From Sign Hill to DNA Way: South San Francisco
Prepared by South San Francisco Public Library
South San Francisco Public Library
© 2009
840 West Orange Avenue
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Phone: (650) 829-3876
Fax: (650) 829-3866
E-mail: ssfpladm@plsinfo.org
http://www.ssflibrary.net
All rights reserved.
From Sign Hill to DNA Way: South San Francisco
Collection number: Consult library
South San Francisco Public LibrarySouth San Francisco, CA 94080
- Date Completed:
- 2009
- Encoded by:
- South San Francisco Public Library
© 2009. All rights reserved.
Title: From Sign Hill to DNA Way: South San Francisco
Dates: Circa 1908-2008
Collection number: Consult library
Collector:
South San Francisco Public Library
Collection Size:
200 objects, primarily photographs but also including brochures, postcards and posters
138 online items
Repository:
South San Francisco Public Library
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Abstract: South San Francisco Public Library's collection includes photographs, posters, brochures and other materials from the city's
earliest history with emphasis on the 100 years from the time of incorporation in 1908 through the city's centennial celebration
in 2008. Images document early businesses beginning with the Western Meat Company, headed by G.F. Swift who contributed the
city's name (he had similar businesses in South Chicago, Illinois and South Omaha, Nebraska) and other industries that led
to the Chamber of Commerce painting
South San Francisco the Industrial City on Sign Hill. Many early businesses have come and gone, but the signage remains and is a battle cry for old timers whenever anyone suggests
its removal. Change is noted in the collections' documentation of South San Francisco as the birthplace of Biotechnology.
Genentech was the first of many biotechnology corporations. In 1997, the naming of DNA Way outside of the Genentech headquarters
was heralded as a new industrial era for South San Francisco.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Selected digitized images from this collection.
The library's local history room is open on Thursdays from 2 -4 pm and by appointment. Parts of the collection have been
digitized (
Bits of History and
Shades of California) and may be accessed online through the library's website:
www.ssflibrary.net .
From Sign Hill to DNA Way: South San Francisco. South San Francisco Public Library, South San Francisco, CA 94080.
This collection was created by library staff as part of the 2008-2009 California Local History Digital Resources Program.
These digital objects were assembled from several sources, including the South San Francisco Public Library's Local History
Collection, The South San Francisco Historical Society and materials on loan. As part of the library's participation in the
California Local History Digital Resources Program (LHDRP), these items were digitized in order to provide broader access
to the cultural and social history of South San Francisco. These and other library digital collections are available via the
library's website
www.ssflibrary.net as well as California Digital Library's (CDL) Calisphere and OAC websites (see
http://www.calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu and
http://oac.cdlib.org ).
Scope and Content of Collection
The South San Francisco Local History Collection is devoted to the historical development and current events of South San
Francisco. Established in 1967, this collection includes pamphlets, newspaper clippings and other written material about South
San Francisco.
The South San Francisco Enterprise Journal is available on microfilm from 1895 to present. Other materials that are preserved in the History Room are the South San
Francisco Chamber of Commerce business directories (1964 to present), South San Francisco's budgets and general plans, photographs,
oral history tapes, city government records and maps. There are approximately 2000 photographs, slides from the 1850s to the
present and local school photographs and yearbooks from 1917 to present.
In addition, the History Collection consists of general genealogical reference materials, city directories (1905, 1908, 1929,
1938, and 1940), local telephone books from 1979 to the present, photocopies of the local telephone books (1912, 1915, 1920,
1937, 1942, and 1944), a historic building survey (1986), Sanborn Maps (1910 and 1929), South San Francisco zoning and area
maps (1840s to present), and Oral History tapes.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Genentech, Inc.
Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center
South San Francisco (Calif.)
Biotechnology industries
Medical facilities
Business enterprises
Centennial celebrations--California--South San Francisco--2008
American Revolution Bicentennial, 1976
City views--California--South San Francisco
Photographic prints
Photographic postcards
Leaflets
Posters