Union Square, San Francisco, California, USA, 4K

Union Square is a 2.6-acre (1.1-hectare) public plaza bordered by Geary, Powell, Post, and Stockton Streets in downtown San Francisco, California. "Union Square" also refers to the central shopping, hotel, and theater district that surrounds the plaza for several blocks.[citation needed] The area got its name because it was once used for Thomas Starr King rallies and support for the Union Army during the American Civil War,[2] earning its designation as a California Historical Landmark.[1]
Today, this one-block plaza and surrounding area is one of the largest collections of department stores, upscale boutiques, gift shops, art galleries, and beauty salons in the United States, making Union Square a major tourist destination and a well-known gathering place in downtown San Francisco.[3] Grand hotels and small inns, as well as repertory, off-Broadway, and single-act theaters also contribute to the area's dynamic, 24-hour character.[4] The Dewey Monument is at the center of Union Square. It is a statue of Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States has accelerated the continuing exodus of business from the entire downtown core of San Francisco.[5][6][7] Significantly high levels of crime and homelessness have become more prominent features of Union Square.[8] Theories advanced range from crime, drugs, and homelessness, to the West Coast's and particularly San Francisco's challenge as a major commercial center given its relative geographic isolation from other North American commercial centers in an era of increasingly ubiquitous e-commerce
Union Square was originally a tall sand dune, and the square was later set aside to be made into a public park in 1850. Union Square got its name from the pro-Union rallies held there on the eve of the Civil War. The monument itself is also a tribute to the sailors of the United States Navy.