Does anyone have population figures for San Francisco from before the gold rush through 1860?

-- Warren Deverel (wdeverel@club-internet.fr), June 18, 2004

Answers

As per San Francisco Chamber of Commerce:

By 1847, the population of San Francisco had grown to more than 450 inhabitants, not including the mission or the Presidio. Establishments began to emerge for the local people, including hotels, grocery stores, bars and blacksmith shops. It was a quite cultural mix, with half of the residents being American-born; about a third of the population Spanish Californians, Ohlone (the indigenous peoples) or Hawaiians; and the remainder of European, South American and New Zealand descent.

An estimated 30,000 49ers traveled across the continent to California in 1849. A full 55,000 would make the trip in 1850 an a total of 60,000 in the years 1851 and 1852. San Francisco's population exploded from a few hundred in 1848 to 25,000 in 1850 and to more than 55,000 by the end of the 1850s.

http:// www.sfchamber.com/san_francisco_history.htm

I think the next growth spurt in San Francisco population came with the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869.

-- strange (stranger@yahoo.com), June 18, 2004.