Ghirardelli Square Polk, Beach, Larkin and North Point Streets Built 1850, Rebuilt 1962

www.flickr.com/mdalton

Domenico Ghirardelli from Rapello, Italy was a candy apprentice and then move to Uraguay to become party of the South America Chocolate trade where he me James Lick.  In 1847, Lick came to San Francisco bringing with him 600 pounds of chocolate.  He later became involved in the gold rush at Sutter Mill, then opening a general store at Sacramento and Battery Streets in San Francisco.  There were several locations before purchasing the Woolen Building which was the start of the Square.