Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

While San Francisco was thriving in the 1800s, the areas that are now the Richmond District, the Sunset District, and Golden Gate Park were primarily made up of sand dunes and considered uninhabitable. This book introduces readers to some of the advocates, educators, performers, builders, and others who contributed to the growth of these areas and to the city of San Francisco. Featured notables include William Hammond Hall and John McLaren, major forces in Golden Gate Park; well-known personalities like actress Barbara Eden, musician Vince Guaraldi, and photographer Ansel Adams; Amy Meyer and Philip Burton, who helped create the Golden Gate National Recreation Area; journalists Sarah Bacon and Paul Kozakiewicz, who write about neighborhoods in western San Francisco; William Gee, who founded On-Lok, a resource for the elderly; and many more famous and unsung heroes.