Historical Tidbits: St. Patrick's Day Parade

Daily Diary, March 17, 2023 Day 927: St. Patrick’s Day was an important day of celebration for the Irish in San Francisco as early as 1851, and the first record of a parade came in 1853. This isn’t surprising, given how large a part the Irish played in the city. By 1880, they were the largest single immigrant group in San Francisco and 1/3 of the city’s population were of Irish descent. The first Irish mayor of the city was elected as early as 1867. The article below is from the San Francisco Chronicle, describing the festivities for St. Patrick’s Day 1882.

Not surprisingly, many of the characters in my Victorian San Francisco mystery series are Irish, and while I set one mystery Uneasy Spirits, during Halloween, maybe I should figure out a story that should be set during St. Patrick’s Day!