List of pre-statehood mayors of San Francisco facts for kids

This article is about the early leaders of San Francisco, from 1779 to 1850. These leaders were called alcaldes (pronounced al-KAL-deez) or mayors. An alcalde was like a combination of a mayor and a judge. They were in charge of the town and made sure laws were followed. This was before California became a state of the United States.

Early Leaders of San Francisco

Before California joined the United States, San Francisco was part of different countries. First, it was under Spain, then Mexico, and finally, for a short time, it was under American control before becoming a state. Each period had its own way of choosing leaders.

Spanish Era: First Alcaldes

In 1779, the first governor of California, Felipe de Neve, made a rule. He said that all the local missions, like Mission San Francisco de Asís (also known as Mission Dolores), should elect their own alcaldes. These were the very first local leaders in the area that would become San Francisco.

Mexican Era: San Francisco's Alcaldes

After Mexico gained independence from Spain, California became part of Mexico. The role of alcalde continued, and these leaders helped manage the growing town of San Francisco.

Alcaldes of San Francisco

Portrait	Alcalde	Term	Notes
	Francisco de Haro	1834	1835
	José Joaquín Estudillo	1835	1836
	Francisco Guerrero y Palomares	1836	1837
	Ygnacio Martínez	1837	1838
	Francisco de Haro	1838	1839
	Francisco Guerrero y Palomares	1839	1842
	José de Jesús Noé	1842	1843
	Francisco Sánchez	1843	1844
	William Sturgis Hinckley	1844	1845
	Juan Nepomuceno Padilla	1845	1845
	José de la Cruz Sánchez	1845	1846
	José de Jesús Noé	1846	1846

American Era: Transition to Statehood

The American era began during the Mexican–American War. After the war, California became a territory of the United States. During this time, leaders were still called alcaldes, but the system slowly changed to what we know as mayors today. This period ended when California officially became a state in 1850.

Alcaldes of San Francisco

Portrait	Alcalde	Term	Notes
	Washington Allon Bartlett	August 22, 1846	February 22, 1847
	Edwin Bryant	February 22, 1847	June 1847
	George Hyde	June 1847	April 1848
	John Townsend	April 1848	September 1848
	Thaddeus M. Leavenworth	October 1848	August 1849
	John White Geary	August 1849	March 1, 1850

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Alcaldes de San Francisco antes de la estadidad de California para niños

• List of pre-statehood mayors of Los Angeles
• List of pre-statehood mayors of San Jose
• List of pre-statehood mayors of San Diego