June 14

1851: Peter Smith auctions San Francisco waterfront lots on June 14, sparking speculation.

On June 14, 1851, San Francisco auctioneer Peter Smith conducted the first of five major waterfront lot sales that transformed the city's maritime economy. These public auctions, held under official notice, attracted speculators and merchants competing for prime water-lot parcels along the burgeoning port. The sales established a pattern of aggressive land dealing that would define San Francisco's real estate boom and reshape the shoreline for decades.