Mission Dolores 320 Dolores Street Built 1782-1791

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdalton

Mission Dolores was founded on June 29, 1776 under the direction of Father Junipero Serra.  It is the oldest original Mission in California and the oldest structure in San Francisco.

Old St. Mary's Church 660 California Street Built in 1909

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdalton

In 1850, San Francisco became a part of a newly formed Monterey diocese.  San Francisco became the headquarters and in 1854 the construction of Old St. Mary's began.  The materials for the Church came from all over the world as did the congregation.  Due to the notorious surroundings of the Church, it was decided a new facility would be built on O'Farrell at Van Ness Avenue.  With the growing violence of Chinatown, it became a Chinese mission.  It survived the 06 earthquake but the inside was gutted with the fires.  The new Church was dedicated in 1909.  With the Chinese secret gangs disappearing over the years, the Church opened its views to Christianity and began reaching out to the rest of the world.

Bank Of California 400 California Street Built In 1908

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdalton

William Ralston opened the Bank Of California in July 1864.  The rock was processed from Angel Island and it was considered to be one of the grandest structures on the west coast.  During the volatile Nevada mining period, Ralston was discovered conducting illegal banking practices, and in 1885 the bank failed.  He transferred title to another officer, went to North Beach to swim in the ocean and did not return.

St. Francis Of Assisi 610 Vallejo Built 1913

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdalton

This Norman Gothic Church, located in North Beach, was dedicated as a parish on March 17, 1860.  The towers and outer parts of the building survived the 06 earthquake and fire, but the inside was demolished.  The inside was rebuilt and the Church reopened on March 2, 1919.  It became the National Shrine Of St. Francis Of Assisi in 1999.  A 1926 organ and artifacts of St. Francis Of Assisi and Saint Anthony of Paduca are among some items within the Church.  

Audiffred Building 1-21 Mission Built 1889

http://www.flickr.com/

Hypolyte Audiffred built this building to remind himself of his Paris home.  It is one of few waterfront buildings to have survived the 06 earthquake and fire, and it also survived the 1989 earthquake. The freeway that surrounded it had to be torn down from the earthquake, making his building more accessible to it.  It has been Boulevard Restaurant since 1993.  

Bayview Opera House 1601 Newcomb Built 1889

www.flickr.com/mdaltn

German architect Henry Geilfuss came to San Francisco in 1876 and remained in business until 1910.  By 1880, he had established himself as having designed some of the best buildings in San Francisco.  His Victorian style reflects Italianate, Stick, Eastlake, and Gothic elements, and has made San Franisco stand out for its architecture. 

Colonial Dames Octagon House 2645 Gough Street Built 1851

http://www.flickr.com/

In 1848, Phrenologist Orson Fowler published findings that octagon houses were more efficient, better lighting, and easier to build.  This octagon house is one of two still remaining in San Francisco.   

Garden Court Palace Hotel 2 New Montgomery Built 1906, Rebuilt 1950

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdalton

When the Palace Hotel opened in 1875, the Garden Court was an entry way for carriages, and it was renovated a few years before the 06 earthquake and fire.  The hotel survived the earthquake, but it was consumed by the fire.  Completely rebuit, the hotel opened in December 1909.

San Francisco City Hall 400 Van Ness Avenue Built 1915

www.flickr.com/mdalton

The current City Hall opened its door in 1915 replacing the previous one that was destroyed by the earthquake.  The building is modeled after the "Les Invalides" in Paris.  The dome is 90 meters high and the largest in the world.

Bank Of Lucas Turner and Co. 800 Jackson Built 1854

www.flickr.com/mdalton

Old Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church 858 Fulton Built 1880

www.flickr.com/mdalton

This German-Renaissance building was formerly an Episocopal Church.  In 1931, The Russian Orthodox Church purchased it and for over 30 years was the principal Church.

Engine 22 Fire House 1348 10th Avenue Built 1898

www.flickr.com/mdalton

The original name of this building was Chemical Engine No. 2.  Today it houses a children's center.

Ghirardelli Square Polk, Beach, Larkin and North Point Streets Built 1850, Rebuilt 1962

www.flickr.com/mdalton

Domenico Ghirardelli from Rapello, Italy was a candy apprentice and then move to Uraguay to become party of the South America Chocolate trade where he me James Lick.  In 1847, Lick came to San Francisco bringing with him 600 pounds of chocolate.  He later became involved in the gold rush at Sutter Mill, then opening a general store at Sacramento and Battery Streets in San Francisco.  There were several locations before purchasing the Woolen Building which was the start of the Square.

Burr Mansion 1772 Vallejo Built 1875

www.flickr.com/mdalton

Edmund Wharf designed this Italianate house with a Second French Empire mansard roof for Mayor Ephriam Burr.

Abner Phelps House 1111 Oak Street Built 1850



Sentinel Building 916-920 Kearny Built 1907

www.flickr.com/mdalton

Salfield and Kohlberg designed the building before the earthquake and the frame survived the quake.  A political mobster ran a brokerage office after he was released from San Quentin on the top floor.  In 1958, Robert Moor saved the building from destruction and named it Columbus Towers.  Architect Henrick Bull restored the building and it was sold 1-1/2 years later to the Kingston Trio.  They later sold it to Francis Ford Coppola where he has his office there today.

U.S. Mint & Subtreasury 608 Commercial Built 1854

www.flickr.com/mdalton

Four years after California became a state in 1850, the Government established the first Branch Mint on Commercial to accommodate the gold coming from the Sierra.  At that time, the waterfront was just a short distance away.  In 1875, the Mint was moved to 5th and Mission.

Stadtmueller House 819 Eddy Street 1880

www.flickr.com/mdalton

P. R. Schmidt designed this home for Frederick Stadtmuller, a gold and silver magnet in 1880.



Feusier Octagon House 1067 Green Street Built 1858

www.flickr.com/mdalton

Only two octagon houses have survivved in San Francisco.  It was determined that eight sides have more benefits than four.  It was one of a group of houses that survived the 06 earthquake and fire.

Bourn Mansion 2550 Webster Built 1896

www.flickr.com/mdalton

Willis Polk designed this Carolingian design consisting of bricklayers' and stonemasonary decoration.

St. Mark's Lutheran Church 1135 O'Farrell Built 1895

www.flickr.com/mdalton

This Church is the oldest Lutheran Church in the West and was built by Henry Geilfuss.  It is a Romanesque design and suffered very little damage in the 06 earthquake.

First Unitarian Church 1187 Franklin Built 1889

www.flickr.com/mdalton

The Unitarian Church began in 1850 on Commerical Street.  Other locations were on Sacramento Street and Union Square.  The Franklin Street location opened in 1889 and is still the same except for the turret, which replaced a bell tower destroyed by the 06 earthquake and fire.

Dennis O'Sullivan Memorial Fire Chief's Home 870 Bush Street Built 1922

www.flickr.com/mdalton

The City's architect designed the Fire Chief's residence to resemble a fire house.  San Francsco was the first to have a separate residence for its Fire Chief.

Cable Car Barn And Power House 1200 Mason Street Built 1887

www.flickr.com/mdalton

The actual cable can be viewed as well as path leaving the building into the City system.

Nightingale House 201 Buchanan Built 1882

www.flickr.com/mdalton

This home was built for John Nightingale, President of the California Pioneers, in 1849.  It combines the Stick and Eastlake styles forming a chalet.

Donaldina Cameron House 920 Sacramento Street Built 1907

www.flickr.com/mdalton

This building was rebuilt after the 06 earthquake using the previous stones and designed by Julia Morgan.  The Presbyterian Church opened this Mission to protect the Asian girls from prostitution and sweatshops from the Tongs.  With the help of the police, nighttime raids were conducted rescuing the women, housing them, and teaching them a vocation of sewing.

Leale House 2475 Pacific Built 1907

www.flickr.com/mdalton

This structure was the main frame for a dairy farm.  Captain Leale, a ferry boat captain, bought the house in 1883 and remodeled the facade with the popular Italianate-false front style.  The 1920's building behind it is the "pencil" building known as "Susie's Building," where national political circles have entertained the elite of the Democratic party.

Charles Dietle House 294 Page Built 1878

www.flickr.com/mdalton

This stick-style home was built by Henry Geilfuss for Charles Dietle.  After the 1906 earthquake, Charles Dietle sold it for a bag of gold that was salvaged from the remains of the earthquake.

Sherman House 2160 Green Street Built 1878

www.flickr.com/mdalton

This Victorian was built for the founder of the Sherman Clay piano company.  A three-floor music room and reception area encompasses the entire west wing.





Conservatory Of Flowers Golden Gate Park Built 1879

www.flickr.com/mdalton

The "wedding cake" building was the first greenhouse in California.  The building is modelled after the Conservatory in Kew, England, and it was an early method of using single glass units into a Victorian style unit.

House Of The Flag 1652-1656 Taylor Street Between Broadway And Kearny Built 1860

www.flickr.com/mdalton

A flag collector was rescued from the 1906 earthquake by soldiers, who spotted him waving the American flag at this home.  The soldiers are credited for saving the home and the hill itself.  



Hallidie Building 130 Sutter Built 1917

www.flickr.com/mdalton

The facade of the building was designed by Willis Polk and is called a "glass curtain wall," and the building was named for Andrew Hallidie, the cable-car inventor.