St. John's Presbyterian Church (Berkeley, California) facts for kids
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St. John's Presbyterian Church
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St. John's Presbyterian Church building in 2009
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 Location in Oakland, California
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2640 College Ave., Berkeley, California |
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| Area | 0.6 acres (0.24 ha) |
| Built | 1910 |
| Architect | Julia Morgan |
| Architectural style | American Craftsman |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000507 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 7, 1974 |
The Julia Morgan Theater is a special historic building in Berkeley, California. It was once known as St. John's Presbyterian Church. A famous architect named Julia Morgan designed this beautiful wooden building. It's built in a style called American Craftsman, which means it uses natural materials and has a cozy, handcrafted look. The outside of the building is covered in wood shingles, a style often seen in Berkeley.
This building is very important to the city's history. It's listed as the 8th historic landmark in Berkeley. In 1975, it was also added to the National Register of Historic Places, which is a list of important places across the United States. Today, the building is no longer a church. It's now home to the Berkeley Playhouse, a theater company that puts on plays and musicals.
A Church with a Purpose
The church was started in 1907. Many people moved to Berkeley from San Francisco after a big earthquake in 1906. The church was built to serve these new residents. The building itself was finished in 1910. It was named after a church in San Francisco that many of the new members used to attend.
Julia Morgan's Design
Julia Morgan, the amazing architect, designed this building with her assistant, Walter Steilberg. They chose a style with wide, sloping roofs called gables. The outside has a unique stained wood shingle finish.
Inside, the walls are made of redwood panels. You can see the wooden beams and supports, which adds to the natural, handcrafted feel. Most of the light comes from special windows high up, called clerestory windows, which have smoked glass. Julia Morgan herself thought this church was one of her best designs in the Craftsman style.
From Church to Theater
In 1974, the church congregation moved to a new building. This left the future of Julia Morgan's original building uncertain. People in Berkeley really wanted to save it from being torn down. This desire helped create the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association in 1974, a group dedicated to preserving historic buildings.
The building seemed perfect for an arts center. After a short time as the Center for World Music, it became the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts in 1980. It hosted many different art groups, like the Berkeley Opera and the Berkeley Ballet Theater. It also put on plays and offered art classes.
In 2009, the Julia Morgan Center joined with the Berkeley Playhouse. The Berkeley Playhouse is a theater company that started in 2007. They now use the building to produce several plays and musicals each year. They also teach acting and theater skills to people of all ages. This is why the building is now known as the Julia Morgan Theatre.
