2026 WESTPEX THEME
The Golden City, San Francisco, is Still Young at 250
By Michael S. Turrini
On July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, a group of determined colonists pledged their “lives and sacred honor,” giving birth to the United States of America.
Just one week earlier, on June 27, 1776, on the opposite side of the continent, a small Spanish expedition and a handful of colonists established a simple camp beside a lagoon they named Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. Seventeen Spanish soldiers, seven colonists, two friars, and five Native Americans tending pack animals, bore witness to the quiet beginning of what would become San Francisco.
Such was the birth and founding of San Francisco, California. Although located three thousand miles west of Philadelphia and Independence Hall, the heritage and history of both the United States of America and San Francisco were cast and commenced over the past two hundred fifty years.
As our nation commemorates its 250th anniversary, WESTPEX 2026, the second-largest philatelic gathering on the North American continent, proudly marks the same milestone for its long-time and only home: San Francisco.
Over the centuries, San Francisco has grown from a camp of explorers into one of the world’s great cities—known variously as “The City,” “Golden Gate City,” “Paris of the West,” “Baghdad by the Bay,” and many more.
From such a beginning, followed by a few decades of negligent colonial rule, small arrivals of ‘Yankee Traders’, ventures by American mountain men, and then the chance discovery of gold, San Francisco emerged onto the world stage and proudly established its prominence. Today, it is known as a tourist destination, a financial hub, and a center for major businesses and sporting events, attracting entrepreneurial ventures, world-class performing arts, venues for movie productions, and active political movements that have spread across the entire nation.
The city’s story is one of determination and reinvention. Shaped by waves of immigrants, entrepreneurs, and workers, San Francisco has embodied progress in civil rights, gay rights, labor movements, education, and social justice. It has survived devastating fires, two great earthquakes, riots, and even political assassinations—yet has emerged stronger, its seal proudly bearing the phoenix that symbolizes rebirth.
Spanning 250 years, San Francisco continues to welcome people from every corner of the globe, sharing cultures and heritage, and sparking new ideas. It remains a beacon of compassion and caring, innovation, and diversity.
In 2026, WESTPEX® is honored to celebrate San Francisco’s 250th anniversary. We invite the philatelic world to join us in honoring this remarkable city and to revel in “the world of stamps.”