Bernal Heights in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Original Site of Bancroft Library
Photographed by Craig Baker
1. Original Site of Bancroft Library Marker
Here, from 1881-1906, stood the library of Hubert Howe Bancroft, who in 1860 began to collect the wealth of material which was to subsequently result in the writing of his monumental history of western North America. In 1905, the library was purchased by the University of California and removed the following year to its Berkeley campus.
California Registered Historical Landmark No. 791.
Erected by California State Park Commission, Friends of the Bancroft Library, California Historical Society, St. Luke's Hospital. (Marker Number 791.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Education. In addition, it is included in the California Historical Landmarks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.
Location. 37° 44.855′ N, 122° 25.223′ W. Marker is in San Francisco, California, in San Francisco City and County. It is in Bernal Heights. It is at the intersection of Valencia Street and Cesar Chavez Street, on the right when traveling south on Valencia Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1538 Valencia St, San Francisco CA 94110, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on California’s Coast Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Heber Cady Tilden Memorial (approx. half a mile away); The Lapidos House
this page online
Also see . . .
1. California Historical Landmark 791 - Original Site of Bancroft Library (Noehill.com). (Submitted on December 20, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.)
2. Bancroft Library (Wikipedia). "The Bancroft Library in the center of the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, is the university's primary special-collections library. It was acquired from its founder, Hubert Howe Bancroft, in 1905, with the proviso that it retain the name Bancroft Library in perpetuity. The collection at that time consisted of 50,000 volumes of materials on the history of California and the North American West. It is the largest such collection in the world...." (Submitted on December 20, 2020.)
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, December 18, 2020
2. Original Site of the Bancroft Library Marker
Photographed through a fence during construction.
Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Public Library, circa 1890
3. Hubert Howe Bancroft's Historical Library of Pacific Coast Books, Maps and Manuscripts
Credits. This page was last revised on July 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 20, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 499 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 28, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 2, 3. submitted on December 20, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
