Levi Strauss arrived in San Francisco in 1853.
Strauss came to California during the Gold Rush era and established himself in San Francisco as a dealer in dry goods. Rather than beginning as a jeans manufacturer, he initially sold supplies and clothing to miners, workers, and other customers in the rapidly growing city.
His business later became Levi Strauss & Co. The company’s most famous product developed after Strauss worked with Jacob Davis, a tailor who had devised a method of reinforcing work trousers with copper rivets. Their 1873 patent helped turn sturdy riveted trousers into a major commercial product.
The year 1853 is sometimes confused with the 1873 patent year or with 1854, when Strauss’s company is often dated as having been founded. These are different milestones in the company’s history.