Yerba Buena Cove

Yerba Buena Cove was a natural harbor on the San Francisco Peninsula that became the site of the settlement of Yerba Buena in 1835. This settlement was later renamed San Francisco in 1847. The cove was located east of the Mission San Francisco de Asis and was cleared by Captain William Anthony Richardson, who erected the first dwelling there. The United States attempted to purchase the bay in 1835, recognizing its commercial potential. The cove became the location where the U.S. flag was raised in 1846, marking American control. San Francisco Bay itself is a drowned river valley, and much of its area has been reduced by land reclamation projects. Yerba Buena Island is one of the natural islands within San Francisco Bay.12