San Francisco's Mission District [Paperback]

On June 29, 1776, Fr. Francisco Palou dedicated the first site of Mission San Francisco de Asis on the shores of Dolores Lagoon. At the time, it was a just a patch in the village of Chutchuii, the home of the Ohlone people, and Palou could never have foreseen the vibrant city that would eventually spring up around the humble settlement. The final mission building, popularly known as Mission Dolores and San Francisco's oldest complete structure, was dedicated on August 2, 1791, at what became Sixteenth and Dolores Streets. After the gold rush, the district around the mission began its dramatic evolution to the diverse area we know today, a bustling mix of immigrants from other states, Europe, and South and Central America.In this collection of photographs from longtime Mission families and such organizations as Mission High School, the California Historical Society, and the Archdiocese of San Francisco, author and Mission native Bernadette Hooper depicts her unique neighborhood over the years. From its early days as a rural outpost to the later influx of settlers from Latin America, who brought with them colorful festivals like Carnaval, San Francisco's first neighborhood has grown and changed, culminating in today's destination that draws thousands to its nightlife, restaurants, bookstores, and alternative theatres.