HI 440 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Oyster Stew, Typhoid Fever, Hydraulic Mining

43 views2 pages
23 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Rise and Decline of Organic City: A Case Study of San Francisco
Human waste and the organic material in cities went through mollusks. This lecture covers how
the oyster industry rose and declined in Oakland (in the San Francisco Bay), and why this part of
history is forgotten. Why did it disappear? Was it pollution or were there more complex factors?
Oyster Industry
The rise of this industry coincides with the rise of the urban oyster; they are a cheap
locally produced protein that can feed both sides of the Atlantic Ocean
San Francisco Bay was driven by imported oysters and they provided the basic
daily food of workers
Imported oysters were placed on trains and shipped across the country → they
were not a natural fishery in San Francisco
Oysters improved the lives of workers and poorer people in the city, but it was not natural
(like Central Park in NYC)
San Francisco Bay
Oysters became the staple food for inexpensive protein
Americans came here for the gold rush, and oysters were the most similar and available
food source for those that came from the East coast
Hydraulic mining is used in the bay
The bay is purged because freshwater overtakes the salt water due to this new
kind of mining
By 1862, new species were present in the bay due to the freshwater, like the new oyster
Property lines were established by oyster companies
Morgan Bay had the most oyster holdings
Oyster Trade
Atlantic oysters from the east and transported to the west were brought there for an
economic gain; the oysters would increase in size if brought there
The reason there was a demand was because they were the “Big Mac” of the 19th
century
The urban working poor needed to eat cheaply, so they made oyster stew with
crackers or bread
The advantage of oysters is that they are the perfect food as they are full of vitamins and
are mostly protein
Oysters are food that last and sustain
Decline of Oysters
Typhoid fever was found to be linked to raw oysters, but if oysters were cooked, there
would be no issue with this disease
The media took up the lesson that oysters were dangerous no matter what →
they were the reason for mass disease and death
By the 1900’s, oysters were seen as part of the past because of their association with the
urban environment
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Unlock document

This preview shows half of the first page of the document.
Unlock all 2 pages and 3 million more documents.

Already have an account? Log in

Document Summary

Rise and decline of organic city: a case study of san francisco. Human waste and the organic material in cities went through mollusks. This lecture covers how the oyster industry rose and declined in oakland (in the san francisco bay), and why this part of history is forgotten. The rise of this industry coincides with the rise of the urban oyster; they are a cheap locally produced protein that can feed both sides of the atlantic ocean. San francisco bay was driven by imported oysters and they provided the basic daily food of workers. Imported oysters were placed on trains and shipped across the country they were not a natural fishery in san francisco. Oysters improved the lives of workers and poorer people in the city, but it was not natural (like central park in nyc) Oysters became the staple food for inexpensive protein.

Get access

Grade+20% off
$8 USD/m$10 USD/m
Billed $96 USD annually
Grade+
Homework Help
Study Guides
Textbook Solutions
Class Notes
Textbook Notes
Booster Class
40 Verified Answers
Class+
$8 USD/m
Billed $96 USD annually
Class+
Homework Help
Study Guides
Textbook Solutions
Class Notes
Textbook Notes
Booster Class
30 Verified Answers

Related Documents