F I R S TP R E V391NEXTLAST

Shriners, Baghdad by the Bay
Long before the U.S. wars with Iraq, San Francisco was known as 'Baghdad by the Bay.' It was first named that by the city's famed columnist, Herb Caen in the 1930s. He likened the city's otherworldliness, bustling street life, trinket markets, and its myriad of travelers to the exotic, incense-scented capital in the East. San Francisco's appeal in the '30s was obvious, while most of the county struggled through the Great Depression, the city was experiencing a bit of a Golden Age with many of its monuments being built including Coit Tower and both bay bridges. Additionally, a glittering World's Fair was held on Treasure Island in 1939. Caen later wrote two books about the city using Baghdad by the Bay in the titles and the nickname stuck.
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