Embarcadero in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Howard Street
In 1845, W.D.M. Howard opened a store in Yerba Buena with Henry Mellus and in 1848, bought out the Hudson Bay Trading Company one week before Marshall found gold. With well-supplied stores in Sacramento, San Jose and San Francisco, Howard developed his waterfront property and Rancho San Mateo. A gifted mimic, he improvised theatricals, serenading his friends with invitations to his midnight champagne suppers. Actively generous, Howard funded the city’s first public school, first hospital, first fire engine, and first churches. Over six feet tall, with a portly build, a direct gaze, and a deep persuasive voice, Howard organized the California National Guard presided over the Society of California Pioneers, and chaired the Vigilance Committee. His early death at the age of 37 revealed the extent of his many hidden charities.
“Howard was a bold operator who acted on a grand scale.” William William Heath Davis, Close Friend in Yerba Buena
Erected by San Francisco Art Commission for the Waterfront Transportation Projects.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1845.
Location. 37° 47.527′ N, 122° 23.474′ W. Marker is in San Francisco, California, in San Francisco City and County. It is in Embarcadero. Marker is at the intersection of Embarcadero and Howard Street, on the right when traveling south on Embarcadero. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 Embarcadero, San Francisco CA 94105, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Big Strike (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fast Tides, Frisky Winds & Wet Sails (about 400 feet away); 20,000 Years Ago (about 600 feet away); Captain Shorey (about 600 feet away); Folsom Street (about 600 feet away); Audiffred Building (about 700 feet away); Getting Around (about 700 feet away); In Memory of Howard Sperry and Nick Bordoise (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Francisco.
Regarding Howard Street.
William Davis Merry Howard -- Peninsula Royalty: The Founding Families of Burlingame-Hillsborough entry:
Already present and trading in San Francisco in 1847, W.D.M. was one of the first to learn of the discovery of gold. On June 11, 1848, he wrote to his trading partner in Boston and requested that he fill a ship bound for San Francisco immediately. With great excitement, W.D.M. described: “[I]t is about six weeks since the discovery . . . People here are perfectly crazy. This town has been almost deserted . . . they have paid as high as $30 for a ¼ of beef rather than go 20 miles to obtain it for $3 & $4 . . . Crews are leaving their vessels . . . we shall be famished this year if produce is not brought from foreign ports . . . I recommend your fitting out an expedition immediately . . .”
Link at https://burlingamefoundingfamilies.wordpress.com/howard-introduction/william-davis-merry-howard/
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 26, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 447 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on March 26, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.