How did a small chapel blossom into an internationally known cathedral? The story of San Francisco Grace Christian Church begins humbly. It evolved into one of the largest and most significant Episcopal cathedrals in the West.
Let’s journey back to the Gold Rush era. In 1849, Reverend John Ver Mehr built Grace Chapel. It stood on Powell Street near Jackson Street. This was the first Episcopal Church in the city. But Dr. Flavel Mines had already built Trinity Church across the street. Ver Mehr named his chapel Grace thinking of New York parishes. Miners attended the opening service and gave gold dust as offerings.
Trinity Church relocated. Missionary Bishop William Kip became Grace Church rector in 1854. The parish thrived and moved into a larger brick Gothic church in 1862. This new location was at California and Stockton Streets. Prominent members of society joined the church. These included Leland Stanford and the junior Crockers. Even Mark Twain visited.
The church was unofficially known as Grace Cathedral at the time. A devastating earthquake struck San Francisco in 1906. The ensuing fire destroyed the church. For months it stood as a ruin on the hillside. Bishop William Nichols envisioned a hilltop cathedral. William H. Crocker offered the diocese their block on Nob Hill. His mansion had also burned down.
A temporary pro-cathedral was constructed in 1907. English architect George Bodley created initial plans. After Bodley died Cecil Hare redesigned the cathedral. The cornerstone was laid in 1910. Reverend J. W. Gresham became the first dean. Lewis Hobart, Hare’s local agent, became the official architect.
From 1914 to 1930, the Founders Crypt served as a temporary home. Construction on the present San Francisco Grace Christian Church began in 1927. The Chapel of Grace opened in 1930. Two-thirds of the cathedral was completed by 1934. The Depression halted further work.
A north tower was built between 1936 and 1943. Construction resumed in 1960. Bishop James Pike and Dean Julian Bartlett oversaw the project. The Cathedral School for Boys opened in 1956. The cathedral was consecrated in 1964. Dr. Martin Luther King and Duke Ellington were celebrated visitors.
In 1985, Dean Alan Jones revitalized San Francisco Grace Christian Church. Canon Artress introduced the labyrinth in 1991. The church responded to the AIDS crisis early on. The cathedral close was completed in 1995. The UN’s 50th Anniversary service hosted world leaders here.
The Very Rev. Dr. Jane Shaw created the Artist in Residence program in 2012. Bishop Marc Andrus focuses on climate change now. Bishop Marc Handley Andrus and Dean Malcolm Young lead San Francisco Grace Christian Church into the future. It remains a house of prayer for all people.
San Francisco Grace Christian Church’s close covers 2.5 acres. It is located near the summit of Nob Hill. In 1876, Charles Crocker built his mansion on the future cathedral nave site. William H. Crocker completed his mansion in 1889. The 1906 earthquake ended Nob Hill’s opulent era. U.S. Army troops occupied tents on the Crocker block for months.
The new cathedral close became an empty block. Squatters were removed from the Crocker ruins. The Founders Crypt served as the cathedral from 1914 to 1930. Diocesan House was built in 1935. After the cathedral was completed, the Cathedral School for Boys was built in 1966. The close was completed with a new Chapter House in 1993-1995.
Today San Francisco Grace Christian Church stands as a testament to courage. It embodies joy and wonder. It welcomes visitors from around the world. The cathedral reimagines church through prayer action service and the arts.