Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Early San Francisco
The first inhabitants of the area around San Francisco Bay
were Native Americans, grouped into two main tribes, the
Coast Miwok in the north and the Ohlone in the south. By
the mid-1500s, European ships were exploring the
California coast, but no contact was made with the Indians
until Sir Francis Drake anchored off Point Reyes and
claimed it for Queen Elizabeth I. The bay remained
undiscovered until 1769, and in 1776 Spain established a
small
presidio
(fort) and a mission, named in honor of the
founder of the Franciscan order,
San Francisco de Asis.
Extent of the City
Today
1800
Land reclaimed since 1800
Missionaries
from Spain tried to
convert the Indians to Christianity,
forcing them to live in barracks
and to do forced labor.
Tcholovoni
Indians
Various tribes,
including these
Tcholovoni Indians,
hunted and settled in
small villages on the shores
of San Francisco Bay.
Girdles
were
decorated with
feathers and
shells.
Drake Lands at Point Reyes
(1579)
It is thought that Sir Francis Drake landed
at what is now called Drake's Bay; he was
greeted by Miwok Indians.
10,000 BC
First
Indians migrate
to the Bay area
AD 1542
Portuguese-born
explorer João Cabrilho sights
the Farallon Islands off the
coast of San Francisco
1602
Sebastian Vizcaino visits
Point Reyes, but also fails to find
the bay. His glowing reports
encourage the later expedition
that discovers San Francisco Bay
10,000 BC
AD 1550
1600
1650
1579
Sir Francis Drake
lands near Point Reyes
for ship repairs
João Cabrilho
(died 1543)
1666
map showing
California as an island
1595
Spanish trading ship
San
Augustin
sinks off Point Reyes
