Page "Daly City, California" Paragraph 4

Following the Mexican Cession of California at the end of the Mexican – American War the owners of Rancho Laguna de La Merced tried to claim land between San Bruno Mountain and Lake Merced.

An 1853 US government survey declared that the contested area was in fact government property and could be acquired by private citizens.

There was a brief land rush as settlers, mainly Irish established ranches in farms in parts of what is now the neighborhoods of Westlake, Serramonte, and the cities of Colma and Pacifica.

A decade later, several of families left as increase in the fog density killed grain and potato crops.

The few remaining families switched to dairy and cattle farming as a more profitable enterprise.

In the late 19th century as San Francisco grew and San Mateo County was established, Daly City also gradually grew including homes and schools along the lines for the Southern Pacific railroad.

Daly City served as a location where San Franciscans would cross over county lines to gamble and fight.

As tensions built in approach to the American Civil War, California was divided between pro-slavery, and Free Soil advocates.

Two of the main figures in the debate were US Senator David C. Broderick, a Free Soil advocate and David S. Terry who was in favor of extension of slavery into California.

Quarreling and political fighting between the two eventually led to a duel in the Lake Merced area at which Terry mortally wounded Broderick, who would die three days later.

The site of the duel is marked with two granite shafts were the men stood, and designated is California Historical Landmark number 19.