The Facility: Clunie House (1898)
This Queen Anne Victorian was built in 1898 and declared an historic landmark 1981. The architect was William Curlett, who also designed several important buildings in the city, including the Shreve Building (201 Grant St.), the Phelan Building (760 Market St.), the Mead Building (209 Post St.) and the Flood Mansion on Nob Hill. The house was built for Thomas Jefferson Clunie, a prominent lawyer and legislator. He died in 1903 and his widow lived here until 1918 when she sold it to Bessie Bell Cook. Ms. Cook was resident until 1945. Originally, in the home, there were two baths, four water closets and seven wash basins. During some of the years in World War II, the house served as a nursing home. It was later converted to an apartment house with a makeshift kitchen and additional bathrooms. By the 1960s, it became a commune for the hippies who made Haight-Ashbury the center of a cultural revolution. During this time, several famous rock band members used the house as their temporary residence.
In 1968, as the Summer of Love waned, Harkness Hospital (now Mercy Terrace across the street) purchased the house with the intent to raze it for expansion purposes. However, the owners of the famous Cliff House rescued it by purchasing it with plans to make it their corporate headquarters.
In 1973, the house was sold to a group named, “Theta Seminars” led by Leonard Orr, who practiced “re-birthing”, a technique designed to improve a person’s life through a re-enactment of the moment of birth. A large redwood tub was constructed in the basement where people were aided in this ritual. Seminars followed in rooms throughout the house, including the attic, which was draped with colorful textiles purchased from the deYoung Museum’s “Rainbow Show”.
In 1980, the Theta Seminars group sold the home which was newly transformed into a bed and breakfast business under the name “Victorian Inn on the Park”. In fact, several websites can still be found which provide customer reviews of their stays here. This continued until purchase by Westmont College in 2002.
Since the time of the purchase, Westmont has continually upgraded the facility for the use of the SF Urban Program. An earthquake resistant retro-fit and basement build-out was accomplished in 2003 and a complete remodeling of the kitchen was completed in November, 2006. Currently, during the summer of 2007, the home is being repainted on the exterior and the entire 2nd floor rooms and common areas are being repaired and newly painted. Prior to the arrival of new students in late August, all rooms will receive new furniture.
The Clunie House contains the student residence, administration and faculty offices, classroom area and common meeting and living spaces for the SF Urban Program. During the academic year the house is primarily used, on an exclusive basis, for the program, with the exceptions of certain allowances for campus groups on a very temporary basis. We try to allow the students to feel ‘at home’ throughout their time in the program, allowing a place for interaction, reflection and fellowship.
When the SF Urban Program is not in session, we have opened the home to be a temporary residence for students from like-minded institutions, as well as for some members of the Westmont family, during times when they are studying in the city, involved in internships and/or attending conferences which further the broad mission of Westmont College and the Christian community in general. The Clunie House is not available for renting rooms, weddings, funerals or other similar non-mission related activities.
Properties
The house has eleven guest rooms with a total capacity for 26 students, a room reserved for a Residence Director, three office areas and several common space rooms (Parlor, Kitchen, Dining Room, and Classroom). In the basement there is a laundry facility (not made available to students) and storage areas. The house also has a one-car detached garage housing the Resident Director’s car and earthquake supplies.
The facility is beautifully appointed with classic Victorian architecture on the outside, and several appointments inside which give it a unique character. The entryway features a mahogany ceiling and wood trim, as well as a large mahogany fireplace. The Parlor has its own fireplace and ends in a slight rotunda with large windows providing a view to The Panhandle of Golden Gate Park. The dining room is lined by wood wainscoting with dish rails and a fireplace, and the ceiling is decorated with a Victorian style paper reminiscent of tile. The kitchen, newly refurbished in 2006, provides students with all amenities to provide for their own meals, as well as for a larger corporate gatherings.
Student rooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floors with two additional rooms in the basement. Each room has its own bathroom facility and some unique touches creating a special space for from 2-4 students. The rooms, with the new furniture available in the summer of 2007, provide a bed, desk, chair, and dresser for each student. Each room also has its own land-line telephone. Larger capacity rooms have additional armoires to supplement the original closet spaces. Each student has access to their own DSL line in their room, with an additional three computer stations (two on the 2nd floor and one on the 3rd) available for constant student use. These stations are also equipped with printers.
This Queen Anne Victorian was built in 1898 and declared an historic landmark 1981. The architect was William Curlett, who also designed several important buildings in the city, including the Shreve Building (201 Grant St.), the Phelan Building (760 Market St.), the Mead Building (209 Post St.) and the Flood Mansion on Nob Hill. The house was built for Thomas Jefferson Clunie, a prominent lawyer and legislator. He died in 1903 and his widow lived here until 1918 when she sold it to Bessie Bell Cook. Ms. Cook was resident until 1945. Originally, in the home, there were two baths, four water closets and seven wash basins. During some of the years in World War II, the house served as a nursing home. It was later converted to an apartment house with a makeshift kitchen and additional bathrooms. By the 1960s, it became a commune for the hippies who made Haight-Ashbury the center of a cultural revolution. During this time, several famous rock band members used the house as their temporary residence.
In 1968, as the Summer of Love waned, Harkness Hospital (now Mercy Terrace across the street) purchased the house with the intent to raze it for expansion purposes. However, the owners of the famous Cliff House rescued it by purchasing it with plans to make it their corporate headquarters.
In 1973, the house was sold to a group named, “Theta Seminars” led by Leonard Orr, who practiced “re-birthing”, a technique designed to improve a person’s life through a re-enactment of the moment of birth. A large redwood tub was constructed in the basement where people were aided in this ritual. Seminars followed in rooms throughout the house, including the attic, which was draped with colorful textiles purchased from the deYoung Museum’s “Rainbow Show”.
In 1980, the Theta Seminars group sold the home which was newly transformed into a bed and breakfast business under the name “Victorian Inn on the Park”. In fact, several websites can still be found which provide customer reviews of their stays here. This continued until purchase by Westmont College in 2002.
Since the time of the purchase, Westmont has continually upgraded the facility for the use of the SF Urban Program. An earthquake resistant retro-fit and basement build-out was accomplished in 2003 and a complete remodeling of the kitchen was completed in November, 2006. Currently, during the summer of 2007, the home is being repainted on the exterior and the entire 2nd floor rooms and common areas are being repaired and newly painted. Prior to the arrival of new students in late August, all rooms will receive new furniture.
The Clunie House contains the student residence, administration and faculty offices, classroom area and common meeting and living spaces for the SF Urban Program. During the academic year the house is primarily used, on an exclusive basis, for the program, with the exceptions of certain allowances for campus groups on a very temporary basis. We try to allow the students to feel ‘at home’ throughout their time in the program, allowing a place for interaction, reflection and fellowship.
When the SF Urban Program is not in session, we have opened the home to be a temporary residence for students from like-minded institutions, as well as for some members of the Westmont family, during times when they are studying in the city, involved in internships and/or attending conferences which further the broad mission of Westmont College and the Christian community in general. The Clunie House is not available for renting rooms, weddings, funerals or other similar non-mission related activities.
Properties
The house has eleven guest rooms with a total capacity for 26 students, a room reserved for a Residence Director, three office areas and several common space rooms (Parlor, Kitchen, Dining Room, and Classroom). In the basement there is a laundry facility (not made available to students) and storage areas. The house also has a one-car detached garage housing the Resident Director’s car and earthquake supplies.
The facility is beautifully appointed with classic Victorian architecture on the outside, and several appointments inside which give it a unique character. The entryway features a mahogany ceiling and wood trim, as well as a large mahogany fireplace. The Parlor has its own fireplace and ends in a slight rotunda with large windows providing a view to The Panhandle of Golden Gate Park. The dining room is lined by wood wainscoting with dish rails and a fireplace, and the ceiling is decorated with a Victorian style paper reminiscent of tile. The kitchen, newly refurbished in 2006, provides students with all amenities to provide for their own meals, as well as for a larger corporate gatherings.
Student rooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floors with two additional rooms in the basement. Each room has its own bathroom facility and some unique touches creating a special space for from 2-4 students. The rooms, with the new furniture available in the summer of 2007, provide a bed, desk, chair, and dresser for each student. Each room also has its own land-line telephone. Larger capacity rooms have additional armoires to supplement the original closet spaces. Each student has access to their own DSL line in their room, with an additional three computer stations (two on the 2nd floor and one on the 3rd) available for constant student use. These stations are also equipped with printers.
