The Old Mint Building, 5th and Mission

The original Mint building in San Francisco was completed in 1874 at the corner of Fifth and Mission. Its central courtyard included a well, newly dug in 1906, giving the building an independent water supply. This well, and heroic efforts by the Mint staff, enabled the building to survive the great fires of 1906. The building was designed with a massive stone foundation to resist both earthquakes and tunneling by thieves. The San Francisco Museum hosts a brief history of the building.