Published since 2005. San Francisco is a city that belongs to the people of the world. Hence this blog has a global focus. The name "Sam Spade's San Francisco" refers to an exciting era in the City's history, the time of Dashiell Hammett's fictional gumshoe and San Francisco character, Sam Spade. My name is Tom Dunn and I edit the blog. I'm not as exciting as Sam Spade, but I am definitely a San Francisco character.Contact or on Twitter -- Search blog below.
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Saturday, October 14, 2006
The Granite Lady Will Smile Again!
The United States Mint at San Francisco was founded in 1874 as the first branch of the U.S. Mint in California.Known as the “Granite Lady”, the Old Mint is one the most important historic structures in San Francisco. The building sits on a concrete and granite foundation, designed to thwart tunneling into its vaults, which at the time of the 1906 fire held $300 million , fully a third of the United States' gold reserves.
It is one of the best Classical Greek-Revival style buildings in the western United States and was the only major financial institution to survive the great earthquake of 1906.The Old Mint played an integral role in the rebirth of San Francisco by providing desperately needed money for the rebuilding effort.
Mayor Gavin Newsom recently signed legislation to begin the renovation and reuse of the Old San Francisco Mint located at 5th and Mission Streets. The solid granite building will be restored and converted to a museum celebrating the history of San Francisco.
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