Golden Gate — Smugglers' Code

Your journey begins at the San Francisco Ferry Building, an edifice designed by A. Page Brown in 1898 with its 71.6 m tower inspired by Seville's Giralda. This historical maritime transport hub, which survived the 1906 earthquake and was rebuilt in 1910 after a fire, is an ideal starting point for a smuggler. It now houses a farmers' market since 2003, but in 1912, San Francisco's motto, "Westward Ho!", already celebrated the pioneering spirit of California. This National Historic Landmark, listed in 1974, is a silent witness to clandestine arrivals and departures.

Pier 7, built in 1929 as a steamship wharf, extends 427 m. Renovated in 1990 for recreational use, it offers views of Alcatraz and the Bay Bridge. It's an iconic fishing and strolling spot, known for its heart-shaped benches installed the same year. As you walk along this pier, imagine the discreet transshipments and secret meetings under the cover of night, away from the bustle of the Ferry Building. This maritime convergence point is a key step in understanding San Francisco's past trafficking routes.

Looking towards Alcatraz Island, just 1.5 km from the Ferry Building, you contemplate a military fort from 1850, which became a federal high-security prison from 1934 to 1963. Visible from the Embarcadero, this island is a symbol of impossible escape, with 36 inmates attempting 14 escapes, none confirmed successful. Managed by the National Park Service since 1972, it attracts 1.5 million annual visitors. For San Francisco's smugglers, Alcatraz represented a constant threat, a reminder of the consequences of their illegal activities off the California coast.

Your quest then leads you to Coit Tower, built in 1933-1934 thanks to a $125,000 donation from Lillie Hitchcock Coit. This 64 m tower on Telegraph Hill offers a panorama of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay. Its 1934 murals, created by Diego Rivera and other WPA artists, tell the city's social and economic history. From this vantage point, a smuggler would have scanned the horizon, watching for arriving ships or approaching authorities in San Francisco's waters, an essential aspect of the city's heritage.

The journey continues to Washington Square Park, a former public cemetery from 1828 to 1937, transformed into a park since 1937 in North Beach. This place was a gathering point for Italian immigrants in the 19th century, and houses a statue of Benjamin Franklin from 1879. In the 1950s, it became a haunt for beatniks. For smugglers, this park could have been a discreet meeting place, a contact point in the shadow of Franklin's statue, away from the prying eyes of the Embarcadero, in the heart of the San Francisco Historic District.