The First San Francisco Directory
February 1850 Campbell & Hoogs' Directory
One of Three Known Copies. The Only in Private Hands.
This neatly printed bifolium, printed by Faulkner & Allen, Job Printers, Pacific News Office, stands as the first San Francisco directory. Moreover, it is the first such business directory issued in California, and was printed about six months before California achieved statehood. Cambell & Hoogs, pioneer San Francisco commission merchants and real estate brokers, intended to issue a monthly business directory, "to be published on the first day of each month... designed as a vehicle of information for the benefit of the community at large; more especially the for businessmen and such persons as desire that their location may be known to their friends or customers." To be listed in the directory a fee of $2 per month had to be paid to the compilers.
The expected mining-related establishments are present, as well as the requisite merchant houses, shippers, attorneys, and the like. Notably, there several importers of French goods, and there is occasional use of Spanish and French. Here follows a selection of the entries:
Bevans, Thomas P., apothecary, pharmacien, boticario, broadway, half square west of Stockton street.
Bossange, (L.) Colliard & Co., importers of French goods and commission merchants, sacramento street.
Collins, M. C., Dr., drugs and medicines furnished for the mines, corner of pike and clay streets.
Cook, W. B., & co., book sellers, stationers and dealers in newspapers and cheap publications, Delmonico's, portsmouth square.
Elephant house, Wilcox & Stetson, corner of broadway and battery streets.
Fitts & Tilden, shipping and commission merchants, corner of clay and montgomery streets - Friend P. Fitts, Thomas Tilden.
Gray, F. C. & co., gold dust and money brokers, broadway hotel, Clark's point.
Hugues, (A.) Pioche & co., commission merchants, importers from France, and the pacific ports, clay street.
Hitch, Goodenow & co., sailmakers, foot of pine street.
Le Californien - Journal Francais, Bureau, clay street, Maison Chaviteau, no. 14 - directeur Geraut, Mr. Le Ste de France; redauteur en chef, Mr. J. Anseling.
Osborn & Brannan, importers of China goods and real estate agents, montgomery street below sacramento.
Sebastian Haner, professor of piano and singing, broadway house, between washington and clay streets.
White, Philo, watch-maker, engraver and jeweller, pike street, next door to post office.
In addition to the paid business entries, the directory lists the members of the San Francisco Town Council, with the Hon. John W. Geary, styled President and Alcalde (i.e. mayor), noted in large type.
Unknown to Cowan & Wagner
In his bibliography of early California imprints, Henry Wagner stated that he had only ever seen the second (March, 1850) issue of Campbell & Hoggs' directory: "I have seen no notice of an issue for February, but it appeared in March, probably the second issue."
First directory, of any kind, for San Francisco... Extremely rare...The February 1850 issue of Campbell & Hoogs is still the first directory of any sort, not only for San Francisco, but for California as a whole - unknown to bibliographers until the Graff and Streeter copies came to light - Quebedeaux.
Rarity
A noted California rarity. Only two other examples located, at the Bancroft Library and the Newberry Library (the Everett D. Graff copy).
Provenance
Edward Eberstadt & Sons, acquired by TWS in 1936 ($440 in 1936).
Thomas W. Streeter, sold at his sale in 1968 ($300).
John Howell Books, Catalogue 50 (priced $2500 in 1979).
Dorothy Sloan Rare Books, 2005.
William Reese Company.
Paul Franklin.
Holabird Western Americana, ($28,800 in December 2022).