Lithographed map. With manuscript notes on the map, and a hand-drawn red line showing the actual shore line superimposed on the proposed areas to be expanded through landfill. 60x47 cm (23½x18½"), printed on thick paper with old folds.
Early map of San Francisco, the notable "Red Line" map showing the areas to be expanded into the bay, then under water. A significant map, apparently issued by the City of San Francisco, and used for internal administrative or legal purposes. Beneath the title is handwritten in ink: "Copy We certify that this map has the boundary line of the Beach and Water property described in Section one of 'an act to provide for the disposition of certain property of the State of California' approved March 26th 1851 and is duly marked in red. Done in accordance with the Fifth section of said act. Witness our hand and the private seal of the Mayor there being no Corporate Seal this 4th day of April, 1851 John Geary Mayor of San Francisco (inked seal) Wm. Eddy City Surveyor of San Francisco (inked seal)." At the lower right of the map is handwritten in ink, "I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the Map & certificate annexed thereto, remaining in my office. Date San Francisco June 6th. 1859. Geo R Turner City & County Surveyor." In the lower margin is written, "a. Ex. A." On the verso is "104. Plffs Exhibit a. Redline Map." The map was republished commercially as "Copy of the Official Map of San Francisco," with the manuscript red line printed in black. That map is described by Warren Heckrotte in California 49, Map 32: "In 1849, William M. Eddy resurveyed the city and enlarged O'Farrell's map. In 1851, he submitted a revised map that further extended the street plan, the one reproduced. The inner solid black line marks the actual shore line; Yerba Buena Cove is immediately recognizable - Montgomery Street fronts the water line. The outer black line marks the waterfront out to which the city would grow - the lots in between these two lines were under water and would await filling to be built upon. (These two black lines are red on the original. This map is known as the Red Line map)... A striking feature of this layout of the city is that the grid completely ignores the topography, a pattern which persisted with the growth of the city. Much of the area shown on the map was sparsely populated at this time and some streets were not yet laid out on the ground."
Provenance: Harrison, San Francisco Book Fair, 2/17/07
References: Report of the City and County Surveyor in San Francisco Municipal Report, 1887, p 315, List of Maps of Record, this map and the annexed certificate are noted and the text of the certificate reproduced. These were lost in the earthquake and fire. The State Library has a photostat of this map with photostat of the certificate annexed to the copy of the map in the City Surveyor's office as noted on this map.