Gold

In 2006, it's at the edge of the Jackson Square Historic District, during gold rush days, Gold Street was at water's edge.

1849. Gold rush days... Gold Street. Makes sense. This was the home of gold assayers, evaluating the miners' dust and nuggets.

Gold is a sweet little street. Generally no traffic at all. (But of course today, while I was leading a group of 17 walkers along Gold, an Ecolab truck drew near. We jumped from the middle of the street to the sidewalk. Then Ecolab paused, stopped, turned off the engine and the driver left the van and went inside one of the generally closed doors.... Coincidence and San Francisco traffic ruled the next event: within moments another van pulled up behind Ecolab. Van #2 had no apparent business on Gold, but instead believed this would be a cool little shortcut between Sansome and Montgomery. I didn't hang around to watch and wait for this little San Francisco traffic drama to play itself out.)

A few doors open on to Gold but the only sign to indicate commercial activity is the sign for Bix, a jazz-supper club that Playboy magazine is reported to rate as among the top bars in the country. My my. Oh, yes. And, Bix is in one of the few downtown buildings that survived the 1906 earthquake and fire, possibly a building where gold was assayed, and now an historic landmark.

(Map)