Historic Landmarks of San Francisco

This site is unique! Unlike most of San Francisco’s state landmarks, which commemorate historic events, locations, or structures, Number 1024 honors the life and achievements of an individual. That the individual is a woman makes it even more special.

Juana Briones’ mother and maternal grandparents came to California with the 1776 Anza Expedition, making them true pioneers of the Golden State. Juana was born in 1902 in Branciforte Pueblo, which is now the City of Santa Cruz. Her father was one of the founders of the pueblo.

In 1812 the family moved to a location within what is now the Presidio of San Francisco. In 1820 Juana married Apolinario Miranda, a soldier stationed at the Presidio. The couple ended up having eleven children; eight of them survived infancy and childhood and lived to be adults.

In 1835 Juana separated from Apolinario and moved from the area of the Presidio a few miles east to the lower slope of Telegraph Hill. Here she built an adobe on the site of the plaque in Washington Square Park. At a time when women seldom owned land, Juana held legal title to the property.

Juana died in 1889 and is buried down the Peninsula in Menlo Park’s Holy Cross Cemetery.

While nothing physical remains of Juana Briones in San Francisco, until quite recently an adobe bearing her name existed 60 miles to the south at 4157 Old Adobe Road in the City Of Palo Alto. In 1844 Juana had purchased Rancho la Purisima Conception in present day Santa Clara County. She built the adobe soon after acquiring the land. Sadly, the structure was allowed to deteriorate over the years. In the late 1990’s a Silicon Valley power couple bought the property and elected to have the adobe torn down so it could be replaced by a ugly, bloated McMansion. Preservationists fought long and hard to save the house, but to no avail. It was deconstructed, i.e. demolished, in 2011. Thus it was that in Palo Alto, one of the most affluent communities in the state, nouveau riche vulgarians were permitted to destroy a priceless historic relic. Sad!!

Local legend has it that Juana Briones, on her death bed, laid a curse on anyone who defiled or destroyed her beloved home. So perhaps it’s not surprising that in 2020 one of the aforementioned power couple sued the other for personal injury. Maybe somewhere the ghost of Juana Briones is smiling.