San Francisco's Gold Rush Century

Up through 1882 it was relatively easy to enter California without a passport. Come along on a tour exploring ten 1804-1898 stories depicting the land-grubbing mystique of California. From the czar-crossed romance of Rezanov and Concepcion to the wild gold-lust rush of 1849 to the Chinese railroad labor coolies to Frederick Jackson Turner's 1893 "The Significance of the Frontier in American History" thesis, this walk demands an explanation for the need for passports to inhabit planet Earth. From the delusional but generous Emperor Norton to the clear-eyed Henry George, San Francisco has provided a rebuke to the scandalous notion of limited world citizenship. We begin with Martin Luther King, jr's challenge, "Who's world is this, anyways?" then spend two hours to join Thomas Paine in declaring, "My attachment is to all the world, and not to any particular part." Along the way we'll track buried ships, Mark Twain's San Francisco neighborhood, the Pony Express (the early forbear of the internet!), and heaps of other true and truly relevant stories demonstrating you didn't need a passport!

The tour lasts 2 hours

Available in English

Guide: David

PRO

Guiding since 2023

I'm an English and social studies middle school and high school teacher who loves sharing true stories about San Francisco. In fact, I've been leading walking tours in San Francisco since 1998!

5 stops

1.6 km walking

2 hours

Meeting point:312 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USAWe meet in the lobby of the American Youth Hostel, 312 Mason Street. Your guide will be wearing a California Republic bicycle cap.Open in Google Maps →

Outside visit

Union SquareHere we encounter the extension of Manifest Destiny U.S. -style colonialism to include the Philippines.

Outside visit

200 Geary StreetSan Francisco and California more generally had advanced in ten years commercially to warrant a marketing of the state to the rest of the nation. Here we see California's original Market Center exposition hall.

Outside visit

450 Sansome StreetNow we're on the original shoreline of San Francisco, and we review the story of still-buried ships beneath us!

5 stops

1.6 km walking

2 hours

Outside visit

Union SquareHere we encounter the extension of Manifest Destiny U.S. -style colonialism to include the Philippines.

Outside visit

450 Sansome StreetNow we're on the original shoreline of San Francisco, and we review the story of still-buried ships beneath us!

4.71

7 reviews

Professionalism

4.86

Entertainment

4.71

Communication

4.86

Quality

4.86

Route

4.33

Free tours don't have a fixed price. At the end, each person contributes to the guide the amount they consider fair based on their satisfaction. As a guideline, Guruwalk recommends between €15 and $50 per participant.

Accessibility

Suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Groups

Accepts bookings of up to 10 people.

Pets

Suitable for bringing pets.

Minimum attendees

Requires a minimum of 5 people to conduct the tour.

Additional costs

The tour does not require payment for entries or additional expenses.

Free cancellation

If you cannot attend the tour, please cancel the reservation, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.