Settling the West

By 1868, when this bird's-eye view of San Francisco was published, steam lithography was making it possible to produce such prints faster and more cheaply for a growing consumer market. Here, the gold-enriched city is spreading westward across the peninsula. Steam and sailing ships in the harbor reflect active trade. Note the small craft ferrying crews from the piers to ships at anchor in deep water. Facing west, the Golden Gate, the narrow five-mile strait connecting San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean, appears to the right.

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