Emperor Norton
San Francisco eccentric and self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States · United States · On the map · Business Professionals · Lived 1811 to 1880 · aged 68
Joshua Abraham Norton was a resident of San Francisco, California, who in 1859 declared himself "Emperor of these United States" in a proclamation that he signed "Norton I., Emperor of the United States". Commonly known as Emperor Norton, he took the secondary title "Protector of Mexico" in 1866.
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Emperor Norton in full dress uniform and military regalia, his hand on the hilt of a ceremonial sabre, c. 1875![A fanciful depiction of Norton dressed as the Pope at the funeral of the itinerant dog Lazarus[24]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Lazarus2.jpg/1280px-Lazarus2.jpg)
A fanciful depiction of Norton dressed as the Pope at the funeral of the itinerant dog Lazarus[24]
A ten dollar note issued by the imperial government of Norton I
"Chronic Cronies----Harmlessly ARMED," a caricature of Norton (right) and Denis Kearney by George Frederick Keller published in The Wasp mocking them for the weapons they carried, December 6, 1879
Norton on the cover of The Wasp shortly after his death, January 17, 1880
This 1939 plaque commemorating Norton's role in the history of the Bay Bridge was originally at the Cliff House, San Francisco and then at the now-demolished Transbay Terminal. It is currently located inside Old Molloy's Tavern, in Colma, Calif.
