Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Daly City Broderick-Terry Duel Site

Broderick-Terry Duel Site

Two pillars set 10 paces apart commemorate the "last notable American duel."

Daly City, California

Added By
Gina Giovannetti
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The markers are 10 paces apart.   Gina G / Atlas Obscura User
  esotericus / Atlas Obscura User
  esotericus / Atlas Obscura User
Marker.   Gina G / Atlas Obscura User
Marker.   Gina G / Atlas Obscura User
Obelisk marker pointing visitors down the paved path to the duel site.   Gina G / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Tucked away in a small park behind a golf course are two pillars marked with the names "Broderick" and "Terry." The pillars are exactly 10 paces apart and stand atop the site of one of the final legally sanctioned duels on American soil, often called the the "last notable American duel."

The Broderick-Terry duel took place on September 13, 1859, and involved United States Senator David C. Broderick of California and ex-Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California David S. Terry. Both men identified as members of the Democratic Party and were once friends and allies in politics.

But disagreements over the topic of slavery (Terry being pro-slavery and Broderick being against it) drove a wedge between the two men. Political and personal tensions continued mounting, ultimately culminating in Terry challenging Broderick to a duel.

After police thwarted their first attempt to duel, they rescheduled the face-off and decided to hold it in a more secluded spot. During the course of the duel Terry seriously wounded Broderick, who succumbed to his injuries and died three days later. The slain Broderick then became a martyr for the anti-slavery movement of the era.

On June 1st, 1932, the markers were erected in Daly City as a registered California landmark. There’s also a directional marker pointing visitors to the actual site of the ravine where the duel took place and a plaque briefly explaining the significance of the event. 

On February 22, 1917, the Native Sons of the Golden West erected two granite shafts on the spots where the combatants stood, and a bronze plaque commemorating the duel and explaining the significance of the event.  On June 1, 1932, the site was registered as California Historical Landmark. Sometime in the years since, the Native Sons’ plaque has been lost, but in 1949 a California Historical Landmark plaque was dedicated in its stead. There is also directional marker pointing visitors to the site.

Visitors are welcome to visit the duel site. Many have been known to conduct modern-day duels of their own with nerf guns.

Related Tags

Feud Duels History

Know Before You Go

The entrance to the duel site is located in a small parking lot near a clutch of private residences. Visitors should be respectful of those that live in the area. A small lawn area contains a few picnic tables and an obelisk marker pointing visitors farther into the park towards the duel markers.

The site can be visited most days of the year but be aware of the wildlife in the area, coyotes can sometimes be seen in the park so it may be best to visit in a group.

Nerf guns are welcome, but please pay attention to where the darts end up as they may be easily lost in the foliage that grows around the monuments (you may even come home with a few extras in different colors lost by past duelers!).

Community Contributors

Added By

Gina G

Edited By

esotericus

  • esotericus

Published

April 26, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Broderick-Terry Duel Site
1100 Lake Merced Blvd
Daly City, California
United States
37.708026, -122.483974
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Sutro Egyptian Collection

San Francisco, California

miles away

Urbano Sundial

San Francisco, California

miles away

Cayuga Park

San Francisco, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Daly City

Daly City

California

Places 3

Nearby Places

The Sutro Egyptian Collection

San Francisco, California

miles away

Urbano Sundial

San Francisco, California

miles away

Cayuga Park

San Francisco, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Daly City

Daly City

California

Places 3

Related Places

  • Saint Petersburg, Russia

    Literary Café

    Once frequented by heavyweights of the Russian arts scene, this café is stuck in the 1800s.

  • The Hollensbury Spite House

    Alexandria, Virginia

    Hollensbury Spite House

    The narrowest house in America is seven feet of pure spite.

  • Washington, D.C.

    Alferd Packer Cannibal Plaque

    A brass plaque dedicated to a convicted cannibal hangs in the National Press Club, and that's not even the craziest part of the story.

  • Washington, D.C.

    Churchill and Mandela Call and Response

    When it comes to handsignals (and colonialism) rock always beats scissors.

  • Dueling grounds.

    Colmar Manor, Maryland

    Bladensburg Dueling Grounds

    Politicians, bureaucrats, and military officers gathered in this field near the Capitol to settle their disputes with blood.

  • The North Inch Park.

    Perth, Scotland

    North Inch

    In 1396, two Scottish clans that had been violently feuding for centuries finally faced off in a bloody battle in this park.

  • The Flying V Cabin.

    Phoenix, Arizona

    The Flying “V” Cabin

    This rustic cabin, outfitted with gun slits, was once home to John D. Tewksbury, patriarch of the bloodiest family feud in American history.

  • Front of the monument from the ground

    Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

    Niederwald Monument

    Hilltop monument to the victory of a new nation in the Franco-Prussian War.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.