years old.
LUNON GIRARD, sixteen...
San Francisco crowns the extremity of a long, rugged peninsula, a little north of the centre of California,
"The land that has the tiger's length,
The tawny tiger's length of arm,"
the land that stretches from pine to palm,
"Haunch in the cloud rack, paw in the purring sea."
The one break in the mountain wall of the California Coast Range is the Golden Gate, the watery pass that leads from San Francisco to the Pacific. Spurs and peaks and cross ridges of this mountain chain would at long range seem to encompass the city...
Timeline: U.S. Storm Disasters, American Experience
At first, those fears seemed to be proved unfounded. On Jan. 5, 1933, construction began — and it continued without a single fatality for four years. (www.npr.org)
Construction of the bridge began in 1932, during the Great Depression, when jobs were scarce. The men working on the Golden Gate Bridge (a four-and-a-half-year project) were greatly envied, even though they worked in very dangerous conditions, balancing high above the freezing ocean waters.
To combat the dangerous working conditions, bridge designer Joseph Strauss introduced the hard hat and a safety net that stretched end to end under the bridge. Nineteen workers fell. Saved by that...
The area known as the Golden Gate is the channel formed where the mouth of the San Francisco Bay meets the Pacific Ocean. People used the name Golden Gate as early as 1846, even before the gold rush and long before the bridge. Explorer John C. Frémont was possibly the first to call the rocky straits the "Golden Gate."
The blaze broke out in the basement of a vacant three story building on California street just above Grant. It was controlled in a half hour. Fire Chief EDWARD P. WALSH estimated damage at $20,000.
Seventy five persons in an adjoining lodging house were evacuated. WALSH said the fire may have been started by an itinerate sleeping in the vacant building, formerly a hotel. Three firemen were hurt fighting the blaze.
TODAY'S EXTRA: Her column of sage advice started at The Chronicle
By Peter Hartlaub Published 4:00 am, Saturday, January 24, 2009
Pauline Phillips walked into the Chronicle building 53 years ago this month with almost no chance of getting the advice column job she was seeking. The newspaper already had the position filled, and Phillips had recently been rejected by the San Mateo Times, a much smaller paper.
But editor Stanleigh Arnold believed in a meritocracy, offering Phillips the chance to rewrite the answers given by his current advice columnist to see whether Phillips could do a better job. Phillips walked a few blocks away to her husband's office, kicked his secretary out of her chair and pounded out the answers in a couple of hours.
"By the time she got back to Hillsborough, that's where she was living at the time, they had already called three times," remembers Jeanne Phillips, Pauline's daughter and the current Dear...
Alcatraz Island: Take a ferry to this historic prison and learn about its notorious inmates like Al Capone. The night tours are particularly popular.
Fisherman's Wharf: A bustling waterfront area with shops, restaurants, and attractions like the Aquarium of the Bay. Don't miss the sea lions lounging at Pier 39.
Cable Cars: Ride the historic cable cars for a classic San Francisco experience. They're a fun and efficient way to get around.
Chinatown: One of the oldest and largest in North America. Explore the vibrant streets, visit markets, and try some delicious dim sum.
Golden Gate Park: A massive urban oasis with gardens, museums, and lakes. Rent a paddleboat, visit the de Young Museum, or just enjoy a leisurely stroll.
The Painted Ladies: These colorful Victorian houses are a postcard-perfect sight, especially with the backdrop of the city...
Discover YOUR Roots: San Francisco Ancestry
Explore ancestors connected to San Francisco through births, deaths, marriages, cemeteries, and local genealogy resources.
Ancestors Who Were Born or Died in San Francisco, California, USA
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