Student Fact Sheet H-4

History of San Francisco’s Food

In the Beginning… beans, and planted grape vines and fruit Ever since the first human trees. The Missionaries raised animals or beings walked the earth, food livestock, for food and other products like was needed for survival. tallow, used to make soap and candles. Throughout history, people Gold Rush Grub

have eaten foods that were In 1848, gold was discovered found in their local region, in the foothills east of San whether they were hunting for meat, Francisco. The population of gathering fruits and nuts, or growing crops. San Francisco quickly grew The history of San Francisco’s food is an from 1,000 to 25,000 people! interesting one that starts way back in time. Many folks made a lot of 5,000 Years Ago… money during the gold rush, The original inhabitants by providing goods and services the gold or people that lived in miners and their families needed when they the San Francisco area, arrived in San Francisco. Making sure there were the Ohlone people. was plenty to eat became a big business! They are a Native Pacific Egg Company American tribe that has lived in the region One business that came to for at least 5,000 years. Thousands of years life during the Gold Rush ago, food was plentiful in the Bay Area. The was the Pacific Egg Ohlone were able to feed their tribes by Company. They sold eggs hunting animals like deer, rabbits and birds, from the common murre as well as by fishing, and harvesting seafood seabird that lived on the Farallon Islands, like clams and mussels. They also gathered 27 miles off the coast of San Francisco. acorns that they ground and cooked into These large eggs tasted like chicken eggs, porridge or small cakes, and ate fruit, and were gathered from thousands of nests berries, roots, greens, wild vegetables, and found on the rocky islands. Special egg seeds from native grasses. shirts were designed with many little Missionary Meals pockets in them. This allowed the collectors By 1776, the Spanish to safely carry the eggs back to San Missionaries had arrived in Francisco. Once there, they sold the eggs San Francisco and began for a price that today equals $4.50 per egg! building Mission Dolores and From 1851 to the 1880’s, the Pacific Egg changing the Ohlone way of Company sold about 14 million murre eggs. life. At the time, San Francisco was a small They took so many eggs that the seabird pueblo, or town called Yerba Buena. Like population almost disappeared from the the Ohlone, the missionaries ate foods that islands! That’s because with all the eggs came from the local waters and land. But taken away, there weren’t enough eggs left they also grew crops like corn, peas and to hatch into new baby birds. SFEnvironmentKids.org Bread and Chocoloate gardens helped feed families with fruits and Some companies that started vegetables, so that bigger farms could send during the Gold Rush still their food to the soldiers fighting the war. remain in business today! The residents of San Francisco, just like One such company is the others across the nation, grew their Victory Boudin Bakery, which Gardens with patriotism and pride. 250 began baking its famous Victory Gardens were planted in Golden sourdough bread in 1849. Special wild yeasts Gate Park, and the lawn in front of City Hall floating in the San Francisco air got into the was torn up to plant a Victory Garden too! bread batter and created a unique, sour taste. In 2008, another Victory Garden was Another company is Ghirardelli Chocolate planted in front of City Hall to remind Company, which began selling chocolate in people that gardening at home is a great way 1852. Domingo Ghiradelli came to San to get healthy food that is locally grown. Francisco from Italy so he could strike it rich School Gardens and Urban Farms as a gold miner. Although he failed at mining, Today, San Francisco has many Ghirardelli ended up making his fortune by school gardens where students selling chocolate to local residents instead. learn about growing food. The 1906 Earthquake From strawberries to fava On April 18, 1906, a huge beans, students sample and earthquake shook the San enjoy the fresh tastes of the plants they have Francisco Bay Area. A big grown. San Francisco also has many fire broke out and within community gardens and urban farms like days, 25,000 buildings were Alemany Farm and Koshland Park. destroyed and 250,000 These gardens and farms have fruit orchards people became homeless. Camps were set and vegetable beds that provide food to local up in Golden Gate Park and other open neighborhoods. Volunteers can work on spaces throughout the city. Providing food these farms to learn, and help grow food. and water to everybody was very important! Fresh Food for All Bakeries in nearby towns like Oakland and While San Francisco is Berkeley baked loaves of bread 24 hours a famous for its delicious day. Food was brought in from across the food, not all residents country to help the earthquake victims, have access, or the easy although fresh vegetables were hard to come ability to get, fresh and by. Thousands of people did what they healthy foods. Some could to make sure the earthquake victims neighborhoods don’t have enough markets had enough food to survive. that sell fruits and vegetables, and the Victory Gardens residents of these communities must travel In 1941, the United States entered far to buy these healthy foods. Many people the Second World War. In order to are working hard to support these conserve or save the things needed neighborhoods by bringing in locally to support the war effort, people growing fresh fruits and vegetables so that were asked to grow Victory all San Francisco residents can eat well and Gardens. These homegrown be healthy!

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