The Hidden Chinatown of San Francisco

When it comes to San Francisco history, William Richardson is not exactly a popular name. Today, it is time to shed some light on this individual mostly forgotten by history.  William Anthony Richardson via Wikicommons William Anthony Richardson, as I had previously covered in this blog , is an officer on a British whaling ship Orion . His exact position is either first officer or fourth mate, it doesn't really matter, only that he's not the captain. In 1822, his ship arrived in today's San Francisco Bay, just as Mexico had won its independence, and reversed the long-standing Spanish policy of isolation. Instead, the Mexican ports will be open to trade... as long as it gets its fair share in taxes and transactions are properly recorded.  Richardson met Maria Antonia, as imagined by Bluewillow Mr. Richardson was sent ashore as he has a knowledge of Spanish, and he was promptly escorted by soldiers to see their Comandante, Ignacio Martinez, who invited him to the fiesta he wa...

Grant Avenue is a north-only street in Chinatown, and one of the main streets through Chinatown (the others are Kearny and Stockton). What most people do NOT know was that Grant Ave is the oldest street in San Francisco... Being the first-ever street drawn in today's San Francisco, by its surveyor... an Englishman by the name of William Richardson, in 1835.  William Richardson was a pretty unremarkable sailor aboard a British whaling ship. His special skill was the ability to speak Spanish. In 1822, his ship arrived in San Francisco Bay, and he, the Spanish speaker, was "volunteered" to go negotiate with the local Mexican government. This was soon after the Mexican government had won its independence from the Spanish Crown.  What happened after that was a bit unclear, but the generally accepted story was he was invited to a local fiesta, met Maria Antonia Martinez, and fell for each other immediately. Richardson eventually made it back to the ship the next day smelling of...

In the history of San Francisco, there are two infamous Madams... Belle Cora, and Ah Toy. The former is arguably much more infamous.  There are several versions of Bell's origins, but most historians believe she is the daughter of strict Irish parents who happen to live one house over from a brothel, and Belle and her sister became intrigued with the oldest profession. Later, Belle went off on her own, and after a while, made it to New Orleans, where she met Charles Cora, a riverboat captain who's also an avid gambler. The two became inseparable and decided to make their way West. They tried several cities in California until settling in San Francisco by 1849, just as gold was discovered in Sonoma. They established a parlor / brothel at the corner of Dupont and Washington... with the most beautiful women... and the highest prices, catering to the elite of the city. Belle was the most expensively dressed woman in town, and Charles himself was no slough, believed to have a net w...