Gold Rush Women: Untold Stories of San Francisco’s Trailblazing Pioneers

Sun Nov 30 2025 at 02:00 pm to 04:00 pm UTC-08:00

Saints Peter and Paul Church | San Francisco

Go Roam Tours
Publisher/HostGo Roam Tours
Gold Rush Women: Untold Stories of San Francisco\u2019s Trailblazing Pioneers Step into San Francisco’s Wild Gold Rush Era—Through the Eyes of the Women Who Made History.
About this Event

🚶‍♀️ Walk through Gold Rush history—from a woman’s point of view.Join Go Roam Tours for a bold, inclusive walking tour uncovering the powerful women and gender-nonconforming people who shaped early San Francisco but were left out of the textbooks.

From brothel madams to suffragettes to artists to entrepreneurs, “Gold Rush Women” reveals the untold stories of women who defied the odds and redefined the West.

Long Description:

Uncover the untold stories of the bold, brilliant, and scandalous women who helped shape San Francisco during the Gold Rush. From entrepreneurs and entertainers to outlaws and activists, this walking tour explores the city’s vibrant past through the fierce women who defied the odds—and left their mark.

On this 2-hour guided walking tour through North Beach, Chinatown, and the Financial District, you’ll discover:

· Mary Ellen Pleasant, a Black businesswoman, abolitionist, and self-made millionaire known as the "Mother of Civil Rights in California."

· Ah Toy, San Francisco’s first Chinese madam who took on the courts—and won.

· Lola Montez, scandalous performer, political influencer, and global celebrity.

· Juana Briones, entrepreneur, healer, and early Californio landowner.

· The hidden lives of women pioneers, sex workers, suffragists, and unsung heroines who risked everything for fortune, freedom, or fame.

👣 This walking tour brings history to life in the streets where it happened—perfect for history buffs, culture seekers, and anyone curious about the powerful women of the past.

📍 Location: Starts in San Francisco’s historic Jackson Square

🚶‍♀️Walking distance: ~1 mile

🎟️ Tickets: $34.95 | Discounts for students, seniors, and youth

🗓️ Offered: Thursdays–Sundays

💡 This tour reclaims women’s and gender-expansive history—one city block at a time. Book your spot and walk in the footsteps of the fearless.

Perfect for:Solo travelers, history lovers, LGBTQIA, women's groups, feminist locals and tourists, educators, and curious locals.


About Your Tour Guide:

Throughout the tour, your guide—Heather Cassell, award-winning feminist journalist and publisher and San Francisco Bay Area native—shares the story of women who shaped San Francisco from its days as Yerba Buena to the mad rush for gold to the club era and suffrage movement during the Gilded Age.

Whether you're a visitor, a longtime local, or exploring your own place in the women’s movement, this tour offers a toast to the people, places, and movements that built San Francisco—and continue to shape its future.

Event Venue

Saints Peter and Paul Church, 666 Filbert Street, San Francisco, United States

Tickets

USD 0.00 to USD 39.13

Icon
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Ask AI if this event suits you:

More Events in San Francisco

Parking Cal State Monterey Bay Otters at San Francisco Dons Womens Basketball
Sun, 30 Nov at 11:30 am Parking Cal State Monterey Bay Otters at San Francisco Dons Womens Basketball

War Memorial At The Sobrato Center

Holiday Art Fair at the International Art Museum of America
Sun, 30 Nov at 12:00 pm Holiday Art Fair at the International Art Museum of America

International Art Museum of America

Film: Thabyay: Creative Resistance in Myanmar
Sun, 30 Nov at 01:00 pm Film: Thabyay: Creative Resistance in Myanmar

San Francisco Public Library, Koret Auditorium (Lower Level)

Holiday Decorating Party
Sun, 30 Nov at 01:15 pm Holiday Decorating Party

Castro Country Club

Space: A Sonic Journey | Envelop SF  (1:30pm)
Sun, 30 Nov at 01:30 pm Space: A Sonic Journey | Envelop SF (1:30pm)

Envelop SF

Cody and Jack's 17th Annual Holiday Toy Drive
Sun, 30 Nov at 03:00 pm Cody and Jack's 17th Annual Holiday Toy Drive

SF Eagle

November 30: Gl\u00f6gg and Hygge in the Presidio
Sun, 30 Nov at 03:00 pm November 30: Glögg and Hygge in the Presidio

Main Parade Ground, the Presidio, San Francisco

SF Daytime Social - Salsa & Bachata Party
Sun, 30 Nov at 03:00 pm SF Daytime Social - Salsa & Bachata Party

Verdi Club

Paint Sip Acrylic Painting Workshop "Starry Night"
Sun, 30 Nov at 03:00 pm Paint Sip Acrylic Painting Workshop "Starry Night"

33 Seneca Ave

Space: A Sonic Journey | Envelop SF  (3:30pm)
Sun, 30 Nov at 03:30 pm Space: A Sonic Journey | Envelop SF (3:30pm)

Envelop SF

San Francisco is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore San Francisco Events