Boudin Bakery, established 1849
Address: 319 Dupont Street, (now Grant Avenue), San Francisco
Boudin Bakery began in 1849 when Isidore Boudin, a baker with French heritage, obtained wild yeast starter from Gold Rush miners. Using his French baking knowledge, Boudin worked with this starter and noticed his bread had a unique sour, tangy flavor that was different from what he was accustomed to.
Initially operating from a tent, Boudin later established a permanent location at 319 DuPont Street (today’s Grant Avenue). When the business grew, he moved to a larger space at 815 Broadway, which is where the bakery was located during the San Francisco earthquake on April 18, 1906.
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This installation chronicles the birthplaces of innovation across the San Francisco Bay Area through a collection of 100 photographs capturing morning skies from the perspective of influential organizations’ original locations. Each month features a new organization’s view, inviting viewers to connect with these historic vantage points despite the changing landscape. The collection encompasses both celebrated institutions and lesser-known entities, presenting a visual timeline of the region’s entrepreneurial spirit. These shared skies represent the constant backdrop against which a century of ideas, ventures, and transformations have unfolded.
