Girls Club

California, United States

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

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Built in 1911 in San Francisco's Mission District, the Girls Club (also known as Mission Neighborhood Capp Street Center) is a two-and-a-half-story wood-frame structure exemplifying the First Bay Tradition interpretation of Shingle Style architecture. Founded by social worker Rachel Wolfsohn to provide girls with services equivalent to the Boys Club of America, the building features dark brown shingles on its upper stories and a Georgian-style broken pediment over its main entrance porch. The original structure was expanded by 1923 with the addition of a gymnasium, creating a U-shaped complex with an inner courtyard and brick alley. The theatre, with its small stage, beamed ceiling, and balcony, remains a notable interior feature; a sprinkler system was installed following a fire in the 1940s. The skillful design made it significant to San Francisco's social movement history, leading to its National Register listing in 1979.