San Francisco, California

Fun things to do in San Francisco:
See the local sports teams the San Francisco 49ers (Football), or San Francisco Giants (Baseball). Enjoy a Tour of San Francisco Visit the notorious prison, Alcatraz Island Spend the day at the San Francisco Zoo Try your luck driving down Lombard Street Learn about the history of The Presidio Drive, walk or bike across the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge

The People of San Francisco

Demographics:

The population of San Francisco is estimated at 808,976
There are 324,119 households within the city limits
The average income per household is $68,023
People who live in San Francisco use the area code 415 (Find a phone number in San Francisco here)

Many famous people have lived in San Francisco, including:
Clint Eastwood, Danny Glover, Alicia Silverstone, Francis Ford Coppola, Cheech Marin, Johnny Mathis, Jello Biafra, Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana, Barry Bonds, Joe DiMaggio, O.J. Simpson, Joe Montana, Mark Twain, William Randolph-Hearst, Ansel Adams, Robert Frost, Alan Ginsberg, Dianne Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi, Harvey Milk

Historical Notes:
Miners from the Gold Rush era, who were often known as 49ers, needed durable work clothes. This necessity led to the invention of denim jeans.

George Hearst took control of the San Francisco Examiner newspaper in 1880, after accepting it in exchange for wiping out a gambling debt.

Alcatraz, the infamous prison on an island, started off as a military prison and was later used to house federal inmates. Among the famous prisoners who spent time in Alcatraz was the notorious gangster Al Capone.

In 1978 the residents of San Francisco were devastated by the news that Supervisor Dan White had shot and killed Mayor George Moscone and the first openly gay elected official in California, Harvey Milk.

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About San Francisco
Spanish explorers first claimed ownership of the San Francisco area during the 16th century, but it wasn't until the 1770's that settlers began to move in. By 1821 all of California was taken over by Mexico, but later the Mexican-American War placed the land into the hands of the United States. San Francisco was originally known as Yerba Buena until the name was changed in 1848. Later that same year thousands of prospectors rushed into the area when a large amount of gold was discovered. The city grew quickly and was very prosperous, until a major earthquake struck in 1906. Gas lines were ruptured during the quake, and an unstoppable fire raged throughout the city. Most of the buildings were completely destroyed in the tragedy, and thousands of people lost their homes. Efforts to rebuild San Francisco started immediately, and the city was soon prospering once again. Two major bridges were built – the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge – to better connect San Francisco to nearby Bay Area cities. These overpasses helped bring even more business to the area, and things continued to look up for the city. The economy of San Francisco remained so positive that no banks closed throughout the duration of the Great Depression. In recent years San Francisco gained a reputation for being a cultural hub. It was known as the home for the Beat Generation in the 1950's, a haven for Hippies during the 1960's and a leader in the gay rights movement. Today San Francisco is a popular tourist destination, a city known for technology and innovation, and an area that attracts new residents from all across the globe.

About San Francisco

Spanish explorers first claimed ownership of the San Francisco area during the 16th century, but it wasn't until the 1770's that settlers began to move in. By 1821 all of California was taken over by Mexico, but later the Mexican-American War placed the land into the hands of the United States.

San Francisco was originally known as Yerba Buena until the name was changed in 1848. Later that same year thousands of prospectors rushed into the area when a large amount of gold was discovered. The city grew quickly and was very prosperous, until a major earthquake struck in 1906. Gas lines were ruptured during the quake, and an unstoppable fire raged throughout the city. Most of the buildings were completely destroyed in the tragedy, and thousands of people lost their homes.

Efforts to rebuild San Francisco started immediately, and the city was soon prospering once again. Two major bridges were built – the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge – to better connect San Francisco to nearby Bay Area cities. These overpasses helped bring even more business to the area, and things continued to look up for the city. The economy of San Francisco remained so positive that no banks closed throughout the duration of the Great Depression.

In recent years San Francisco gained a reputation for being a cultural hub. It was known as the home for the Beat Generation in the 1950's, a haven for Hippies during the 1960's and a leader in the gay rights movement. Today San Francisco is a popular tourist destination, a city known for technology and innovation, and an area that attracts new residents from all across the globe.