Popular State Guides
|
Free Traveling Guides » States » California » San Francisco
Portsmouth Plaza
Portsmouth Plaza in Chinatown in downtown San Francisco was once the original square of Yerba Buena, the precursor to the city. This square was laid out in 1839. In 1846, immediately following the declaration of California's indepence from Mexico, marines raised the American flag above the plaza, claiming it for the United States. In the 1850s, shortly after the discovery of gold in the California mountains, Portsmouth Plaza became the hub of San Francisco, but shortly thereafter the business district moved further east and the plaza declined in importance.
Today Portsmouth Plaza is the civic center of Chinatown. In the morning people practice t'ai chi in the plaza, and in the afternoon and evening they play cards.
|
Top 5 National Parks
- Great Smoky Mountains
- Grand Canyon
- Yosemite
- Olympic
- Yellowstone
All 58 national parks. |
