During the gold rush of 1849, San Francisco’s mayor set aside the land that is now Union Square for public use. The square later got its name from the large number of pro-Union rallies held here during the Civil War. By the end of the nineteenth century, several hotels and warehouses had appeared in the area. The first grand hotel—the St. Francis—opened in 1904. Badly damaged by the earthquake and fire of 1906, the St. Francis was quickly rebuilt and still stands facing the square (at Powell and Geary Streets). The hotel became world famous, visited throughout the twentieth century by royalty, dignitaries, and celebrities.

One striking feature of the square is the 79-foot tall Dewey Monument, designed by sculptor Robert I. Aitken and architect Newton J. Tharp. A bronze figure of “Winged Victory” sits atop the shaft. In one hand she bears a trident, the symbol of Poseidon and of naval victory, and in the other, a laurel wreath, also a symbol of victory. This monument commemorates San Francisco’s role in the Spanish American War of 1898, when the city became a major naval port and the embarkation center for troops sent to the Philippines. It marks the destruction of the Spanish Fleet in Manila Bay by Commodore Dewey’s squadron on May 1, 1898. President Theodore Roosevelt dedicated the monument on May 14, 1903. 

Today, this public plaza is a center for shopping and dining in the city.

Credits and Sources:

Nolan, Martin F. “The Day Teddy Roosevelt, Admiral Dewey and ‘Bayonet Rule’ Converged in S.F.” San Francisco Chronicle. May 11, 2003.http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/American-Empire-The-day-Teddy-Roosevelt-2649139.php.

“Union Square.”http://www.visitunionsquaresf.com/about_union_square/then_and_now/.

Photograph courtesy of the Library of Congress

Note: Union Square is a California Historic Landmark (#623)