The San Francisco Bay Area PortalThe San Francisco Bay Area (referred to locally as the Bay Area) is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses the major cities and metropolitan areas of San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland, along with smaller urban and rural areas. The Bay Area's nine counties are Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. Home to approximately 7.68 million people, the nine-county Bay Area contains many cities, towns, airports, and associated regional, state, and national parks, connected by a network of roads, highways, railroads, bridges, tunnels, and commuter rail. The combined statistical area of the region is the second-largest in California (after the Greater Los Angeles area), the fifth-largest in the United States, and the 43rd-largest urban area in the world with 8.80 million people. The Bay Area has the second-most Fortune 500 companies in the United States, after the New York metropolitan area, and is known for its natural beauty, liberal politics, entrepreneurship, and diversity. The area ranks second in highest density of college graduates, after the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and performs above the state median household income in the 2010 census; it includes the five highest California counties by per capita income and two of the top 25 wealthiest counties in the United States. Based on a 2013 population report from the California Department of Finance, the Bay Area is the only region in California where the rate of people migrating in from other areas in the United States is greater than the rate of those leaving the region, led by Alameda and Contra Costa counties. (more...) Selected article
The Residents are an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. Since their first official release, Meet The Residents (1974), the group has since released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects, and ten DVDs. They have undertaken seven major world tours and scored multiple films. Pioneers in exploring the potential of CD-ROM and similar technologies, the Residents have won several awards for their multimedia projects. Ralph Records, a record label focusing on avant-garde music, was started by the band.
Throughout the group's existence, the individual members have ostensibly attempted to operate under anonymity, preferring instead to have attention focused on their art output. Much outside speculation and rumor has focused on this aspect of the group. In public, the group appears silent and costumed, often wearing eyeball helmets, top hats and tuxedos — a long-lasting costume now recognized as its signature iconography. Its albums generally fall into two categories: deconstructions of Western popular music, or complex conceptual pieces, composed around a theme, theory or plot. The group is noted for surrealistic lyrics and sound, disregard for conventional music composition, and the over the top, theatrical spectacle of their live performances. (more...) Selected biography
George Cedric Wright (April 13, 1889 – 1959) was an American violinist and wilderness photographer of the High Sierra. He was Ansel Adams's mentor and best friend for decades, and accompanied Adams when three of his most famous photographs were taken. He was a long -time participant in the annual wilderness High Trips sponsored by the Sierra Club.
Cedric Wright was born and raised in Alameda, California. His father was a successful attorney, and one of his clients was astronomer Charles Hitchcock Adams, Ansel Adams's father. Cedric's uncle, William Hammond Wright, was an astronomer who became head of Lick Observatory. As a result of his father's success, Wright was financially comfortable throughout his life. (more...) Selected city
Concord (/ˈkɒŋkərd/ KON-kərd; formerly Todos Santos) is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California, in the United States. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067. Founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months. The city is a major regional suburban East Bay center within the San Francisco Bay Area, and is 31 miles (50 km) east of San Francisco. (more...)
Selected imageThe Hotel Majestic on Gough Street, San Francisco
image credit: Smallbones
The Bay Area by year2003
Selected historical imagePoster for the Indian Court exhibit at the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco, showing Haida Indian blanket design (1939) image credit: Library of Congress
Did you know...
Previous Did you know... • ... that as of November 2013, two "Google barges" were docked in Treasure Island, San Francisco?
Selected periodic eventThe Frameline Film Festival, also known as the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival, is the oldest ongoing film festival devoted to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) programming. With an annual attendance of 60,000 to 80,000, it is the largest LGBT film exhibition event in the world. (frame lines pictured) Quote
~ Mark Twain, Roughing It (chapter 58)
Selected multimedia fileDetail, Vaillancourt Fountain, San Francisco credit: "Editor" (de minimus)
Bay Area regions, geographic features and protected areasGeographic features
Related PortalsWikiProject
Things you can do*Write an article on a Bay Area-related subject Selected panoramaLombard Street, San Francisco image credit: Apollo1758
San Francisco Bay Area categoriesBay Area | San Francisco Bay | San Francisco | San Jose | Oakland | Cities | Census-designated places | Historic Places | National Landmarks | Counties: Alameda | Contra Costa | Marin | Napa | San Mateo | Santa Clara | Solano | Sonoma
Architecture | Attractions | Books | Culture | Economy | Education | Environment | Events & Festivals | Geography | Government | History | Landmarks | Law | Mass media | Military | Music | Organizations | Parks | People | Politics | Science | Sports | Transport
Full category tree
Select [►] to view the full category tree.
Associated WikimediaThe following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
Discover Wikipedia using portals |
- All portals
- San Francisco Bay Area portal
- San Francisco Bay Area portal selected article pages
- San Francisco Bay Area portal selected biography pages
- San Francisco Bay Area portal selected city pages
- San Francisco Bay Area portal selected picture pages
- San Francisco Bay Area portal years pages
- San Francisco Bay Area portal selected historical image pages
- San Francisco Bay Area portal did you know pages
- San Francisco Bay Area portal festivals pages
- San Francisco Bay Area portal quotes pages
- San Francisco Bay Area portal selected multimedia pages
- San Francisco Bay Area portal selected panorama pages
- California portals
- San Francisco Bay Area
- United States portals by city