San Francisco History

Got Questions?

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Please note that the question board has been discontinued. Please visit these other boards:

San Francisco History (zPub)

Bay Area Backroads

Sutro History

How do I research my family's history?

There is an excellent site on San Francisco genealogy maintained by Pamela Storm Wolfskill.

How do I research my house or any building?

There is a great outline written by Jean Kortum available on the San Francisco Main Library History Center's website. Some of the City's office addresses are not current, so call before you go.

Where can I find old photographs?

There are three large photograph collections on the web:

San Francisco Main Library History Center
Bancroft Library California Heritage Center
Library of Congress American Memory

There are other large collections available which are not yet available on the web. Some of these include:

California Historical Society
The Society of California Pioneers
California Views: The Pat Hathaway Collection

Don't forget to check other excellent small sites dedicated to San Francisco history (like this one) that have old photos and pictures of yesteryear.

How do I research old ships?

The J. Porter Library, part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, has a large collection focusing on maritime history. They will also take research questions via the web.

Who was San Francisco named after?

Saint Francis of Assisi (de Asis), the founder and patron of the Franciscans. He is also the patron saint of ecologists and merchants.

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