San Francisco, California

The city of San Francisco has seen great days from the time it was created. As the center of the Gold Rush it saw its fortunes flourish. Industries like banking, finance, and technology followed giving the community a solid economic environment.

An interesting aspect of the city is that it has always rejuvenated itself in challenging times. When trade shifted to the Port of Oakland it turned its attention towards tourism. The devastating earthquake of 1906 did not quell the spirit of the residents who worked hard to rebuild the city to its former glory in less than nine years.

The city was also the center of the dot com boom and bust which took many entrepreneurs in its wake. While there was a lot of heartache when the dot com bubble burst, the city continues to be a center for information technology and software. The people of San Francisco see the future and adapt to keep up with the changing trends in technology and economy.

San Francisco History

The city and County of San Francisco has a rich history. There is ample evidence pointing out that the land occupied by present day San Francisco was inhabited by humans as early as 3000 BC. Unfortunately there are no specific details available about the people who lived there until the late 1700's and early 1800's. The Spanish expedition led by Don Gaspar de Portola landed in the San Francisco area in 1769. It found the region was occupied by the Yeluma group. The Presidio of San Francisco was established which was followed by the Mission of San Francisco de Asis also known as Mission Dolores.

After San Francisco gained independence from the Spanish, it became a part of Mexico. This is when the mission system was demolished and private land holdings were allowed. Around the mid 1800's, Mexico gave up the territory to the United States of America after the Mexican-American War.

Later the Californian Gold Rush filled the area with treasure seekers. The population of the area went up from 1000 to 25,000 in a matter of a year. The harbor was filled with abandoned ships as people arrived at the shores and left immediately to search for gold. Lawlessness was at its peak at this time. Fortune seekers in the city pushed the united States to declare California as a state to increase the military presence by building Fort Point at golden gate and another fort at Alcatraz.

As numerous people made money in the area, the financial sector started to make its mark in the city to help the people manage their riches. The initial companies that started work here included the Bank of California and Wells Fargo. As the population grew there were efforts to create parks, cable cars, roads and townships for the people.

A prospering city, San Francisco did not expect to see the earthquake of 1906 that almost devastated the city completely. Buildings collapsed due to the movement and gas lines ruptured igniting fires across the city. Dynamite was used on various building blocks to abate the fire since the water line had been destroyed too. It is said that more than three fourths of the city was in ruins.

During the rebuilding phase, many suggested that the street grids should be changed and redesigned completely. However, the people of San Francisco wanted their city up and running as soon as possible. After 9 years of rebuilding where the destroyed mansions of Nob Hills became grand hotels and the City Hall was recreated in a Beaux Arts style, there was a celebration of the rebirth held at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

The city played an important role in the World War II when the Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard became the hub of activity. Post the war there were various urbanization projects that were initiated. The Transamerica Pyramid was created and the city of San Francisco was "Manhattanized".

When the port activity moved to Oakland, the city turned its attention to tourism and started to grow it actively. As The demographics of the city changed with many white people leaving the population was maintained by the incoming Asians and Latin American people. The city also became a center for gay rights.

The history of the city is incomplete without mention of the dot com boom and the dot com bubble burst. However, the city continues to be the hub of high technology and entrepreneurial activity till date.

About San Francisco, California

The city of San Francisco is one of the important cities in the State of California. It is the cultural, financial and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area. The city is spread over a huge area of about 47 square miles with a population density of 17,179 people per square mile making it the most densely populated city in California and the second most densely populated in the country following New York City. As per the 2010 census, San Francisco has a population of 805,235 and is the fourth and thirteenth most populous city in California and United States respectively.

The city founded by Lieutenant Jose Joaquin Moraga and Father Francisco Palou is named after Saint Francis of Assisi. The city has seen a lot of history created from the days of Spanish Colonization, the Gold Rush to World War 2. Currently it is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world.

San Francisco has a great climate, scenic landscape and breathtaking architectural marvels. Apart from being a tourist center, the city is also home for various financial institutions of the country and it also plays an important role in the nation's economy. The city also holds the distinction of being the eighteenth top producing city in the world and figures among the top twenty global financial centers.

The city's northeast quadrant bound by the Market Street forms the historic center and is the home of the financial district complete with hotels and shopping district in the Union Square. The city also has various breathing spaces and recreational areas. The beaches of San Francisco along with few parks are all a part of the Golden Gate Recreational Area attracting visitors round the year.

The city of San Francisco is located near Silicon Valley. The large number of information technology companies and financial institutions provide many white collar jobs for people from all over the world. The city is also well known for its high quality of living, the second highest in the United States. The art, culture and entertainment scene in the region befits the lifestyle. There are numerous options to choose from in terms of sources of entertainment. The education system is state of the art with numerous schools and colleges imparting quality education. University of California has a complete campus dedicated for graduate education offering professional courses related to engineering, medicine and other branches of science. The presence of good basic amenities, public services and utilities along with efficient transportation and recreational facilities make it one of the best places to live in United States.

About San Francisco County, California

San Francisco is the only city in the state of California that is also considered as a county, a consolidated city-county. In fact the official name of San Francisco is the City and County of San Francisco. The population of the county has been estimated to be 805,235 in the US 2010 Census. This is an increase of 3.7 percent since the last census in 2000. About 14 percent of the population is below 18 years of age and the county has about 14 percent of elderly people too.

The percentage of white people in the county is almost 50 percent while there are about 6 percent African Americans. However, the proportion of Asians is as high as 33 percent. The city has 361,218 housing units as of 2009 estimates and 66 percent of these are in multi unit structures like apartments and condominiums. The median value of a house in San Francisco County is about $781,500.

There are more than 30,000 private non-farm establishments in the city and the total number of firms is estimated to be more than 105,000. While 30 percent of the firms are owned by whites, the Asians own more than 21 percent.

The city and county is influenced largely by the Bay Area in terms of climate, geography and economy. While the winds and the cool breeze makes the city a relatively colder place to stay, the Bay Area and the hills augment the tourism that the place receives. There is also the influence of the Silicon Valley that has literally changed the entire living standard and lifestyle of the place in a few decades.

Today San Francisco is known for comfortable summers, rolling hills and mix of Victorian and modern architecture.