Louis Roesch Building

Although the building was quickly constructed after the 1906 earthquake, the design does not forgo aesthetics. The post-quake urgency to rebuild is reflected in the building's design; its unusual sheet metal siding was inexpensive, quickly applied, and provided some fire protection. However, two different patterns of pressed metal were used, showing consideration for appearance. It reflects both the building's industrial nature and its role as a facility for small-scale commerce and social activities. That the building is architect-designed and shows attention to such details is testament to the fact that it was constructed efficiently, but not without care.

It also represents forethought and consideration for the needs of the surrounding neighborhood. The priority was to build a new printing facility, but the intended mixed use of the building is obviously reflected in its original floor plan and interior organization, with the additional commercial and assembly spaces.

Louis Roesch

Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Louis Roesch immigrated to the United States in 1872. In addition to being a Mason and member of the Olympic Club, Native Sons of the Golden West, and San Francisco Advertising Club, he was a member of the German Benevolent Society.

The Louis Roesch Company was one of more than fifty major printing and lithography businesses in San Francisco around 1906, which together employed over 5000 individuals. It specialized in printing labels for the crated, canned, and bottled foods and wine, produced by California's booming agricultural industry.

The printing industry at the time was characterized by a large number. of German-American proprietors, and like the Louis Roesch Company, most printing businesses were located north of Market Street before 1906, then relocated to the more industrial areas of the South of Market and Mission' districts after the earthquake. The Roesch Company was unique however, in that its post-quake quarters included spaces for other tenants, including meeting rooms and retail shops that would not normally have been found in the same building with the loud vibrating equipment common to a printing plant. The building and company were last owned by Michael Davos from 1986 to 2010.

Working Class Gathering Place

Known alternately as the Roesch Building, Roesch Hall, or Germania Hall, the building was used by the community for lodge meetings, lectures, or church meetings on Sundays. In addition, many organizations rented office space.

The groups that met in the building ranged from social and cultural clubs to fraternal societies to labor unions. In this way, the Roesch Building reflected a largely immigrant working-class population of the Mission, where issues of social and cultural identity and trade affiliations were paramount.

There were a large number of labor union members living in the district, and the neighborhood came to house the headquarters of many unions and organizations that catered to these interests.

During the years when labor unions and fraternal organizations were the most active, there were at least twenty halls located within a few blocks of Roesch Hall. Roesch Hall fit firmly into the larger context of social, cultural, fraternal, and labor-related activities in the Mission District and was one of many physical facilities in the area serving these groups.

German Americans

In the late 19th and early 20th century, the Mission District was home to large Irish, German, Italian, and Scandinavian communities. The Germans were particularly active in forming organizations, like singing and gymnastics clubs. These clubs in turn also took up political and social causes that influenced the further growth of politics, education, culture, and recreation in San Francisco. The Roesch Building, or "Roesch Halle," housed a couple of organizations and businesses with German-American ethnic affiliations. Louis Roesch, himself German, was probably instrumental in attracting other German-Americans and their culturally-based organizations and businesses to use Roesch Hall.

As well as hosting regular meetings for German-American social and fraternal organizations, such as the Hessen Verein and the Improved Order of the Redmen, Roesch Hall was often the venue for large celebratory events put on by the German-American community. In the 1920s, the German-American California Journal posted numerous advertisements for events held at Roesch Hall, such as a performance by the "Theatralischer Familien-Abend" (Theatrical Family Association) and a Fruhjahrs-Fest (spring festival) and dance hosted by a Bavarian women's group.

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(Caption for crate labels:)

The Louis Roesch Company specialized in printing labels for the crated, canned, and bottled foods and wines produced by California's booming agricultural industry.