Peter Donahue (businessman) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Donahue
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| Born | 1822 January 11 |
| Died | 1885 November 26 |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Co-founder of the Union Iron Works; founder of the San Francisco Gas Company, founder of the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad; co-founder of the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad; built first railroad to go to Santa Rosa, California |
Peter Donahue (born January 11, 1822, died November 26, 1885) was an important businessman. He was an industrial pioneer in America. Peter and his brothers, James and Michael, helped build many industries in San Francisco.
Peter was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His family moved to Paterson, New Jersey when he was young. There, he and his brothers learned how to be machinists. This means they learned to build and fix machines.
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Journey to California
In 1847, Peter helped build a gunboat called the Rimac. He helped deliver it to the government of Peru. While in Peru, he heard exciting news. Gold had been discovered in California!
This news made Peter want to go to California. He quickly booked a trip on a steamship called the Oregon. He sailed to San Francisco, hoping to find his fortune.
Starting New Businesses
Peter spent a few months looking for gold. But he didn't find much. He then heard that his younger brother, James, was also in California. Peter went back to San Francisco to find him.
He found James running a small blacksmith's shop. A blacksmith works with metal. Soon, their brother Michael joined them. Together, they made their shop bigger. It became a foundry, which is a place where metal is melted and shaped. This foundry became famous as the Union Iron Works.
Bringing Gas to San Francisco
In 1852, Peter started another important company. He founded the San Francisco Gas Company. This company brought gas to homes and businesses. It was a very important step for the city. This company later became part of Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
Building Transportation
Peter Donahue also helped San Francisco move around. In 1860, he started the Omnibus Railroad. This was the city's first streetcar service. It used horse-drawn cars to carry people across town.
The Omnibus Railroad was later bought by another company. Today, parts of its routes are used by Muni. Muni is San Francisco's public transportation system.
Peter also helped create the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad. This railroad connected San Francisco to San Jose. Today, this same route is used by Caltrain. Caltrain is a commuter train service.
Connecting Northern California
In 1869, Peter worked on another big railroad project. He built the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad. This line went north from a place called Donahue. It went all the way to Cazadero, California.
He later moved the main rail station to Tiburon, California. He also built special ferries for the railroad. These ferries carried trains and people across San Francisco Bay. This helped connect San Francisco to the northern counties. Thanks to Peter, Santa Rosa, California got its first railroad connection.
Legacy and Memorial
The Union Iron Works built many large ferries. These ferries carried trains and people across San Francisco Bay. They were used for many years. One famous ferry, the Eureka, was built after Peter's death. You can still see it today at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.
Peter Donahue died on November 26, 1885. He caught a cold while working at his rail yard in Tiburon.
A statue called the Mechanics Monument stands in San Francisco. It was unveiled in 1901. Peter's son, James Mervyn Donahue, paid for it. The monument honors the Donahue brothers. It celebrates their important contributions to San Francisco's industries.
Images for kids
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Peter Donahue's house in San Francisco around 1870.
