Beyond the Golden Gate and hills, the quirky and forward-thinking urban melting pot of characters, ideas, and ethnicities has blazed its path through history with an emperor, an earthquake, and epiphanies of rebirth. From Gold Rush prospectors to Haight-Ashbury hippies, It Happened in San Francisco offers a unique look at intriguing people and episodes from the history of the City by the Bay. Meet Scotsman Andrew Hallidie, whose cable-car technology made the city's steep hills accessible. Discover how Alcatraz became the site of a two-year Native American occupation. And learn about the influential life of poet Allen Ginsberg, whose "Howl" expressed the attitudes, fears, and disillusionment of the Beat Generation. In an easy-to-read style that's entertaining and informative, San Francisco-based author Maxine Cass recounts some of her city's most captivating moments.