Going on tours to visit local museums and read San Francisco’s historical events are some of the ways to keep updated about the city. The following lists some of the most interesting places where you can learn more about San Francisco.
Yerba Buena
Yerba Buena was the first name of the bay’s small town before it was changed to San Francisco. In Spanish, Yerba Buena means “Good herb.” The city was founded in 1776 then renamed in 1846. Portsmouth Square in Chinatown was previously the location of Yerba Buena’s public square.
Chinatown
Outside Asia, San Francisco has the second-largest Chinatown, which is about one mile long and one and a half miles wide. San Francisco’s Chinatown’s population is more than 100,000 people, making it the most densely populated neighborhood in the city.
Japantown
The city is also home to one of only three Japantowns in the United States, which is also the largest and oldest one.
Beautiful Hills
There are more than 50 named hills around the city. Most believe that there are only seven or nine hills. The most popular are Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hil, and Twin Peaks.
Sharks
There aren’t any man-eating sharks in San Francisco Bay, despite what many believe are dangerous creatures that live in the city’s waters. Sharks are known to live in the bay, but they are small and relatively harmless. Great White Sharks rarely make their way in the bay even though they live in the Pacific Ocean. However, in 2015, a feeding Great White Shark was spotted on camera on the Bay.
American Wine
San Francisco is home to the largest American wine competition globally. The city holds the annual Chronicle Wine Competition every February. A few weeks after the winners are announced, a public tasting is conducted to share the winners and other entrants.
Burial Restrictions
It is prohibited to bury the deceased within the city limits. This restriction caused only two cemeteries to remain; one behind the Mission San Francisco de Asis and the other is the National Cemetery. The city’s board of supervisors voted in 1902 in favor of stopping all the burials within San Francisco because of lack of space. Between the 1920s and 1940s, graves were moved to Colma to free up more space.
Panama Pacific Exposition
After the tragic 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, the Panama Pacific Exposition in 1915 was the city’s new beginning. It supported San Francisco in rebuilding itself and showcasing that it was once again an international city. The nine-month event had nearly 19 million people around the world who attended.
International Orange
The city’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge is also known as International Orange. The color was the primer used as protection for the steel, and it was not one of the original options. However, the architect loved it and selected it as the official color.
