First car in San Francisco

[Doug-Johnson]

I'm looking for any info on the first car built in San Francisco. It may be first one west of the rockies. I've seen an old newspaper article my dad had but he's misplaced it. The paper was very fragile and falling apart. There was no date or banner but I believe it was the S.F. Chronicle. It must have been around the turn of the century. The car was built by my great grandfather Charles Johnson and I remember it stating that the wheels were from wheelbarrows from golden gate park. I think he may have built two. He died fairly young and neither my father nor I ever met him. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[MarkV]

Check into city hall, they might have records if the guy was in the buisness of making them. Also, call up your local newspaper, ones that existed back then, and they might help you, also, if you could remember the era, your library might have the clipping so, you could photo copy it. Just some ideas! Hope that helps! Let me know what you find out!

[1937hd45]

The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942 has a list of cars in the back broken down by the state of manufacture. There isn't a Johnson built in California. There is a Golden Gate that was built in San Francisco in 1893 by A Schilling & Sons makers of the Golden Gate gas engines. This was a three wheeled vehicle, the only one they built.

[Airy Cat]

The SF City Hall burnt down in the 1906 earthquake and fire with all of the records.

[MarkV]

I wonder if they built the car after 1906?

[ligage]

The earliest production car built in San Francisco that I am aware of, was the Sunset. Founded in 1901 by Dorville Libby Jr. The first cars were steamers then in 1904 they began building 2cyl 2cycle cars. The '06 earthquake fire ruined the factory on Market ST. The remaining parts were later assembled in San Jose. The San Jose factory later built a car called the Sunset 30 that was built until 1910, I believe.

Glenn Miller