Did you know? (Part 1 of 2)

Did you know that San Francisco was once the coffee capital of the United States?  It's true.

Some of the biggest names in coffee got their start in San Francisco.  Hills Bros. and Folgers are the best known.  Those brands and others started very small in San Francisco and grew into household names.

Why San Francisco?  Following the Gold Rush, the city, with its well-protected bay, became a bustling port.  The completion of the transcontinental railroad connected the city to the rest of the rapidly growing country.  So, San Francisco was a logical place to import coffee beans from nearby Central and South America and prepare them for distribution throughout the U.S.  

To help preserve the coffee, it was roasted and vacuum packed, an innovation embraced by Hills Bros.  So, long ago, the neighborhood where we live was filled with the smell of roasting coffee.  From our apartment, we can see the former headquarters of Hills Bros.  

A view of the Hills Bros. building, including the tower for storing and blending coffee beans. 

A view of the front of the Hills Bros. building, built in the Romanesque Revival style.

Another photo of the company's trademark, located in Hills Bros. Plaza.

Around the corner is the former home of Folgers, also built in the Renaissance Revival style.  The building reminded us of architecture that we saw during Year 2 in Florence.   

(From Wikipedia)

In our neighborhood, we have seen banners along the streets celebrating San Francisco's caffeinated history.  

So, San Francisco was once the coffee capital of the U.S.  Who knew?

Next Up:  Is there link between San Francisco, coffee and Greg's brother?