Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
INTERCONTINENTAL
MARK HOPKINS
SAN FRANCISCO
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San Francisco has benefited greatly from the influx of diverse peoples. First to arrive were the Span-
ish explorers and then there was a flood of Europeans, a few Russians, and a great many Chinese
who came to build the railroads. The Gold Rush attracted tens of thousands of new settlers from all
over the world. They stayed for the climate and to enjoy the prosperity that this shipping and naval
facility on America's new West Coast would offer.
The mining craze made many millionaires, both from gold and from businesses that supported
the prospectors. But the railroads had perhaps the most significant impact on the city.
The Mark Hopkins is located on the site of the former 40-room mansion of Mark Hopkins, one
of San Francisco's “Big Four,” who founded what became the Southern Pacific Railroad. Hopkins,
Charles Crocker, Collis Huntington, and Leland Stanford earned much of the credit for the eco-
nomic development of San Francisco following the surge of humanity pursuing dreams of golden
riches. The house was actually built by Hopkins at the insistence of his socialite wife Mary, but he
died before it was finished in 1878.
After being destroyed by the great earthquake and fire of 1906, the mansion was later replaced
by a more modest structure built by the San Francisco Art Association, who received the property
from Mary Hopkins' second husband. The location was so admired, mining engineer and hotel in-
vestor George D. Smith, who had long admired the site, bought it in 1925 and built a luxury hotel.
When it opened in 1926, the hotel became an immediate part of San Francisco's rich and colorful
history. Many events took place at the Mark Hopkins, such as some of the meetings for the historic
founding of the United Nations in 1945. Since then, guests have included royalty, diplomats, political
personalities, celebrities, and five American presidents and heads of state from around the world.
The Top of the Mark is a favorite watering hole for guests, tourists, and locals alike. This nine-
teenth-floor sky lounge atop the hotel offers a dramatic, panoramic view of the ever-changing San
Francisco Bay Area landscape.
Because the Mark Hopkins is located on the top of prestigious Nob Hill at the intersection of
California and Mason Streets, it is a regular stop on the California Street cable car line, just minutes
away from the financial and theater districts, as well as Union Square and Chinatown.
