San Francisco's Golden Era

by Lucius Beebe

From the cover

"This book is based on the premise that San Francisco, blessed with wonderful climate, possessing a good harbor, and having the Comstock Lode conveniently nearby, early and easily achieved standards of elegance and cosmopolitan ways. Even today this pattern remains, so that its inhabitants 'in moments of trial turn to champagne.'"

325 illustrations, 4 in full color

Genres: History

255 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

Reviews

[Loren · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I'm familiar with San Francisco's Gold Rush history and its 1906 earthquake, there was a gap in my knowledge. This book concentrates on San Francisco's Golden Era, the decades between the discovery of gold accompanied by the explosion of the city's population and its 1906 destruction by the earthquake and fire, a time when silver from the Comstock Lode poured in, transforming a rough frontier town into the Paris of the West.

More than 300 photographs and period illustrations illuminate everything from the news stories of the day to the opulent restaurants, hotels, and mansions. This is a wonderful book that will reward repeatedly study. I wish there were subsequent volumes exploring each era of the city's history.