History
The city saw a growth in population boom in 1848, called the California Gold Rush, which saw the population of San Francisco rise from 1,000 to 25, 000 in the span of only a year. And incorporated into a full-fledged city on April 15, 1850 making it at the time the largest city on the west coast at the time.
However, fifty-eight years later 75% of the city was destroyed by an earthquake and fire on April 18, 1906 at 5:12 am. The city of San Francisco was rapidly rebuilt in a span of nine years, and played host to the 1915 World's Fair, also called the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.
During World War II San Francisco was used as the port of deployment for the U.S. military troops who shipped off to the Pacific Theater, and after the war the convergence of massive immigration, the returning servicemen, and attitudes that were becoming more liberal all lead to such things as the "Summer of Love" in 1967 and the gay rights movement. These set in stone San Francisco as the nucleus of liberal activism in the U.S..
San Francisco today is an ever popular international tourist destination, with the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and an assorted mix of both modern and Victorian architecture being favorite stops.
Geography
Located on the United States' west coast at the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. The boundaries of the city reaches out into the Pacific Ocean and include several islands encompassing, Treasure Island, Alcatraz, Yerba Buena, and Red Rock Island, even including the non-inhabited Farallon Islands 27 miles offshore.
San Francisco is known for having more than 50 hills with the city limits. Nob Hill, Russian Hill, and Pacific Heights are neighborhoods all named after the hill they are located respectively. Mount Davidson is the tallest San Franciscan hill at a height of 925 feet capped with a 103 foot cross built in 1934.
Both the San Andreas and Hayward Faults are nearby and chiefly responsible for many of the minor earthquakes felt in the city, including more devastating ones in 1906 and 1989.
Since it's surrounded on three sides by water, the climate of San Francisco includes cool dry summers, and mild wet winters, and is heavily influenced by the Pacific Ocean's cool currents.
Quick Facts
- Land 46.7 square miles
- Water 185.2 square miles
- Highest elevation is 925 feet
- Lowest elevation is 0 feet
- The Highest recorded temperature was 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39 Celsius) on July 17, 1988 and again on June 14, 2000
- The lowest temperature recorded was 27 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 Celsius) on December 11, 1932
- It is home to the Giant Bomb offices!
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