Yerba Buena was founded in 1835.  In 1846, Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco by an ordinance published in the California Star.
In 1848, gold was discovered in the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains. Between 1848 and 1850, San Francisco's population exploded as people moved to the West in search of gold.
In 1850 the California Legislature created the original counties, including San Francisco. The San Francisco County government was established on 1 April while on April 15th the City of San Francisco was incorporated by act of the legislature. Later in 1850, California became the 31st state admitted to the United States of America.

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San Francisco history managed to avoid European settlement until 1775, when the Spaniard Gaspar de Portola led a sacred expedition to the city. Shortly after, Francisco Paulou founded the Catholic Mission San Francisco de Asis. This led to members of the Yelamu tribe of the Ohlone group, well established occupants in the Bay and surrounding areas, being captured into the Mission.

1800s

In 1821, the city became independent of Spaniard ruling and was ceded to the Mexicans. In 1835, an English settler by the name of William Richardson was instrumental in establishing a town called Yerba Buena, now known as San Francisco.

In 1848, the city got caught up in the heady days of the California Gold Rush. Waves of immigrants, including Asians, rushed to the city to seek their fortunes. San Francisco’s Chinatown stands as a reminder of its gold rush days.

1900s

In 1906, San Francisco was struck by an earthquake that ignited it in flames and completely devastated the city. The Great Depression followed, when famous landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the Alcatraz Island Prison, as we know today were built.

Post World War II, the city experienced a significant period of urban development and growth. Meanwhile, the city developed its own unique feel, moving from the Beatnik 1950s to the 1960’s Hippie psychedelic movement.

In the late 1990’s, San Francisco experienced a wave of business activity as entrepreneurs moved to the area to ride the dot com boom. After the tech bubble burst in 2001, other industries have thrived in San Francisco – including green energy innovation and stem cell research. With such a vibrant history, the city attracts many travelers from around the world.