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Bank of California, Financial District
Founded in 1864 by William Ralston, the Bank of California grew to the second-richest bank in the country and was instrumental in developing the West. Ralston raised the original $2 million in capital by selling $100 shares to 22 of the state's leading businessmen. But it was Ralston's energy and optimism as much as the bank's money that financed the building of the Bay Area's businesses, factories, hotels, steam lines, mining companies, railroads, telegraph companies, and even San Francisco's water company. In many ways the Bank of California built the Bay Area. In 1996 the bank merged with Union Bank to become the Union Bank of California. Today this historic, colonnaded, classical building features an arcade of shops, restaurants, and art galleries in its basement.
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