We all love our city, but as editors of this here San Francisco magazine, even we didn't know that SF had an official musical instrument.

In fact, there are several things that are official to the city, many of which have been part of our DNA forever. Read up and take notes—this may come in handy the next time you hit trivia night at Vinyl.

(via Bagerskan)


Did you know that San Francisco's official birthday is June 29, 1776? Just five days before the Declaration of Independence, Fathers Francisco Palou and Benito Cambon said mass at Mission San Francisco Asis (now Mission Dolores) to celebrate the feast day of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The day became recognized as the city's birthdate.

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(via All Out Foul)


The city's official motto, Oro en Paz, Fierro en Guerra (Gold in Peace, Iron in War), is on the San Francisco flag. It's because of this saying that SF's official colors are gold and black (nor orange and black, as some of you Giants fans may think). The colors were so designated on March 2, 1979, but you could have already witnessed the city's dedication to the black and gold by looking at the dome of City Hall.

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(via In the Writer's Web)


The accordion was named the official musical instrument of San Francisco in 1990. Accordion players made their pitch to the city, citing the instrument as a part of SF history. There are claims that the first piano accordion was made here, and was first introduced to the stage here. as well.

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(via SF Citizen)


The dahlia became the official flower of San Francisco on October 4, 1926. The resolution states that it was chosen partly because it "partakes essentially of the character of our beloved city, in birth, breeding and habit, for it was originally Mexican, carried thence to Spain, to France and England in turn, being changed in the process from a simple daisy-like wild flower to a cosmopolitan beauty....In its versatility, its beauty, its infinite variety of color and form, it is the very symbol of San Francisco life and of the spirit of her people."

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(via Christian Miracles)


Catholics (and anyone with any limited knowledge of the bible) could have easily guessed that St. Francis of Assisi, the co-patron saint of Italy (and patron saint of animals, ecology, merchants and rights workers) is the namesake and patron saint of SF. He was also the founder of the Order of St. Francis, whose followers are called Franciscans.

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(via TRAIL Partners Marin County)


The California quail is not only the official state bird of California, but it was named the official bird of San Francisco, in 2000, in an effort to draw attention to the species' dwindling numbers. In 1900, there were as many as 1,500 quail in Golden Gate Park. Sadly, today there are only two male quail known in all of SF.

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via (Traditional Music Library)


We actually have two official songs. Since October 6, 1969, the official ballad has been the Tony Bennett classic we all know, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." But the song "San Francisco," from the 1936 film of the same name, became the city's second official song on May 15, 1984.

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(via Wikipedia)


San Francisco's official flag was adopted on December 16, 1940, but was designed by John M. Gamble back in 1900. The flag contains the city motto (which came from the city's involvement in the Spanish-American War as the embarkation point for troops to the Philippines in 1898), a yellow border that was supposed to be gold fringe, and a Phoenix rising from the flames. This last symbol was a reference to the city's resilience after the great fires of the 1850s.

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(via San Francisco Public Library)


The Seal of the City of San Francisco was adopted on November 4, 1852, but some of its details—including the miner, the sailor, and the city motto—were added on March 1, 1859, and this became the Seal of the City and County of San Francisco. Passed on March 26, 1900, Ordinance #39 stated "a corporate seal of the City and County of San Francisco bearing upon its face: A shield supported by a miner on the left and a sailor on the right, with a device of a steamship passing the Golden Gate. At the foot of the supporters emblems of commerce, navigation, and mining. Crest, Phoenix issuing from flames. Motto, "Oro en Paz, Fierro en Guerra" (Gold in Peace, Iron in War). Around the margins the words, "Seal of the City and County of San Francisco."

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(via TripAdvisor)


Yep, we have an official tree. Uncle John's Tree, named after Golden Gate Park's first superintendent John McLaren, is a 100-foot tall Monterey cypress; it stands tall in front of McLaren Lodge at 501 Stanyan Street. Every year since 1929, it has been decorated and lit for the holidays.

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