Spear Street

Spear Street. . , This marker consists of six plaques arranged in a 2 X 3 pattern. The top left plaque is the title plaque and may contain some text. The top right plaque displayed an arrow which points in the direction of the named street. Other plaques contain biographical information on the person for whom the street is named, appropriate quotation(s) and relevant illustrations, cast in bronze., In February of 1853, the United States Topographical Engineers published their first detailed survey of the city, showing new streets, many named for army and navy officers. Fremont and Folsom were prominent officers; Harrison, Bryant and King held important city and port positions’ Spear and Brannon had been pioneers in Yerba Buena before San Francisco has its name., Boston-born Nathan Spear went to sea to better his health in 1819, and never returned for long. After several journeys to the Pacific Islands he came to Monterey in 1831 and became one of California’s pioneer merchants. Five years later he opened the first store in the new village of Yerba Buena, and ran a schooner to collect grain from around the bay for milling in the region’s first flour mill. Always proud of his American citizenship, his dreams were realized when the stars and stripes were raised over San Francisco. Hard working and modest, he exemplified the pioneer New England entrepreneur. , “We bring you goods from ev’ry clime, To suit all classed and all time. Let people know what you’ve for sale. You’ll sure succeed, and never fail,” – Anonymous, 1856