Before it was prime San Francisco tourist turf, Ghirardelli Square was pumping out chocolate for a gold-crazed city. In 1852, Italian immigrant Domingo Ghirardelli turned his failed mining dreams into something sweeter – starting with a little shop that grew into the massive brick chocolate factory we now know as SF’s favorite square.

Here’s the story. Domingo Ghirardelli’s historical displays can be traced back around the square, journeying from Peru to California during the 1849 Gold Rush. In 1893, he bought this entire block for his company headquarters, cementing his place in San Francisco’s chocolate-making history.