CChronica Maps

San Francisco: History, Former Names & Timeline

A Spanish mission and presidio that the 1849 Gold Rush turned into the largest city on the US West Coast.

Map showing San Francisco in 1900San Francisco
Border map for 1900. See the world in 1900.

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Former names of San Francisco

FromNameNote
1776Yerba Buena / San Francisco

Timeline of San Francisco

YearEvent
1776Spain founds a presidio and mission
1848Gold is found in California; the Gold Rush follows
1906The great earthquake and fire
1945The UN Charter is signed here

Who ruled San Francisco

Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.

PeriodState
500 BC–799North American Pacific foraging, hunting and fishing peoples
800–999Anasazi
1000–1491Unclaimed / no data
1492–1499Ramaytush
1500–1599Pomo
1600–1649Costanoan
1650–1782Unclaimed / no data
1783–1879Viceroyalty of New Spain
1880–1913United States of America
1914–todayUnited States