San Francisco Facts: A Journey from Yerba Beuna Cove to San Francisco
San Francisco: The Post Card Row (courtesy www.pbase.com)
The more you get into the depth of knowing San Francisco, the more it reveals its secrets rather, facts. From the beginning as a small village, Yerba Beuna Cove (wild mint-good herb) to now a full fledged city as San Francisco, there have been several interesting facts related to every aspect and growth of this place.
Once a small unknown fishing village, suddenly rose to fame for its treasure trove of gold mines. The popularity never
San Francisco Lombard Street ( courtesy www.onmylist.com )
faded but grew with immigrants, poets, artists and fortune seeker who kept thronging this place. The credit for its modern name goes to the first Mayor of this town. The first ever gold was spotted in Stutter’s mill by John Marshall in 1848 which led to the heavy downpour of the people in San Francisco.
One cannot forget to mention the cable cars. They were started in late twentieth century and are still seen on the roads of San Francisco, with the same pride and attitude. That is why they are called as the moving National Historic Landmarks. Many new cars and buses have been introduced on the road with the modern technology enough to make cable car embarrass but Cable car has retained its old is gold glory.
Built on 43 hills, the city is bound to have steep, curving and winding streets, the steepest being the Lombard street, but it does not deter tourists from going through such deep curvy path. Imagine the natives of San Francisco do not find place in their own city after they die. Burying the dead in the cemeteries was outlawed in 1901 with Presidio and Mission, the only remaining cemeteries here.
So were, the dead are buried? Naturally in the adjoining city of Colma, that has in the recent years acquired a name
San Francisco: Presidio Cemetery ( courtesy www.cornbis.com)
for having more number of dead people compared to the living. Oh God! Can there be a weirder situation than this!
Alcatraz Federal prison which means Pelican in Spanish was once the most dreaded and feared place. Built on a rocky, secluded island, it was once a military Fort, which later became a prison. Now it is just a heap of ruins but still the most popular tourist destination. ‘Defame has its own flavor of fame,’ this holds true for some of the prisoners of Alcatraz island, who are more popular that anything else in California.
There are several historical landmark buildings, ten historical districts and around 14,000 Victorian homes. These Victorian homes have interesting name ‘postcard row’, with a beautiful backdrop of city skyline. Of all the 215 old historical buildings Mission Dolores is the oldest one, a true piece of architecture which remained unaffected, when the city was completely shaken by two earthquakes, what the earthquake could not do, was done by powderpost beetles who chewed down the whole buildings.
These are I think the most interesting facts as per my opinion, if you feel the same please comment.