# When did SF's Population = 634,536

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sfs-population-634-536/202462>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 18, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sfs-population-634-536/202462 "2003-09-18T20:28:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sfs-population-634-536/202462/1 "2003-09-18T20:28:37Z")

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I recently found a beautiful little travel diary issued by Northern Pacific Railway. Its entry for San Francisco, California states that the city’s population is 634,536. The book contains no copyright date and I’m trying to identify when it was printed. This little leather bound jewel is in mint condition, right down to the gilded page edges and completely blank entry sections. I found it in a thrift shop the other day for all of 49¢. It mentions “airships” and recommends earplugs to keep out engine propeller noise. There are sections on how to tip a luggage porter or the deck chair steward on your “steamship.” This tiny gem is priceless.

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sfs-population-634-536/202462/2 "2003-09-18T20:32:41Z")

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What a great find. I can’t answer your question, but as a collector of Alaskana, I can appreciate your find. I bought a small booklet on ebay on the building of the Alcan Highway, published in about 1943 or so. Imagine my delight when I opened it and found it autographed by many of the men who worked on the highway (and the lone woman), along with where they were originally from!

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**Author:** ![lesa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/34f0e0/32.png) [@lesa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lesa)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sfs-population-634-536/202462/3 "2003-09-18T20:45:42Z")

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According to this page, 1940:

[http://physics.bu.edu/~redner/projects/population/cities/sf.html](http://physics.bu.edu/~redner/projects/population/cities/sf.html)

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**Author:** ![kdchessm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6de8d8/32.png) [@kdchessm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kdchessm)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sfs-population-634-536/202462/4 "2003-09-18T20:57:26Z")

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The answer to your question is 1940, according to the U.S. Census.

Link to pdf document: [[http://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-1-1.pdf](http://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-1-1.pdf) 9] see pg 606

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**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-sfs-population-634-536/202462/5 "2003-09-18T21:13:18Z")

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Thank you all for the factual (and non-factual) replies. (Cool find there, **Chefguy**!)

Mods, please close this thread.