St. John's Presbyterian Church (San Francisco) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Saint John's Presbyterian Church
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 Location in San Francisco County
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 25 Lake St. and 201 Arguello Blvd., San Francisco, California |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | Dodge & Dolliver |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival Shingle Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 95001555 |
| Added to NRHP | January 22, 1996 |
St. John's Presbyterian Church is a welcoming church located in San Francisco. You can find it at 25 Lake Street and 201 Arguello Boulevard. This church is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is in the Presidio Terrace neighborhood.
The church building was finished in 1905. It was designed in a special style called Gothic Revival Shingle Style. This beautiful building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. This means it is recognized as an important historical place.
Contents
The Church's Journey: A Look at Its History
Early Beginnings and First Locations
St. John's Church first started on Post Street near Mason. It was in a building that used to be St. James Episcopal Church. That first church building was built in 1866. St. John's bought it in 1870 for $45,000.
Dr. William Anderson Scott was the first pastor of St. John's. He also founded the San Francisco Theological Seminary. He served as pastor from May 1870 until 1885. During his time, the church grew a lot. Membership increased from 61 people to 382. In 1888, the church moved to a new spot. This new location was at the corner of California and Octavia Streets.
Challenges and New Homes
After moving to California and Octavia Streets, the church faced some tough times. The number of members went down. It became hard for the church to pay its mortgage. Another church, Calvary Presbyterian, shared the building for a while. They were building their own new church. Calvary helped St. John's pay its mortgage. The two churches even talked about joining together.
However, St. John's decided to move again in 1902. This time, they moved to their current location in the Richmond district. Arthur W. Foster helped the church financially with this move.
Building the Current Church and the Great Earthquake
The area around the new church site was mostly sand dunes. Later, many houses were built in the neighborhood. The very first service in the new building was held on Easter Sunday, April 15, 1906. This was just three days before the huge San Francisco earthquake.
The earthquake caused damage to the church building. Repairs were not finished until a year later. While the church was being fixed, services were held in members' homes. After the earthquake, many people moved across the Bay to Berkeley. Some former members of St. John's started a new church there. They also named it St. John's Presbyterian Church. Dr. George Granville Eldridge, who used to be a pastor at the San Francisco church, became the first pastor of the Berkeley church.
More Information
- St. John's Church Website
- Gothic Revival church buildings in California
- National Register of Historic Places listings in San Francisco, California
