Portsmouth Square: Chinatown's Living Room and Where It All Started

If you came to Chinatown, you probably walked or drove past Portsmouth Square many times. But this "square" predates the statehood itself, and has a history far beyond "where you park for Chinatown". 

Google Maps of Portsmouth Square
2022 courtesy Google, USGS, Maxar, Airbus, et al

The town square that will become Portsmouth square was set aside in 1833 by the Mexican community who had won their independence from Spain. At the time, the area was called "Yerba Buena" (lit: Good Herb). In 1835, it was officially designated "Grand Plaza", but it was an empty gesture, as there were no residents until William A Richardson and his family (Richardson married Maria Antonia Martinez, the daughter of the commander at the Presidio, Ygnacio Martinez, who controls the local Mexican army fort) moved to the area just west of the plaza, in late 1835, in an attempt to map and settle the area. He was soon joined by Jacob Leese (known to the Mexicans as Don Jacobo Leese, as he also married into local Mexican aristocracy) who partnered with a few ship captains to start a store in the new community. 

Today, we mainly name William A Richardson as the guy who drew a line due north on the map, and it became today's Grant Ave. So most consider him the "founder" of San Francisco. However, the real mapping of the area didn't happen until 1839 when it was done by Jean Jacques Vioget. Vioget got here in 1837, but then left exploring. He returned in 1839 when the local alcalde (roughly "mayor") contracted him to survey the area, and he drew this map:

Vioget's 1839 map of Yerba Buena
note compass rose in the middle, north is to the right. 

Vioget was granted a large house in Yerba Buena, which he turned into a saloon and billiard parlor very close to the plaza. Later, a customs building was added to the plaza to tax the arriving ships. 

In 1846, Captain John B. Montgomery, commanding the US Navy ship USS Portsmouth, upon learning that Mexican-American War has started, sailed through the "Golden Gate", and docked at the port near to the plaza. He then departed from the ship with armed sailors, marched up the plaza, took down the Mexican flag over the customs house, and raised the American flag, Yes, that's how Portsmouth Square and Montgomery Street got their names. 

The community of Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco in 1847 and formally conceded by the Mexican government to the United States of America in 1848 via the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. 

Portsmouth Square celebrated a series of firsts, as it was the direct connection to the port. Back then, the shoreline was only a few blocks away. 

The first public schoolhouse was built at the square. There is a plaque on the south side recognizing that. 

Sam Brannon used the Square to announce the discovery of gold in the American River (but only after he bought up all the pickaxes and shovels in the area, and his newspaper, the California Star, had printed plenty of extra copies for sale immediately). 

There is also a monument recognizing Robert Louis Stevenson on the northwest corner, though it's deep in the shade of trees are not easily recognized. 

And too many other announcements to list here. 

Today, Portsmouth Square is like the living room of Chinatown. You will find seniors gathered there all times of the day, usually taking up benches or curbs for card games and such, probably penny stakes. You may find Chinese chess players at a slightly different level. And in the early mornings, you'll find folks doing Taichi and other calisthenics. You will also find various concerts, performances, Cantonese opera karaoke, and so on at various times. 

There are talks of revamping the square yet again, as the children's area was rarely used. But it is clear that Portsmouth Square will continue in Chinatown.