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UUSF History
This page follows the layout of Rev. John Buehrens' book A Religious Center with a Civic Circumference: Unitarians in San Francisco Since 1850. Click the timeline below to navigate by time period!
Thomas Starr King 200:
What Most Don't
Know About Him
Simmon’s Athenaeum
Site of the first Unitarian service in San Francisco,
October 1850 (Destroyed by fire, 1851)
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The Reverend Charles A. Farley, ca. 1870
The Accidental Minister. 1850—1851
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Captain Frederick W. Macondray, ca. 1852
The Largest and Most Wealthy Congregation in This City. 1851–1854
The Reverend Joseph Harrington Jr., ca. 1850
The Largest and Most Wealthy Congregation in This City. 1851–1854
The Reverend Frederick T. Gray,
ca. 1845
The Largest and Most Wealthy Congregation in This City. 1851–1854
First Building of the First Unitarian Church, Stockton Street, 1853
The Largest and Most Wealthy Congregation in This City. 1851–1854
Captain F. W. Macondray in Macao, ca. 1830s
The Largest and Most Wealthy Congregation in This City, 1851-1854
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The Reverend Rufus P. Cutler, ca. 1855
Turbulence and Vigilance, 1854-1859
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James King of William, 1856
Turbulence and Vigilance, 1854-1859
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Ephraim W. Burr, ca. 1856
Mayor of San Francisco, 1856-1859
Turbulence and Vigilance, 1854-1859
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Joshua Abraham Norton, later "Emperor Norton," ca. 1851
Turbulence and Vigilance, 1854-1859
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"Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico," ca. 1864-67
Turbulence and Vigilance, 1854-1859
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Brett Harte as a young man, ca. 1861
Turbulence and Vigilance, 1854-1859
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The Reverend Thomas Starr King
The Reverend Thomas Starr King, A.M. (Harvard, 1850 to 1852, honoris causa) as a young Boston preacher and lecturer, ca. 1850, age 26
The Rev. Thomas Starr King, ca. 1860
with his wife Julia
Race and Politics, 1860-1861​​​
Jessie Benton Frémont, ca. 1865
Race and Politics, 1860-1861
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The Geary Street Unitarian Church, 1868
Culture and Consecration, 1862-1864​​​
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The Nob Hill mansion of Leland Stanford, ca. 1877
Unitarian San Francisco in the Gilded Age, 1865–1900​
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The Reverend Henry Whitney Bellows,
ca. 1864
Succession and Extension, 1865–1871​
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​Reverend Horatio Stebbins, ca. 1872
Succession and Extension, 1865–1871​
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​Reverend Charles Gordon Ames, ca. 1865
Succession and Extension, 1865–1871​
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Frederick Law Olmsted, ca. 1865
​Succession and Extension, 1865–1871​
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​Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain), 1867
Succession and Extension, 1865–1871​
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Henry George, ca. 1875
Depression, Immigration, and Assassination, 1872–1885
Leaders of the Iwakura mission from Japan to the United States and Europe, 1872–1874
Depression, Immigration, and Assassination, 1872–1885
James Otis, ca. 1874
Otis served as mayor of San Francisco,
1873–75, and died in office.
Depression, Immigration, and Assassination, 1872–1885
​Horace Davis, ca. 1888
Depression, Immigration, and Assassination, 1872–1885
Andrew Smith Hallidie, ca. 1885
​Mission and Relocation, 1880–1890
Captain William C. Hinckley, ca. 1865
Mission and Relocation, 1880–1890
Reverend Charles W. Wendte, ca. 1900
Mission and Relocation, 1880–1890
First Unitarian Church,
Franklin and Geary, 1889
Mission and Relocation, 1880–1890
Charles Murdock in his
print shop, ca. 1900
Mission and Relocation, 1880–1890
Atkinson-Paul House, 1032 Broadway, Russian Hill. SF Landmark #197
Mission and Relocation, 1880–1890
First Unitarian Church of Berkeley,
2401 Bancroft Way, 18980
Fin de Siècle and Beyond, 1891–1900
Daniel Chester French,
Thomas Starr King Monument, Golden Gate Park, 1892.
Fin de Siècle and Beyond, 1891–1900
The First Unitarian Church of San Francisco, showing damage to the roof and bell tower following the earthquake, 1906
Earthquake, Fire, and War, 1900-1949​
The Reverend Bradford Leavitt, ca. 1896
Cleaning Out City Hall—Again, 1900-1917
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Second Unitarian Church in San Francisco in the Mission District. Sold in 1908, seen here serving as a movie house
Cleaning Out City Hall—Again, 1900-1917
Chancel mural by Bruce Porter. Painted in 1909; vandalized and removed in 1951
Cleaning Out City Hall—Again, 1900-1917
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The Rev. Dr. Caleb S. S. “Sam” Dutton, ca. 1930. Dutton was minister of the First Unitarian Church of SF, 1913–1949.
“We Are Not a Noisy Church," 1913–1939
Ida Schuckman Brown at the inauguration of Pat Brown, as governor, January 5, 1959.
Grandson Jerry, left, looks at her.
“We Are Not a Noisy Church," 1913–1939​​
May Treat Morrison, ca. 1921
“We Are Not a Noisy Church," 1913–1939
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Dr. Alice Garrigue Masaryková, ca. 1915. Known as the “First Lady” of Czechoslovakia
World War II and Thereafter, late 1930s to 1949
Aurelia Henry Reinhardt, 1922
President of Mills College, Oakland
​World War II and Thereafter, late 1930s to 1949
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​Edith and Lucy Allyne, ca, 1900
World War II and Thereafter, late 1930s to 1949
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The Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman, ca. 1944
World War II and Thereafter, late 1930s to 1949​
David Rankin (1973–79), Harry Meserve (1949–57), & Harry Scholefield (1957–73)
The Unitarian Renewal, 1949–1979​​​​
The Reverend Harry C. Meserve, ca. 1955
No Peace of Mind, 1949–1957​​
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Margaret Jessup Hanson, ca. 1950
No Peace of Mind, 1949–1957​​
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The Reverend Harry Scholefield, ca. 1969
Living by Heart, 1957–1973
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Harry Scholefield leading a protest against racial segregation in SF, ca. 1960
Pastoring Protesters and Passing the Baton, 1960s–1970s​
“Jesus Christ Satan,” March 1973
A Unitarian Christian Anarchist in the “Season of the Witch," 1975–1980​
UUSF Members Perform a Play,
April 1978
This group of UUSF members wore costumes to perform a play outlining the life of Thomas Starr King. The photo was taken by a member of the San Jose UU Church and submitted to UUSF by Margaret Dean.
Participants at the 1978 UU Conference on Women and Religion, Granville, Ohio
Women, Equity, and Inclusion, 1979–1988​
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Cathe & Victor Carpenter receiving award from the SF Interfaith Council, 1992
Partnerships, 1988–2004
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Revs. John Newcomb Marsh and
Margot Campbell Gross, 1996
Partnerships, 1988–2004
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Sister Carmen Barsody and Rev. Kay Jorgensen in her persona as Oscard the Clown, 2000
Partnerships, 1988–2004
Shirley Gibson, ca. 2010
Disruptions, 2001–2020
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