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Only in San Francisco # 32,942

Oct 8, 2009
By .
Culture, History

Patrick, this is for you, but it was too good not to share. I wrote earlier about the first Emperor of America, Norton I. Among his many mandates, he presciently demanded that a bridge be built between San Francisco and Oakland. It only took 50 years, but his bridge was built, and on the site, this plaque (since moved to our main transit terminal) was placed:

Norton 003

In case the picture doesn't come out well, it reads: "Pause traveler and be grateful to Norton I. Emperor of the United States, Protector of Mexico, 1859-1880. Whose prophetic wisdom conceived and decreed the bridging of San Francisco Bay." I am trying to get out to see Emperor Norton's grave this weekend, but this plaque is a hidden gem of San Francisco (right up there with the Golden Hydrant).

Last 5 posts by Ezra

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5 Comments

  1. Patrick  •  Oct 8, 2009 @3:02 pm

    The only other American city that produces such wonderful eccentricity as San Francisco is New Orleans.

    If Norton had lived in New York, they'd have locked the man up.

  2. Stephen  •  Oct 8, 2009 @7:37 pm

    If I can still do math, Norton I was 21 when he died. If that portrait is at all accurate, it was a rough 21 years.

  3. JerryH  •  Oct 8, 2009 @9:22 pm

    Emperor Norton's reign was 1859-1880. He was born in 1819 (or so).

  4. TJIC  •  Oct 9, 2009 @4:51 am

    I love that his dogs are pictured in the plaque!

  5. mojo  •  Oct 9, 2009 @9:14 am

    The guy actually produced his own currency, and people in SF went along with the joke, accepting his specie in lieu of US dollars.

    Obviously an extremely strong projective telepath.