THIS WAS SAN FRANCISCO

by Oscar Lewis ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 28, 1962

San Francisco is much younger than many people think. Not until 1835 was the first house built at Yerba Buena Cove, and only in 1846 was it given its present name. Even the natural harbor, now world-famous, remained hidden behind mists and geographic camouflage until 1776. On January 24, 1848, gold was found at Sutter's sawmill; only nine days later, Mexico relinquished her claim to California and missed out on the greatest gold rush in history. Fortunately for us, on-the-spot participants and observers left copious diaries and accounts of the city and surrounding area from the very beginning. More than half of Lewis' book consists of quotations from famous writers who were there, such as Rudyard Kipling and Jessie Benton Fremont, as well as from many lesser known commentators. They cover the period from 1776, when the bay was discovered, to 1906, when the earthquake precipitated the greatest of many fires that plagued the city from its founding. This very interesting volume should become a popular secondary source for lovers of Americana and local color as recorded by eye-witnesses.

Pub Date: March 28, 1962

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: McKay

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1962

Categories: NONFICTION