This site provides an alternative way of browsing the SFPL's incredible San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection. Its goal is to help you discover the history behind the places you see every day.And, if you're lucky, maybe you'll...

The Chinese in California, 1850-1925 illustrates nineteenth and early twentieth century Chinese immigration to California through about 8,000 images and pages of primary source materials. Included are photographs, original art, cartoons...

A map from 1911 of the San Francisco Bay area showing the Golden Gate, San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the mouth of the Sacramento River, Alcatraz Island, Mount Diablo, the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and...

A map from 1916 of the San Francisco Bay area showing the Golden Gate, San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the mouth of the Sacramento River, Alcatraz Island, Mount Diablo, the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and...

A map from 1919 of the San Francisco and vicinity showing the Golden Gate, San Francisco Bay, Oakland, Sausalito, San Quentin, Berkeley, and Alameda, railroads, islands, and rivers.

A map from 1909 of the San Francisco and vicinity showing the Golden Gate, San Francisco Bay, Oakland, Sausalito, San Quentin, Berkeley, Alameda, Benicia, universities, railroads, and rivers.

A map from 1901 of the San Francisco Bay area showing San Francisco and Oakland, roads, wharfs, shoreline features, islands, and the coastal ridges.

A map from 1922 of the area from San Francisco to Sacramento, showing the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento River, neighboring cities and towns, county boundaries, railroads, marshlands, coastal mountains, rivers, and coastal features.

The Ferry Building is a terminal for ferries on the San Francisco Bay and an upscale shopping center located on The Embarcadero in San Francisco, California.

A map from 1903 of the San Francisco Bay area, showing roads, railroads, local jurisdictions, and physical features. The map pre-dates the bridge system of the bay, including the Golden Gate Bridge started in 1933.

A map from 1919 showing San Francisco Harbor, the surrounding towns and cities, and railway networks.

A map from 1909 showing San Francisco Harbor, the surrounding towns and cities, and railway networks.

Fountain at the Plaza de San Francisco (Seville)

San Francisco el Grande (Madrid)

Plaza de San Francisco (Seville)

On November 4, 1769 the expedition of Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola reached the summit of the 1,200-foot (370 m) high Sweeney Ridge, where he sighted San Francisco Bay. It is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

An image of the San Francisco Plantation House.

An iconic image of San Francisco, this is the only remaining permanently operational manually operated cable car system in the world.

A clipart illustration by Phillip Martin titled "San Francisco Cable Car."

The Golden Gate Bridge is a famous suspension bridge that reaches over the San Francisco Bay. Completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge is a well known landmark that attracts a large number of tourists and photographers. For more...

Golden Gate National Recreational Area is rich in California historical landmarks, historical buildings, military defenses, wildlife, famous people, and so much more as offered by National Park Services.

Golden Gate National Recreational Area is rich in California historical landmarks, historical buildings, military defenses, wildlife, famous people, and so much more as offered by National Park Services.

A wonderful CableCarMuseum.org site that celebrates the Cable Car. Lots of information and photos

San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge