Yerba Buena Cove facts for kids
Yerba Buena Cove was a special part of San Francisco Bay. It was a curved area of water, like a small bay, where the Mexican town of Yerba Buena once stood. This town later grew into the big city of San Francisco.
The cove was located between two points of land. To the north was Clarks Point, which was near Telegraph Hill. To the south was Rincon Point. The sandy beach of the cove reached inland to what is now Montgomery Street in downtown San Francisco.
How the Cove Disappeared
Yerba Buena Cove no longer exists today. Between 1849 and 1860, the cove was completely filled in with soil and rocks. This happened during and after the exciting time of the California Gold Rush.
The Gold Rush and City Growth
The California Gold Rush began in 1848. Thousands of people rushed to California hoping to find gold. Many arrived by ship in San Francisco. The small town of Yerba Buena quickly became a busy port city.
As more people arrived, San Francisco needed more land for buildings and docks. So, people started filling in the cove. They used dirt, rocks, and even old ships to create new land. This new land became the heart of downtown San Francisco.
Ships Buried Under the City
Many ships that sailed into Yerba Buena Cove ended up staying there forever. Some sank by accident. Others were scuttled, which means they were sunk on purpose. People would sink ships to use them as foundations for new buildings or to claim the land around them.
Today, many of these old shipwrecks are still buried deep under the streets and buildings of San Francisco. Some famous ships found include:
The Rome was discovered in 1994. Workers found it while building a tunnel for the Muni Metro train system. Finding these ships helps us learn about San Francisco's past. It shows us how much the city has changed over time.
