SAN FRANCISCO: RUSS HOUSE WITH POSTED ADVERTISING BROADSIDES VISIBLE, 1860.


Imperial albumen print photograph, 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches (190 x 242 mm) laid down to larger mount, of the original Russ House in San Francisco, no photographer's imprint but identified in manuscript "Russ Estate 1860") at lower mount, slight fading to center of image, closed tear at upper margin, corner bumped.This image was taken from a rooftop across the street from Christian Russ's home at Montgomery and Pine Streets, not long before all the houses in the photo were demolished to build the Russ House Hotel in 1864. Russ arrived in San Francisco in 1847 and established a jewelry business which allowed him to snap up real estate in what is now known as the business district. His hotel flourished in the late 19th century, but was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. The present day Russ Building is a 31 story office tower built in 1927.