Historic Market Street: Path Of Gold

Description

When surveyor Jasper O’Farrell proposed a broad diagonal boulevard through San Francisco in 1847, the idea was so outrageous that some landowners wanted him dead. But his controversial vision would help shape a young city imagining its future.

Built across shifting sands and a buried waterfront, Market Street became the center of everything. Here, fortunes were made and lost, powerful, unscrupulous railroad barons left their mark, and Newspaper Corner became a stage for fierce rivalries, bold ambitions, and raw capitalism

After the devastation of the 1906 earthquake and fire, Market Street emerged as the Path of Gold, a showcase of architecture, sculpture, and civic pride. From the grandeur of the Palace Hotel to glowing historic streetlamps, public art, and innovations that transformed how people moved through the city, Market Street reflects San Francisco’s restless imagination, and continual reinvention.

Join us for a stroll through San Francisco’s past and present, from the Ferry Building and Lotta’s Fountain, to landmarks you may have walked past a hundred times without noticing. Discover the connections that shaped Market Street and the enduring spirit of San Francisco.

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Notes

Tour Length: Approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours