History Through Archaeology
A view of the stern of the Candace during excavation.

The historical record of San Francisco mainly consists of maps, newspaper accounts, oral histories, journals and photographs which together tell the city's story. These sources, though rich compared to the scant records available from the prehistoric period, provide a relatively narrow and often biased view of life in San Francisco throughout the historic period. Archaeological investigation provides a means of adding detail to San Francisco's history.

Over the years, archaeologists have located important maritime finds including remnants of Charles Hare's mid-1850s ship breaking yard, sailor's boardinghouses, and a Chinese fishing village. Various ship remains have also been located, including the storeship General Harrison, Lydia, Niantic, La Grange, Apollo, and William Gray.

The Candace, the most recent find under the streets of San Francisco, offers archaeologists and historians alike a veritable window into the life of eighteenth-century, Gold Rush California.



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