Old St. Mary's Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Saint Mary's Cathedral |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Province | Archdiocese of San Francisco |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Proto-cathedral; parish |
| Leadership | Archbishop of San Francisco, Paulist Fathers |
| Location | |
| Location | 660 California Street San Francisco, California |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Craine & England (1853-54); Welsh & Carey (1908-09) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1853 |
| Completed | 1854 |
| Direction of façade | South |
| Reference no. | 810 |
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| Website | |
| www.oldsaintmarys.org | |
The Old Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception is a very old and important Catholic church in San Francisco, California. It's located at 660 California Street, right in the heart of the Chinatown neighborhood. Built in 1854, this beautiful church is a great example of Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like old European cathedrals. It's so special that it was named a San Francisco Landmark in 1968.
Contents
Exploring the History of Old St. Mary's
Old St. Mary's was started as a mission by a Paulist Father named Henry Ignatius Stark. The first stone was placed on July 17, 1853. This was done by Bishop Joseph S. Alemany.
Building the First Cathedral in San Francisco
The church was built by Chinese workers. The bricks used to build it came all the way from around Cape Horn. The granite was cut in China. When it was finished, Bishop Alemany, who was now the Archbishop of San Francisco, dedicated it. This happened at Christmas Midnight Mass in 1854.
This made Old St. Mary's the very first cathedral for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. It was designed by William Craine and Thomas England. They were two of the first architects to live in California. When it first opened, Old St. Mary's was the tallest building in San Francisco and all of California!
From Cathedral to Parish Church
Old St. Mary's served as a cathedral from 1854 until 1891. By then, the number of Catholics in the area had grown a lot. The archdiocese needed a bigger church. So, a new Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption was built.
In 1891, Old St. Mary's became a parish church. It still kept its original name, even though it was no longer the main cathedral. The new St. Mary's Cathedral was located at Van Ness Avenue and O'Farrell Street.
A Special Message on the Clock
If you look closely at the clock face on Old St. Mary's, you'll see some words. They say: "Son, Observe the Time and Fly from Evil." This is a quote from an old religious text.
Emperor Norton's Last Moments
An interesting historical event happened right across the street from Old St. Mary's. In 1880, a famous San Francisco character known as Emperor Norton collapsed there. He was on his way to a lecture at the California Academy of Sciences. Sadly, he passed away shortly after.
Surviving the Great 1906 Earthquake and Fire
Old St. Mary's was lucky enough to survive the big 1906 San Francisco earthquake. But a day later, fires started by the earthquake swept through the city. These fires were so hot that they melted the church bells and even the marble altar inside!
All that was left of the church were its strong outer brick walls and the bell tower. The church was rebuilt and finished in 1909. Architects Welsh & Carey oversaw this important work. The street it was on, Dupont Street, was renamed Grant Avenue. This was a way to honor former president and general Ulysses S. Grant.
Serving the Community and Beyond
The church continued to grow and added more spaces. They built an auditorium, a library, and a lecture room. During World War II, these spaces were used to host events for soldiers and sailors.
Today, Old St. Mary's is still a busy church. It serves the communities of Chinatown and Nob Hill in San Francisco. It is also recognized as a California Historical Landmark. The Paulist Fathers have been serving at Old St. Mary's since 1901 and continue to do so.
From 2011 to 2012, the church went through more updates. During this time, some crosses on the roof were removed for restoration. While most were put back, one cross in the middle has not yet returned.
Leaders of St. Mary's Cathedral (1854–1891)
- Rev. Hugh P. Gallagher 1854–1860
- Rev. James Croke 1860–1871
- Rev. John J. Prendergast 1871–1891
See also
In Spanish: Antigua Catedral de Santa María (San Francisco) para niños
