The photograph titled “The Golden Gate from Telegraph Hill” was taken by Carleton Watkins around the year 1868. It provides a historical view over the city leading out towards the Golden Gate, the strait connecting San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean, before the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge.
In the photograph, we can see an expansive view from Telegraph Hill, looking out over a network of streets with many buildings indicative of the architecture from that period. The terrain slopes down towards the water, where several ships are present, highlighting the area’s maritime activity. The bay opens up to the broad strait of the Golden Gate in the distance, and the opposite shore forms a misty backdrop, emphasizing the vastness of the Pacific Ocean beyond. The photo conveys a sense of the early urban development of San Francisco during the late 19th century, capturing the blend of the natural and man-made environment at a significant moment in its history.