Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Gold Rush
Having broken away from Spain in 1821, Mexico opened
California to foreign trade for the first time. Whaling
vessels and traders anchored in San Francisco Bay, and
a small village began to grow. In 1848, with the discovery
of gold in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and the US
annexation of California, everything changed. In two
years, 100,000 prospectors passed through the Golden
Gate, turning San Francisco into a wild frontier city.
Extent Of The City
Today
1853
Vallejo's Goblet
This elegant goblet reveals
the gracious way of life of
General Vallejo, the last
Mexican governor of California.
Sam Brannan
set up the city's
first newspaper in 1847.
San Francisco Captured from Mexico
On July 9, 1846 the USS
Portsmouth
took
control of the undefended bay, and 70 US
sailors and marines marched ashore, raising
the Stars and Stripes in the central plaza.
Firemen pulling
firefighting rig
Gambling
Fortunes and lives were won
or lost on the turn of a card;
gambling was a way of life.
1820
Whaling ships
use Sausalito as main
base of operations
1823
Mission San
Francisco de Solano
founded at Sonoma
1828
Fur trapper Jedediah
Smith arrives at Presidio after
making the first crossing of the
rugged coastal mountains
1834
Missions close,
and their assets are
divided among
Mexican landowners
1820
1830
1835
William
Richardson founds
Yerba Buena,
later renamed
San Francisco
1822
The Mexican Revolution
ends Spanish rule over California
Richardson's hand-drawn map of
Yerba Buena (San Francisco) in 1835
