In 1893 The Mark Hopkins mansion on the top of Nob Hill became the home to the School and the SF Art Association when Edward Searles donated the property to the University of California to be used by the SFAA for an art school. Hopkins was one of the “Big Four” who along with Collis P. Huntington, William Crocker, and Leland Stanford built the western half of the transcontinental railroad. This mansion---the highest structure on the highest hill in the City was completed after Hopkins had died/ The Widow Hopkins then married her interior designer, Edward Searles. Mrs. Searles dies and Edward moved to Massachusetts with the Hopkins chauffeur.

For the FULL story of the eccentric Edward Searles, the chauffeur, the Widow Hopkins, the School and UC, as well as what happened to the Hopkins Mansion see Becky Alexander's illustrated essay in Orbits of Known and Unknown Objects: SFAI Histories, MATRIX 277

With permission, SFAA is re-posting the emails Jeff Gunderson Librarian/Archivist Anne Bremer Memorial Library has been sending out since March 2020. Please enjoy this magnificent archive