Forged in reaction to the wide-scale, government imposed demolition of whole neighborhoods originally built before 1910, The Victorian Alliance of San Francisco remains The City’s oldest all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization committed to the restoration and preservation of historically significant structures. Our passion lies in the world-renowned residential buildings for which our great city is famous: the Victorians.
Our interests also extend beyond our city’s borders and through the ages to foster and promote the value of all historically significant structures, landscapes, and artifacts that enrich communities far and wide.
Since our founding in 1973 by concerned citizens, we have continuously met as a membership, shared our hands-on restoration knowledge, lobbied, educated, held fundraisers, toured prominent places, and made grants to a wide variety of preservation and restoration projects. We actively support the preservation efforts of individual citizens as well as our elected and appointed representatives.
VASF Meetings
We meet on the last Wednesday of each month from January through October. Meetings start promptly at 7:30pm and are hosted in private homes and public buildings.
You don’t have to be a homeowner to be part of the Victorian Alliance. Our backgrounds vary greatly from newly arrived renters to seasoned homeowners. What unites us is our appreciation of historic homes and an interest in architectural preservation.
These meetings are led by our elected President and operate according to Roberts Rules of Order, which enables a systematic approach to important matters before audiences sometimes exceeding 60 people. Often they include an informative presentation and lite refreshments.
Most general meetings are open to the public at no charge. However, on occasion, due to space constraints or other considerations, some events and meetings are limited to only those members whose dues are current.
Meeting locations are published in our monthly newsletter, a membership benefit. To learn more about our next meeting, please email our outreach volunteer.
In addition to conducting the routine business of the organization, our meetings afford likeminded individuals an opportunity to share information about restoration techniques and experiences. Roughly half of our general membership meetings are in private homes dating from the Victorian period through the Art Deco period.
VASF Committees
Additionally, we have several standing committees that meet.
Special Activities Committee (SAC)
SAC meetings are held at 7:30pm on the next-to-last Wednesday of the month, January through October. These smaller gatherings are only open to members and serve as planning sessions for special functions, such as our house tour. The discussions, led by our elected Vice-President, are informal and typically hosted in a private residence.
The SAC serves a vital role in the smooth execution of the General membership meeting.
Grants Committee
This committee, with its members appointed by the President, meets as necessary, but not less than twice a year, to review requests for a Victorian Alliance Grant.
Nominating Committee
Officers are elected to two-year terms. A nominating committee of volunteer is formed every two years six months prior to the end of the current officers’ term. Their task is to seek candidates to run for office in the next term.
Education
This standing committee meets as necessary to discuss both internal and external education opportunities and events.
Preservation Advocacy
This standing committee meets as necessary to investigate and evaluate important matters of preservation of interest to our membership.
Marketing and Public Relations
This standing committee meets as necessary to develop and execute Alliance marketing and public relations affairs.
Holiday Party
As a way to express our shared gratitude for the year’s accomplishments, we arrange a December members’ holiday potluck party; the event has become a celebrated tradition. Attendees are encouraged to bring seasonal food for the banquet and to wear festive attire.
A Brief History of the Victorian Alliance of San Francisco
The Founding
The Victorian Alliance of San Francisco was founded in 1973 by a group of concerned citizens living primarily in the Mission District where more and more Victorian homes were deteriorating or, worse, being systematically demolished. The neighborhood was quickly losing the beauty and gracious living that historic homes provide. San Francisco was also losing one of its internationally known neighborhoods as well as one of the important features that create the character of the City: Victorian architecture.
Two of the principal objectives of the founders was to raise awareness of the beauty and livability of Victorian homes and to preserve San Francisco’s architectural heritage. These objectives remain today as centerpieces of Victorian Alliance endeavors.
The founders adopted the Alliance’s name, Bylaws, and the official Victorian Alliance logo, created by the late Bill Churchwar, artist and one of the original members. The logo is a rendering of The Stone Mansion built in 1883 and one of the surviving stately homes in the Mission District.
Interest soon grew beyond the Mission District to citywide concerns. As the organization expanded, it joined other efforts to preserve the heritage and character of San Francisco. One of the first citywide preservation battles that the Alliance helped wage was to prevent the demolition of the City of Paris, a historic department store facing Union Square. The battle was lost. Another early preservation effort the Alliance supported was the prevention of wholesale demolition of neighborhoods in order to construct a crosstown freeway. This battle was won.
The Alliance Grows and Receives lts 501(c){3} Status
The Alliance continued to grow from a small, fledgling neighborhood group into a citywide organization with members from all areas of the city sharing a common interest in their appreciation of San Francisco’s Victorian Era architecture. Today our members come from throughout the Bay Area and outside California. In August 1987, Articles of Incorporation were filed with and accepted by the State of California and in October 1988 the Alliance was granted its 501(c3) status providing tax deductions for individuals and businesses who donate to the Alliance. Today, individuals, small businesses, and corporations continue to sponsor and encourage the work of the Alliance through their donations, gifts, matching grants, and bequests.
Fundraising Activities-House and Garden Tours
The first Victorian Alliance House Tour was held in March 1975 to raise funds to support the effort to save the City of Paris department store. The Tour featured six homes in the Mission District. In the 36 years since, the Alliance has conducted three Garden Tours and 39 House Tours. These fundraising events, a few in partnerships with other preservation organizations, have showcased many of San Francisco’s unique neighborhoods such as Alamo Square, Noe Valley, Pacific Heights, Eureka Valley, Presidio Heights, Hayes Valley, The Panhandle, Cole Valley, and Buena Vista and Ashbury Heights.
These tours offer patrons a chance to appreciate both the exterior and interior of historic private homes that have been thoughtfully restored to preserve their architectural integrity and to create a comfortable space for contemporary living. In addition, the homes provide inspiration and ideas to those about to embark on their own challenging restoration projects.
Through the dedication and hard work of members and other volunteers-as well as the very generous support of San Franciscans, Bay Area residents, and visitors from all over the United States—these successful fundraising events have allowed the Alliance to continue its education and preservation endeavors.
Grants Program
Since 1977, the Alliance has granted over $235,000 to worthy projects that preserve our heritage and enrich our lives. In1992, to continue its mission to provide educational opportunities for members and the general public and to support the restoration and preservation of historic buildings, landscaping and artifacts, the Alliance established a Grants Program. These grants are made possible through the fundraising efforts of members who have enthusiastically organized bake sales, garage sales, garden tours, and house tours, and through the generous donations and bequests from members and friends of the Alliance.
Victorian Alliance Meetings
Throughout its history the Alliance has held meeting on the last Wednesday of the month, January through October. These meetings give members the opportunity to learn about various topics such as restoration techniques, sources of building and decorative materials, and how to research the history of their home. In addition, speakers such as professional artisans and authors present subjects appealing to our members’ wide range of interests— everything from the history of the San Francisco Presidio to the reproduction of historic wallpaper.
Along with the business and educational aspects of the monthly meeting there is also a social component. Following some meetings, members enjoy refreshments, graciously provided by members, and the opportunity to meet with friends and talk with the evening’s speaker.
One of the features that make the Alliance such a unique organization is meeting each month in interesting and often different locations. The generosity of individual homeowners, businesses, religious organizations, government agencies, and community groups has enabled our members to meet at sites as varied as splendidly restored private homes, factories and workshops producing reproduction hardware, custom milled wooden moldings, or custom designed windows, historic churches and synagogues, and landmark United States government courts.
Monthly Bulletin
Since its founding in 1973, the Alliance has regularly published a Monthly Bulletin, sent to each member. Besides reporting the minutes of business meetings, the Bulletin presents announcements of upcoming Alliance activities and other Bay Area events, information on current preservation issues, and news about the accomplishments of Alliance members. The end of 2010 saw the completion of the 38th volume - a continuing archive that chronicles the Alliance’s nearly four-decade history.
Publications
One of the Alliance’s educational goals is to encourage awareness of San Francisco’s history and appreciation of its unique architecture. Over the years the Alliance has issued several publications to achieve that goal. The Alliance’s first publication occurred in 1974 with the printing of “My Early Days in San Francisco” by Nellie McGraw Hedgpeth; the book is a memoir of Nellie’s days growing up in the Mission District. In 1976, “The Victorian Alliance Pocket Guide to San Francisco’s Landmarks” was published. Compact and easily portable to take on walking tours, the Guide gave a brief description of the landmarks with each accompanied by a sketch. In 1993, the first edition of “The Pocket Guide to Historic Districts of San Francisco” was published and subsequently reprinted in 1997. It was a foldout guide with brief commentary about each historic district and was distributed for free, quickly becoming especially popular with visitors who picked it up at the San Francisco Visitors Center located at the time in Halliday Plaza. To celebrate Alliance House Tours and to showcase Victorian domestic architecture, the Alliance for several years published original Note Cards created by artist and Alliance member Kit Haskell that featured line drawings of the facade of each home on a Tour.
Awards
Throughout its history, the Alliance has received commendations for its achievements. In 2009, the Alliance was particularly honored to be one of the recipients of the California Governor’s Historic Preservation Awards for the 2008 House Tour benefitting the restoration of the Palace of Fine Arts. The Tour raised $43,500 for the project to preserve this iconic survivor of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. The award was presented to the Alliance at a ceremony on January 20, 2010 in the magnificently restored Leland Stanford Mansion in Sacramento, which serves as a historic museum as well as the Governor’s Protocol Office. The award letter states, “This prestigious award is the only official presentation award presented by the State of California to worthy recipients in recognition of outstanding achievements in the field of historic preservation.” Only twelve recipients were awarded from forty applicants throughout the State.
Special Events
Periodically the Alliance has offered special events for members and guests. These gatherings are designed to be both educational and social. In 2010, one of the special activities was a motor coach day trip to Modesto to visit the McHenry Museum and the McHenry Mansion, both of which are landmark buildings that have been meticulously restored to offer visitors an informed glimpse into the rich cultural and agricultural history of Stanislaus County.
In 2011, members and guests enjoyed a private tour of the public as well as backstage areas of the historic Castro Theater, designed by renowned architect Timothy Pflueger. Participants enjoyed the privilege of being guided by the principal artist responsible for the restoration and presentation of both the architectural and decorative elements of this 1920s movie palace.
Special Event Annual Holiday Party
The Victorian Alliance’s annual Holiday Party is a highlight of the Christmas season. The party is traditionally held at the Brune-Reutlinger Mansion, a beautifully restored Italianate Victorian located in San Francisco’s Alamo Square Historic District. The house was designed in 1886 by local architect Heinrich Geilfuss for whiskey baron Henry Brune and has been beautifully restored by our gracious host Richard Reutlinger.
Restoration and preservation work is never done. What was restored twenty years ago once again needs loving care today. Historic treasures cannot protect themselves against decay or destruction—they need us and we celebrate them. We are the caretakers of things past and present—things that will outlive us—and we happily accept our duty so that we are able to pass the gifts of heritage to future generations.
“A Brief History of the Victorian Alliance of San Francisco” prepared by Mary Ellen Blake and Donald Beilke
