This is where Mr. Graham's transcontinental bicycle trip starts, literally at the San Francisco International Airport. And just outside the entrance to the airport he'll ride on his first historic road: El Camino Real (The King's Highway) was established about 200 years ago to link together the string of Spanish missions that had worked their way north from Mexico.
COUNTY INFORMATION
The city of San Francisco and San Francisco County have
the same boundaries, so this county report will really be a "city report".
Obviously, the county seat of the
county is "The City".
It's population is roughly 750,000
in the city proper. It covers 29,890 acres.
San Francisco City and
County website
City
Hall was just rededicated in January, 1999 after being rehabbed and
"earthquake-proofed". It's a beautiful building.
GEOGRAPHY
Weather report and forecast for San Francisco and vicinity. In June, the average daily temperature is in the mid-high 60's and the low is 52 degrees.
LOTS of maps and spatial data of the area
GEOLOGY
San Francisco may be best known for its 1906
earthquake. Here are some excellent pictures
of the aftermath of the destruction.
Here's a listing
of those who died.
We first learned about the San
Andreas fault with the San Francisco earthquake. Here's a picture.
POLITICS
Here's an excellent site that links to all kinds of SF
political issues.
And this page is called 'The
Usual Suspects', providing an off-beat look into the SF political scene.
Many, many issued presented here.
HISTORY
The first inhabitants of the area were
the Ohlone
Indians. The written history is scarce, but they apparently "faded
away" after the Spanish came in. (Why?)
In 1776 two Roman Catholic missionaries,
Francisco Palau and Benito Cambon, established Mission
Dolores a couple of miles south of the present-day city. The mission
was to be the home base for bringing the Gospel to the natives of the surrounding
area. The rest of the history
of the area is fascinating.
In April 15, 1850 the California state legislature granted San Francisco its charter. And the rest, as they say, is history. Here are some great links:
First and foremost, San Francisco was a port city. It was the center of all transportation coming into and leaving California by sea in the 19th century.
San Francisco was, of course, the terminus of the world-famous Pony Express. Mr. Graham's route will join it in Nevada.
One of the greatest engineering feats of the first half of our century, the Golden Gate Bridge spans the gateway to one of nature's most magnificent natural harbors. It's a beautiful bridge, especially with the fog rolling in. It was completed in May, 1937. This is a neat web site for information about it.
San Francisco's unique and world-famous transportation system is the cable car.
And right in the middle of that harbor,
nestled between the Golden Gate Bridge, The City, and Sausalito lies THE
ROCK. "Alcatraz was never no good for nobody," said Frank Wathernam,
the last prisoner to leave it in 1963. You didn't get off The Rock. Or
did you?
Mr. Graham was there in 1976, just
a few weeks after it was opened to the public by the National Park Service,
and not long after the Indian occupation was "terminated". He says "It
was a very cool mess. I'm sure it's been slicked up now."
Like every great city, there are many wonderful lesser-known stories, like "The Umbrella that made History".
How important was the invention of dynamite to the human race? Arguably the most important invention of the 19th century. It probably changed farming as much as war, if you think about it. Know where the first dynamite factory in the U.S. was located? Right. San Francisco. Along with a whole bunch of other state historical landmarks.
The Museum of the City of San Francisco is a terrific resource on the history of the city.
MISCELLANEOUS
Colleges and Universities in the Bay Area and beyond
Libraries in the Bay Area