St. Francis Wood Homeowners Association Collection, 1912-2010, bulk 1912-1946

Printable guide [HTML]

Summary

Creators:
Gutterson, Henry, 1884-1954, Howard, John Galen, 1864-1931, Masten & Hurd, Morgan, Julia, 1872-1957, Merchant, William Gladstone, 1889-1962, Morrow, Gertrude Comfort, 1888-1983, Olmsted Brothers, and Steilberg, Walter T., 1887-1974
Extent:
75 Linear Feet: 45 oversized flat boxes, 4 cartons, 2 document boxes, 2 flat file drawers
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

St. Francis Wood Homeowners Association Collection, Environmental Design Archives. College of Environmental Design. University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of the fragile original plans and specifications for the houses in St. Francis Wood. Unlike the rest of the collections at the EDA, these plans are listed by address on the project index.

Biographical / historical:

Located in the southwestern corner of San Francisco, St. Francis Wood is a prime example of the "Garden City" ideals of neighborhood planning popular at the turn of the 20th century. The Olmsted Brothers firm laid out the curving street plan as well as the neighborhood parks. John Galen Howard acted as the first supervising architect and also designed the entrance gates, the Circle fountain and other neighborhood amenities and infrastructure. Howard turned the role of supervising architect over to Henry Higby Gutterson who served from 1914-1954. Unlike many residential developments that offered only stock plans, St. Francis Wood developers encouraged houses designed by prominent architects for specific clients.

Although Henry H. Gutterson (75 houses) and Masten & Hurd (77 houses) designed nearly 1/3 of the houses in the subdivision (152 total of 509), many of the prominent San Francisco architects are represented here. These include: Julia Morgan, Martin Rist, Kent & Hass, Walter Ratcliff, Jr., Herman C. Baumann, Warren Perry, William Merchant, Harold Stoner, Gertrude Comfort Morrow, and others. Landscape areas have been designed by the Olmsted Brothers, Harry Shepherd, and others.

Period Revivals of traditional English, French and Italian idioms dominate. The St. Francis Wood Home Association, formed by Duncan McDuffie in 1912, took over the maintenance of the neighborhood's parks and boulevards a decade later. Today, much of Duncan McDuffie's original vision remains. St. Francis Wood is recognizably different from many of the neighborhoods that surround it. Its wide lots, curving streets and lush landscaping make the neighborhood a retreat from the rush of urban life.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection open for research.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in the collection should be discussed with the Curator.

Preferred citation:

St. Francis Wood Homeowners Association Collection, Environmental Design Archives. College of Environmental Design. University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley, California.

Location of this collection:
230 Bauer Wurster Hall #1820
Berkeley, CA 94720-1820, US
Contact:
(510) 642-5124
designarchives@berkeley.edu
Website