No American city has a more colorful history than San Francisco. In this unique book, author Rand Richards not only provides a vivid narrative of this special city from its very beginnings all the way through to the modern era, but also tells where to find the historic buildings, sites, museums, and artifacts that make that history come alive. Just a few of the things you will find in Historic San Francisco are the locations of, and the fascinating histories behind: A 1623 Spanish cannon that once guarded the entrance to the Golden Gate. A gold nugget discovered by James Marshall at Coloma in January 1848. The last surviving Nob Hill mansion. Relics from the 1906 earthquake and fire including clusters of melted dimes and pennies found in the ruins. Book jacket.

A concise, “colorful, well-told” history of the City by the Bay, from the Gold Rush to the Summer of Love to the twenty-first century (Los Angeles Times). This is the story of San Francisco, a unique and rowdy tale with a legendary cast of characters. It tells of the Indians and the Spanish missions, the arrival of thousands of gold seekers and gamblers, crackbrains and dreamers, the building of the transcontinental railroad and the cable car, labor strife and political shenanigans, the 1906 earthquake and fire, two World Wars, two World's Fairs, two great bridges, the beatniks and hippies and New Left—a story that is so marvelous and wild that it must be true. A new afterword from the author in this updated third edition brings The City into the twenty-first century—a time just as hectic, experimental, and opportunistic as its rambunctious past.

With long-forgotten stories and evocative photographs, this collection showcases the once-familiar sites that have faded into dim memories and hazy legends. Not just a list of places, facts, and dates, this pictorial history shows why San Francisco has been a legendary travel destination and one of the world's premier places to live and work for more than 150 years.

The San Francisco Bay Area is loaded with fascinating and unique historical sites that represent a broad range of historical events and eras. A resident of the Bay Area or a tourist in town for a few days can see a wide range of historical sites all within a day's drive of San Francisco. This book may also be useful for a teacher or parent who is looking for an educational field trip which ties in with the child's curriculum in a history, literature, or science class. Others may find it interesting to learn more about the Native Americans or pioneer settlers in a local community. So, whether you are just curious about what is inside that old historical house in your neighborhood, want to know how a specific historical event played out in your area, or are just looking for an interesting day trip, this book has something for you. Many people are familiar with the more famous sites in California. It is not uncommon to see tourists make a trip to see all of the California missions or Gold Rush towns, but there are also scores of lesser-known sites within the Bay Area that highlight a particular historical event or offer a comprehensive overview of the history of that town or region. More than just a tour guide, the book is broken into sections with essays that acquaint the reader with the history that is covered by the representative museums or sites. DiGiacomo goes beyond the traditional city, county, state, and national museums and historic sites that feature famous people, historic homes and events. He also covers museums devoted to agriculture, business, Hispanic California, immigration, military posts, mining, Native Americans, transportation, sports, as well as science and technology. He thoughtfully includes key information on each museum such as its location, web address, hours of operation, cost, and what a visitor can expect to encounter. Over 220 historical sites are listed.