Historic Stanford Court Hotel San Francisco 5 Editorial Photo

Leland Stanford was a lawyer by training, who made his real money as an industrialist. He had so much money by 1876, he spared no expense when he had his mansion built on this two acre property, spending $2,000000, the equivalent of just about $58,608,000 today. Considered one of the most magnificent homes in the whole country at the time, all was lost to the 1906 Earthquake, save the outer surrounding walls that now surround the Stanford Court Hotel, from 1912. Stanford was the main investor in the California Street Cable Car line, even before he started building his home here. His line became more popular and profitable then Cable Car inventor Hallidie own two lines. Although Stanford profitably sold his interest in his Cable Car line before the Earthquake, the quake left Hallidie two lines so badly damaged as to never being repaired, Stanfords California street line is now the oldest Cable Car Line in the whole world, still running today, As seen 24 May 2024.