The Barbary Coast

The Barbary Coast begins with The Gold Rush in 1849 which saw the biggest influx of gold-seekers, gamblers, thieves, harlots, politicians and other felonious parasites to the infant city. Thus arose a unique criminal district that for almost seventy years was the scene of more viciousness and depravity yet at the same time possessed more glamour and intrigue than any other area of vice and iniquity on the American continent.