Central's History
Did you know?
In 1886 the first electric light was installed in the building!
Central's History
June 6, 1844 - First YMCA organized in London England
December 29, 1851 - First American YMCA organized in Boston
July 18, 1853 - YMCA created in San Francisco; 13th in America; Dues $5/year; age limit 40; First President was William K Osborn; 343 members
December 1853 - First location opens at corner of Clay and Kearny over the post office with library / reading room (there was no SF Public Library until 1868)
June 1856 - Moves / expands to 3 rooms on the 4th floor of Armory Building at the corner of Sacramento and Montgomery Streets
1858 - Moves to 2nd floor of 171 ½ (later 629) Washington Street two larger general purpose rooms and a small library room
1864 - Purchased building at 522 California officially opened July 18th, 1864 for 11th anniversary
September 1868 - Purchases / moves to 232 Sutter Street; 3 story building plus basement assembly room seating 750, library, First gymnasium and dormitory officially opened November 16th, 1869.
May 16, 1869 - First English classes for Chinese offered.
1870 - Chinatown YMCA added.
1880 - Sutter location adds “Coffee Saloon” coffee shop for revenue.
1880’s - Gym equipped with parallel bars, trapeze, rings, and dumbbells.
November 1, 1881 - First Night School (beginnings of Golden Gate College) teaches Spanish, French, Elocution, Bookkeeping, Vocal music, and photography - weekly attendance 355.
1882 - First Gym Instructor hired @ $1000/year.
1885 - Boys Parlor added.
1886 - First electric light in building.
September 9, 1894 - New building at Mason and Ellis features: gymnasium, saltwater swimming tank, marble shower baths, library and reading room, boys parlor and gymnasium, game & social rooms, bicycle room, bowling alley, shooting gallery, handball court evening college continues; University of California extension courses added building is steam-heated.
1898 - Presidio Army YMCA opens.
May 12, 1903 - Mason and Ellis building is finally dedicated when debts are paid off Ceremonial burning of the mortgage by President Theodore Roosevelt.
April 18, 1906 - EARTHQUAKE at 5:14am.
April 19, 1906 - Mason and Ellis building burns during 2nd day of fires.
1906 - Tents set up to act as temporary YMCA headquarters & communications centers Army YMCA tent at Portsmouth Square Central SF YMCA at 11th & Market, Ellis near Jones, plus 3 other locations.
1906–1910 - YMCA temporarily occupies a rented building at 1220 Geary (Dues $10/year).
October 5, 1908 - Ground breaking ceremonies for building at Golden Gate and Leavenworth.
October 5, 1909 - Cornerstone laid for new building with same inscription as old cornerstone. Ceremonies attended by President William H. Taft.
Building at Golden Gate and Leavenworth originally featured:
- 140 sleeping rooms with hot and cold water and telephones in every room,
- Restaurant; café;
- Lunch room for boys
- Barber shop
- Two gyms on the 6th floor
- Shower baths and Turkish baths
- Basement swimming tank 30 x 80 feet
- Educational department
- Auto repair school
- Boys’ department with own entrance
- Auditorium seating 1000
- Three floors for school.
April 9, 1923 - Golden Gate College is created.
December 6, 1928 - Hotel on Turk officially opens to handle overflow from Central building 376 rooms.
1951 - YMCA stops generating its own power and switches to supply from PG&E.
1952 - Lobby and Main Entrance are remodeled.
1953 - Centennial Year; total membership is 16,534 (1/4 of members are women).
2002 - San Francisco Central YMCA re-dedicated as Shih Yu-Lang.
2009 - We leave our address at 150 Golden Gate.
2010 - Reopen at UC Hastings at 357 Golden Gate.