Old San Francisco City Hall, Larkin St. near Grove, c 1898 Owing to corruption in city government, Old City Hall was built over a period of 27 years from 1871-1898 at a cost of $6 million. Its poor engineering and piecemeal variety of architectural styles earned it such nicknames as "the Cyclops" and "the ruin". >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> San Francisco City Hall circa 1890 which was destroyed by the 1906 Earthquake was improperly engineered and some say the victim of corruption by Boss Abe Ruef and Mayor Eugene Schmitz