1887 Bancroft Pocket Map of San Francisco, California

A stunning 1887 example of Bancroft's important pocket map of San Francisco, California. This map covers the northern top of the San Francisco Peninsula rom the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay and as far south as Rancho Canada de Guadeloupe. Bancroft employs shading to indicate developed and undeveloped blocks. At the bottom of the map there is a numerical key wherein some 376 individual buildings are located and categorized. Concentric circles on the map indicate half-mile distances from the ferries. Development extends as far as the race track. Rancho Laguna de la Merced, San Miguel Rancho, and Rancho Cañada de Guadalupe Rodeo Viejo y Vistación are at this point undeveloped. An inset map in the right details the greater San Francisco Bay area.

This map was first published in 1871 and enjoyed an immediate popularity. Revised editions appeared in 1873, 1877, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1887 (present copy), and 1891. In 1973 two editions were issued with the latter of these two exhibiting a vast expansion of the map to include growth in the western part of the peninsula including Golden Gate Park and the surrounding lots. Some editions feature a light blue outline of the landfill in eastern San Francisco, but this was omitted from the 1887 edition. Sally Woodbridge speculates that 'it was not part of the original base map but was added because of special interest at the time.'

Today all examples of Bancroft's San Francisco are highly desirable as the finest map of San Francisco available during that city's most expansive period of development.