#32: Letter from the Gold Rush, 1850

there have been a great number of letters written from and about san francisco through the decades, some by visitors and some by citizens, some known around the world, others anonymous. it is fascinating to hear voices from the past brought temporarily back to life, to see the city and its environs through the pens of contemporary eyewitnesses... some who wrote with an eye towards posterity, but others who were just sending their thoughts across the country to loved ones left behind. there really is nothing like the comfortable details of a letter back home to connect us, to provide a glimpse into the humanity of previous generations.