It was named after William D. M. Howard, Leading Merchant of Yerba Buena, a native of Boston who came to California in 1839 as a cabin boy on the sailing ship California. For several years he was supercargo on Boston ships trading up and down the Pacific coast, and as such agent in charge of the collection of hides and tallow. In 1845 he and Henry Mellus formed the firm of Mellus & Howard. This firm had the most active commercial business in San Francisco in the years when the settlement was known as Yerba Buena, and in 1846 bought the property of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Howard was one of the town’s most public spirited and prosperous men and was known as the first citizen of San Francisco in the years just before the gold rush.[2]
See also
How Weird Street Faire (annual electronic music festival on Howard Street, whose name alludes to it)
