NCCSAH is planning a tour of San Francisco churches to view their stained glass and learn the history of American glass from the 1880′s to World War I. We’ve chosen six buildings that represent a broad spectrum of American glass: St John’s Presbyterian, St Mark’s Lutheran, First Unitarian Universalist, Trinity Episcopal, Calvary Presbyterian, and the Sherith Israel synagogue. Many of the windows are excellent examples of the various styles. We will also learn about the church buildings themselves, as all are architecturally important, some done by well-known architects such Albert Pissis and A. Page Brown.

Because of the difficulty in parking near many of the churches, we will meet at the CPMC garage on Clay St (between Fillmore & Webster) at 9:30 am, Saturday, 2 June. The hospital garage offers loads of parking on Saturday at a discounted rate. A bus will take us to the various churches in the morning, and then we will enjoy box lunches at Alta Plaza Park. After lunch we’ll walk a block to Calvary Presbyterian, and then to Sherith Israel, where the tour will end at about 4 pm. The final stop on the tour is only two blocks from the hospital garage, making it easy for drivers to return to their cars. We will likely have a reception afterward at a private home four blocks away.

We will send out a much more detailed description of the tour, but be sure to save that Saturday, June 2. Cost will be $35/person for members, $45 for nonmembers. Much of that cost will go to the bus rental. We are limited to 30 people. If you want to reserve early, send your check now (made out to NCCSAH) to Ward Hill,  3124 Octavia, #102, San Francisco,  94123.

NCCSAH October 2011 Event: Historic Peninsula Railroad Stations
Back by popular demand !!
SOLD OUT

The Society of Architectural Historians, Northern California Chapter (NCCSAH), will have a tour by Caltrain on Saturday, October 22, 2011, of the historic railroad stations on the San Francisco Peninsula.   At each stop on the Caltrain route, the different historical societies will discuss their station.  The tour will begin promptly at 10 at the Millbrae station (1907), adjacent to the joint Caltrain/BART station, followed by the Burlingame station, considered to be one of the first (1894) Mission Revival Style buildings in California, which today houses an exhibit on the history of Burlingame/Hillsborough.   Next, the Palo Alto station (lunch!), an unusual Art Deco Style design, followed by the Santa Clara station, built in 1863 and the oldest station extant in the state, which includes the Edwin Peterman Museum of Railroad History.  The tour will conclude with the San Jose’s Cahill (now known as Diridon) Station, a magnificent Spanish Colonial Revival Style building, one of only four major historic urban train stations surviving in California.   Rod Diridon, who will lead the tour of the San Jose station, has been the director of the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University since 1991.   He is considered the father of modern transit service in Silicon Valley and is past chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority.  In addition to the Station’s history, Mr. Diridon will discuss the proposed plans to develop a major regional intermodal transportation center at the San Jose Station that will include BART and High Speed Rail in addition to the existing Caltrain, Amtrak and VTA Light Rail service.

The tour will return to the Millbrae Station at 5 pm.  For those who wish to stay for dinner, we plan to go the Hong Kong Flower Lounge Restaurant, only two blocks from the Millbrae Station.   The HKFL, at 51 Millbrae Ave, is well known for its fine Hong Kong style seafood.

The tour is $25 for NCCSAH members and $35 for non-members; both include a box lunch.   Also include $20 for your 2012 dues.   Make your check out to “NCCSAH”  (please include contact information, i.e. email and phone number) and mail to “NCCSAH Peninsula Railroad Tour”, c/o Ward Hill, 3124 Octavia Street, #102, San Francisco, CA 94123.   On the tour day, you will need to purchase a CalTrain Day Pass (at the station).  A Day Pass is good for unlimited rides on Caltrain for the entire day.   Advanced registration is necessary, and space is limited, so don’t procrastinate.   More information on the tour is included in the October, 2011 NCCSAH Newsletter or  contact Ward Hill at whill@pacbell.net.

Whitecap Films has produced a documentary on the life of Louis Sullivan. It is available for purchase at: http://www.louissullivanfilm.com. Check it out!

AIA San Francisco is offering a lecture series, entitled “Rediscover the City.” From the Beaux-Arts Movement to California Modernis, leading scholars and practioners will explore the indivudals and movements that have given shape to San Francisco’s iconic built form. More information is available on their website at:

http://www.aiasf.org/Programs/Public_Programs/Rediscover_the_City.htm

The 2010 Spring NCCSAH Tour occured on June 11 and June 12, 2010, and focused on Federal Building Architecture Past and Present in San Francisco. The three buildings on the two tours included:

• James R. Browning U.S. Court of Appeals
• San Francisco Federal Building; and the
• Old U.S. Mint

These three buildings represent three distinct periods of architecture covering 140 years of the City’s history. NCCSAH would like to extend our gratitude to the GSA (General Services Administration), Architectural Resources Group, and Page & Turnbull for providing the three building tours.