When the Water Came Up to Montgomery Street

When the Water Came Up to Montgomery Street: San Francisco During the Gold Rush is the latest book by SFMHS Founder and President Emeritus, Charles A. Fracchia. Fracchia retells the saga of how a small trading village transformed into an instantaneous metropolis in a very short period of time, becoming the largest city in the West. The distinctive aspects of this development are not simply a colorful tale of a century and a half ago, but established the distinctive urban traits that characterize the city today.

The book is profusely illustrated, with some images never before seen in print. It will be a valuable addition to the library of anyone who loves San Francisco and the quirkiness, creative tensions, and innovative qualities that set it apart from other American cities. (Hardcover, 2009)