Ridiculous History CLASSIC: San Francisco's Egg War
Jun 1, 2024
Delve into the strange world of the Gold Rush and California's Egg War. Explore the historical significance of eggs as a high-priced commodity during this era, the treacherous journey to collect seabird eggs, and the gripping tale of conflict and racial tensions surrounding San Francisco's Egg War.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Egg Scarcity Fueled By Gold Rush Demand
- San Francisco's Gold Rush created severe local food shortages that drove extreme price inflation for staples like eggs.
- Imported eggs couldn't meet demand, so entrepreneurs looked to nearby seabird colonies as alternate protein sources.
Farallons Hosted A Valuable Murre Colony
- The Farallon Islands hosted the largest contiguous seabird colony on the U.S. mainland and became an intensive egg source.
- Common murre eggs are unusually large, pointed, and uniquely speckled, adapted to cliff nesting and parent recognition.
Why Murre Eggs Are Unusually Shaped
- Murre eggs are piriform and heavily porous at the blunt end, which may protect embryos from fouling and collisions on filthy ledges.
- Modern research suggests shape serves cleanliness and protection more than just preventing cliff-rolls.