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| Quality of Life |
An Unmatched Quality of Life
San Francisco is one of America’s most politically and culturally dynamic cities with a fiscal reach that is global. The cosmopolitan city is home to a diverse group of people, many of whom were attracted to it by its rich history and liberal attitude. Not only is San Francisco appealing for the young and adventurous, it’s also a haven for the seasoned and established because the entrepreneurial spirit here drives the people of San Francisco and the neighboring counties, making it one of the top business regions in the world.
San Francisco itself is one of the most iconic cities in the United States. The Golden Gate Bridge serves as an emblem to distinguish this West Coast metropolis as a province of the great American values of family, community and progressive thinking; the preservation of heritage and culture; and the development of entrepreneurial ambitions. With its diverse neighborhoods, people from every socioeconomic and cultural background feel right at home in this welcoming city. And that’s just San Francisco. Also known as the Bay Area, as a whole it represents an even greater collection of world-class communities. From Oakland to San Jose, living in the Bay Area means ensuring a high quality of life for you and your family.
San Francisco is a city that offers its residents all of the cosmopolitan amenities of the world’s greatest metropolitan areas while paying heed to the importance of maintaining the environment. In short, San Francisco and the Bay Area are rare urban landscapes that also have found a way of preserving the nature around them. In fact, it’s estimated that only 18 percent of the Bay Area is urbanized, meaning that residents are free to enjoy the great outdoors whenever it strikes their fancy. Limitless education opportunities, a fun and exciting nightlife, amazing retail opportunities, gorgeous homes, great parks and recreational areas are all in one location. That’s San Francisco in a nutshell.
HISTORY
After being inhabited by the Ohlone people since before 3000 BCE, the first European occupants of the area were a group of Spanish explorers led by Don Gaspar de Portolà, who claimed the land for Spain in 1769. By 1776, the Spanish had established the Presidio of San Francisco, followed a short time later by the construction of the Mission Dolores (Mission San Francisco de Asìs), which still stands today. This presidio area was an important place of trade and commerce and served as a temporary refuge for travelers from Europe. When San Francisco became independent from Spain in 1821, the area came under the jurisdiction of Mexico and the expanded settlement was named Yerba Buena. It wasn’t until the Mexican-American War in 1846 that all of California was ceded to the United States and this area was again renamed San Francisco. Despite being an attractive port and naval base, the area remained a small settlement for nearly a century.
However, the California Gold Rush saw the dawn of a new age in San Francisco as the population grew exponentially. Due to the massive swell of people in the area as they sought their fortunes, many entrepreneurs flocked to the area, some of whom established brand names that still exist today, including Levi Strauss & Co. and Wells Fargo Bank. Sam Brannan, a Mormon who arrived in San Francisco in 1846, was the first millionaire made from the California Gold Rush.
San Francisco became an important mining town as the quest to strike it rich with gold became the primary motivator of both personal and commercial enterprises in the area. Despite the city’s immense growth, San Francisco did see its share of hardships, notably being hit with a cholera epidemic in 1855 because of poor sanitation systems in place that were unable to handle the population surge. The first county hospitals were established here to take care of that situation.
Meanwhile, another important historical event was beginning to develop in the east and make its way west with the transcontinental railroad, which created an increased need for physical laborers and caused the Chinese migration to San Francisco in the mid-1800s. Chinese men settled in modern-day Chinatown, but many were unable to bring their families due to the immigration laws in place. When the exclusionary laws were repealed, the population surged, which resulted in the largest Chinese enclave outside of Asia.
In 1906, San Francisco suffered one of the greatest natural disasters in U.S. history: a massive earthquake caused by movement of the San Andreas Fault. The initial earthquake was incredibly devastating, but that was only where the disaster began. Ruptured gas mains throughout the city and more than 30 large-scale fires ravaged what little the earthquake had left intact. Much of the city’s population became displaced, and the final death toll was 3,000, the largest from a natural disaster on the West Coast.
The 1960s was a time of intense political activism and reform all over the country, and particularly in San Francisco. Jaded by the limitations of the 1960s society, the decade’s youth created a counterculture based on peace, love and a desire to see the end of the world’s problems. Identified as hippies, these people often participated in rallies protesting the Vietnam War and segregation still prevalent in the South. San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district became synonymous with the hippie culture movement; by the mid-1960s, there were an estimated 15,000 hippies concentrated in the area. Many of these young people were former students of San Francisco State University, known as the “public university with a conscience.”
San Francisco is one of America’s most politically and culturally dynamic cities with a fiscal reach that is global. The cosmopolitan city is home to a diverse group of people, many of whom were attracted to it by its rich history and liberal attitude. Not only is San Francisco appealing for the young and adventurous, it’s also a haven for the seasoned and established because the entrepreneurial spirit here drives the people of San Francisco and the neighboring counties, making it one of the top business regions in the world.
San Francisco itself is one of the most iconic cities in the United States. The Golden Gate Bridge serves as an emblem to distinguish this West Coast metropolis as a province of the great American values of family, community and progressive thinking; the preservation of heritage and culture; and the development of entrepreneurial ambitions. With its diverse neighborhoods, people from every socioeconomic and cultural background feel right at home in this welcoming city. And that’s just San Francisco. Also known as the Bay Area, as a whole it represents an even greater collection of world-class communities. From Oakland to San Jose, living in the Bay Area means ensuring a high quality of life for you and your family.
San Francisco is a city that offers its residents all of the cosmopolitan amenities of the world’s greatest metropolitan areas while paying heed to the importance of maintaining the environment. In short, San Francisco and the Bay Area are rare urban landscapes that also have found a way of preserving the nature around them. In fact, it’s estimated that only 18 percent of the Bay Area is urbanized, meaning that residents are free to enjoy the great outdoors whenever it strikes their fancy. Limitless education opportunities, a fun and exciting nightlife, amazing retail opportunities, gorgeous homes, great parks and recreational areas are all in one location. That’s San Francisco in a nutshell.
HISTORY
After being inhabited by the Ohlone people since before 3000 BCE, the first European occupants of the area were a group of Spanish explorers led by Don Gaspar de Portolà, who claimed the land for Spain in 1769. By 1776, the Spanish had established the Presidio of San Francisco, followed a short time later by the construction of the Mission Dolores (Mission San Francisco de Asìs), which still stands today. This presidio area was an important place of trade and commerce and served as a temporary refuge for travelers from Europe. When San Francisco became independent from Spain in 1821, the area came under the jurisdiction of Mexico and the expanded settlement was named Yerba Buena. It wasn’t until the Mexican-American War in 1846 that all of California was ceded to the United States and this area was again renamed San Francisco. Despite being an attractive port and naval base, the area remained a small settlement for nearly a century.
However, the California Gold Rush saw the dawn of a new age in San Francisco as the population grew exponentially. Due to the massive swell of people in the area as they sought their fortunes, many entrepreneurs flocked to the area, some of whom established brand names that still exist today, including Levi Strauss & Co. and Wells Fargo Bank. Sam Brannan, a Mormon who arrived in San Francisco in 1846, was the first millionaire made from the California Gold Rush.
San Francisco became an important mining town as the quest to strike it rich with gold became the primary motivator of both personal and commercial enterprises in the area. Despite the city’s immense growth, San Francisco did see its share of hardships, notably being hit with a cholera epidemic in 1855 because of poor sanitation systems in place that were unable to handle the population surge. The first county hospitals were established here to take care of that situation.
Meanwhile, another important historical event was beginning to develop in the east and make its way west with the transcontinental railroad, which created an increased need for physical laborers and caused the Chinese migration to San Francisco in the mid-1800s. Chinese men settled in modern-day Chinatown, but many were unable to bring their families due to the immigration laws in place. When the exclusionary laws were repealed, the population surged, which resulted in the largest Chinese enclave outside of Asia.
In 1906, San Francisco suffered one of the greatest natural disasters in U.S. history: a massive earthquake caused by movement of the San Andreas Fault. The initial earthquake was incredibly devastating, but that was only where the disaster began. Ruptured gas mains throughout the city and more than 30 large-scale fires ravaged what little the earthquake had left intact. Much of the city’s population became displaced, and the final death toll was 3,000, the largest from a natural disaster on the West Coast.
The 1960s was a time of intense political activism and reform all over the country, and particularly in San Francisco. Jaded by the limitations of the 1960s society, the decade’s youth created a counterculture based on peace, love and a desire to see the end of the world’s problems. Identified as hippies, these people often participated in rallies protesting the Vietnam War and segregation still prevalent in the South. San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district became synonymous with the hippie culture movement; by the mid-1960s, there were an estimated 15,000 hippies concentrated in the area. Many of these young people were former students of San Francisco State University, known as the “public university with a conscience.”
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