The Bay Bridge's tunnel could soon bear Emperor Norton's name
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A new tunnel name could be inbound. Photo: Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Few figures capture San Francisco's reputation for embracing the unconventional quite like Emperor Norton — a 19th century eccentric who was among the first to call for building a bridge between San Francisco and Oakland.
- Now, State Sen. Scott Wiener, who's running to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi in Congress, wants to honor that vision by renaming part of the Bay Bridge after one of the city's most celebrated folk heroes.
Driving the news: Wiener this week introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 193, which would rename the Yerba Buena Tunnel as the Emperor Norton Tunnel.
- It would honor Joshua Abraham Norton, the self-proclaimed "Emperor of these United States" and "Protector of Mexico," whose quirkiness and forward-thinking ideas have made him one of SF's most enduring historical fixtures.
What they're saying: "Emperor Norton was a San Francisco original... and was also more than 50 years ahead of his time in calling for the construction of the Bay Bridge," Wiener said in a statement. "It's only fitting that part of that bridge bear his name."
The big picture: More than 50 years before construction began, Norton issued proclamations in 1872 envisioning a bridge connecting the two cities by way of what was then known as Goat Island — today's Yerba Buena Island.
- The bridge, completed in 1936, closely followed the route he had imagined decades earlier.
- Wiener's resolution comes during a symbolic year, marking both the Bay Bridge's 90th anniversary and the 180th anniversary of Norton's arrival in the U.S. from England.
Catch up quick: If the proposal sounds unusual, that's fitting for the man it's meant to honor.
- Norton arrived in San Francisco during the Gold Rush era and initially found success as a businessman before losing his fortune.
- Rather than fade into obscurity, he reinvented himself in 1859 by declaring himself emperor. Though he held no official authority, San Franciscans largely embraced the persona.
Norton also often used his platform to advocate for causes that were ahead of their time.
- He spoke out against discrimination during a period of growing anti-Chinese hostility in California and urged peace during times of political division.
What's next: The resolution asks the California Department of Transportation to estimate the cost of replacing signage for the tunnel.
- The nonprofit Emperor Norton Trust, which is sponsoring the resolution, would be responsible for raising the money needed to pay for the new signs, the SF Chronicle reports.