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Compiled by Stephen V. O'Rourke
Yerba Buena becomes San Francisco
1839- The first survey of what would later become San Francisco is undertaken by the Swiss artist Jean Jacques Vioget.
1846- On July 9th Landing Place of Captain J. B. Montgomery lands at a spot later numbered as 552 Montgomery, SE corner of Montgomery and Clay
1847- January 30, 1847, shortly before leaving office, Military Mayor Lt. Washington A. Bartlett published and signed an ordinance stating that thereafter Yerba Buena should be known as San Francisco.
Irish civil engineer, Jasper O'Farrell, conducted the first comprehensive survey of Yerba Buena (the future San Francisco) -following the American conquest by Captain John Montgomery and Military Mayor Lt. Washington A. Bartlett.
O'Farrell improved the 1839 street maps produced by the former Mexican alcade (mayor) of Yerba Buena, Francisco De Haro, and his Swiss surveyor, Jean Jacques Vioget. O'Farrell's map covered the area bounded by Post, Leavenworth, and Francisco Streets and the Bay, and also corrected the Vioget street designs, which were 2 1/2 degrees off true right angles. O'Farrell based many of his street designs on mid-19th century Philadelphia, which he viewed as a well-planned city.
1848-The Brick Building of the Firm of Mellus and Howard is built at a point later numbered as 555 Montgomery, SW corner of Montgomery and Clay
1849- The first meeting of Freemasons in California takes place in San Francisco on October 17 at a building later numbered 728 Montgomery Street.
California Lodge #13, consisting of 44 members, is initiated. The lodges grandmaster is John D. Stevenson. The first Masonic hall is situated above an auction shop at 247 Montgomery St.
William C. Eddy,city surveyor made a new enlarged map extending the streets laid out by Jasper O’Farrell in 1847. The new streets were carried west as far as Larkin and out to 9th Street. He also made the city map of 1851, and later became state surveyor general
1851- Eddy makes the Official Map of San Francisco with William Carey Jones.
O’Farrell, George Hyde and Eddy begin naming streets, mainly after prominent people.
1852- the Parrott Granite Block at 405 Montgomery on the NW corner of California and Montgomery. Named after John Parrott, one of the city’s first merchant bankers, this building remarkably stood in some configuration until 1926.
The Alignment begins
1853-The Montgomery Block Building is completed. Constructed under the direction of Henry W.Halleck it stands on the corner of Montgomery and Washington, 600 Montgomery.
1850’s- The building that will later become McDowell Hall is built by George Brooks, editor of the Golden Era at Black Point Ridge It was a rambling one and a half story structure which in later years passed through several owners to a wool merchant named Emil Grisar
1854- On April 3 the First United States Mint in California is opened at 608-610 Commercial near Montgomery.
1856-Mayor of the city, James Van Ness authors the ordinance which confirmed the Western Addition land titles to those who actually possessed the property on January 1, 1855. The Western Addition was the land between Larkin Street and Divisadero Street, which marked the city’s western line in 1856.
In the 1860’s Van Ness began at Market Street and terminated at the U.S. military reserve at Black Point Ridge.
1859- Known Freemason, John C. Fremont, aquires the building known as Porter’s Lodge at Black Point Ridge
1863- 1865, the army succeeded in evicting the squatters and seizing the six structures, three of which it turned into officers' quarters, three of which it, including Porter’s Lodge, are demolished.
1865-The army seizes Grisar's house at Black Point Ridge- repair and enlarged it, and in November 1865 Major General Henry W.Halleck, now a returning Civil War hero, moves in.
1868- The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania charters Mosaic Lodge #38 in San Francisco. This lodge is affiliated with two New York chartered lodges, Oliver Branch Lodge #5 and Wethington Lodge #8
1870- The Supreme Council charters the Grand Consistory of California in San Francisco. The first Grand Registrar of the consistory is Edwin A. Sherman. Sovereign Grand Commander Albert Pike, a 33rd degree mason, declares “we have nowhere a body of Masons more intelligent and socially respectable than in the Great Empire State of California.”
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The 'Pyramid' takes shapes- complete with a Hall of Records
An 1873 map is highlighted to show the grid- click on for larger image)
1870’s- A new diagonal road from Montgomery to Hyde is created. On the maps of this time it is listed as Montgomery Avenue.
Also during this time, the original City Hall is built at the corner of Hyde and Market. In old photographs at the San Francisco Public Library website it is identified a the Hall of Records, a name associated with the Giza Pyramid complex in Egypt and well known to 'Antient' Masonic circles of the day.
A large Masonic temple is built on the corner of Post and Montgomery.
1875-The Original United States Mint and Subtreasury is built at 608 Commercial, near Montgomery
1876-Major General Irwin McDowell, also of Civil War fame, who had commanded the Department of the Pacific and its successor Department of California in the mid-1860s, returned to San Francisco to command the Division. McDowell calls for the building of a larger military residence at Black Point Ridge, former site of the masonic structure known as Porter's Lodge.
1877- On July 7, 1877, the Daily Alta California newspaper was reporting construction of a new residence for the Commanding General at the Post of Point San Jose. The old building was remodeled at its new site (and moved slightly to the north) to serve as the new quarters for commanding officers of the post, which was renamed Fort Mason in 1882. Thus two small portions of an 1850s residence were combined with an entirely new 1877 structure to form the new quarters for the Commanding General.
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Albert Pike brings in a new rite
1883-Pike visits Oakland, California and helps establish a Scottish Rite lodge. 32nd degree mason Edwin A. Sherman establishes a Scottish Rite body known as Masters of the Royal Secret at ceremonies at the Masonic Temple at 12th and Washington Streets in Oakland
The Grand Consistory grant a charter to the newly created Oakland Lodge of Perfection in a meeting at the Masonic Temple on the corner of Post and Montgomery in San Francisco (Oct.11).
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Rising like a Phoenix with Masonic designers
1902- Nevada born architect Walter Bliss becomes a Freemason in SF Lodge #1
1918- Faville & Bliss design the new Masonic Temple on the corner of Van Ness & Market
1954- work on a new Masonic auditorium at 1111 California St., opposite Grace Cathederal, begins.
1959- The famed Montgomery Block is demolished to make way for a parking garage amid much public outrcry.
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100 Years later- a Pyramid is complete
1968- The Transamerica Corporation propose a pyramid type structure to replace the Montgomergy Block building on the corner of Coloumbus and Montgomery.
 
1972- The Transamerica Pyramid building is completed by architect William Pereira. It is the 100th anniversary of the creation of the diagonal street, Montgomery Ave (now Columbus), that forms the truncated pyramid street alignment. The Pyramid building sits precisely in the capstone region.
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