Overview

Dennison's Exchange, along with El Dorado Hotel and the Parker House Hotel, were three of the most popular gambling and drinking places in Gold Rush San Francisco of 1849. These buildings existed for very short times, due to the frequent fires that occurred in San Francisco between 1849 and 1851. The first great San Francisco fire of 12/24/1849 started in Dennison's Exchange, destroying it.

In some cases, buildings were rebuilt and reoccupied within a few weeks time. Because the pace of construction and subsequent fire was so rapid, it is very difficult to disentangle how many buildings were built and rebuilt on the same sites near Portsmouth Square.

Demolition

Dennison's Exchange burned when a large fire started here on Christmas Eve, 12/24/1849.

PCAD id: 24860