Explore San Francisco's economic rollercoaster from Gold Rush dreams to modern tech dominance. Discover tales of booms and busts on a guided tour through the city's financial district, starting at Emperor Norton Place.

Since the days of the Gold Rush, San Francisco has had the reputation of being a city of booms and busts.  This has been a place where you could strike it rich, but it’s also been a place where you could lose it all.  On this tour you will follow the development of San Francisco from a remote trading outpost to a global hub for technology and finance.  Along the way you’ll hear stories about bold ventures and ill-fated schemes, banking panics and stock market antics, all as we walk through San Francisco’s financial district.

We start at Empire Park, located at 642 Commercial Street, between Montgomery and Kearney. Please note that the 600 block of Commercial Street has been renamed Emperor Norton Place.

Space Limited. Reservations required: (4150 557-4411 or anissa.malady@sfpl.org

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