View of the Quad and the Commons with the Education Building in the Background, SFSU Lake Merced Campus, c. 1959–1962 (Updated two months ago)

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View of the Quad in front of the College Union (The Commons), where students gathered to eat and socialize at San Francisco State College’s Lake Merced campus. Students walk and sit along the pathways and lawn, while the Education Building rises in the background. c. 1959–1962.

Tags: old san francisco state - lake merced , sf state buildings and architecture , students and alumni

Added to SFSU Over the Years on July 31, 2026.

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Information

  • Identifier: TP-ATA-1795
  • Date: late 1950s - early 1960s
  • Context: <p>The College Union, commonly known as The Commons, opened in 1953 as a central student gathering space on the Lake Merced campus. The Quad served as a primary open area for student activity, connecting major academic buildings such as the Education Building (later Burk Hall). This image reflects everyday campus life during the early years of the relocated campus.</p> <p data-start="1055" data-end="1085"><strong data-start="1055" data-end="1083">Campus Features Visible:</strong></p> <ul data-start="1086" data-end="1177"> <li data-section-id="qkzifr" data-start="1086" data-end="1119"> <p data-start="1088" data-end="1119">College Union (&ldquo;The Commons&rdquo;)</p> </li> <li data-section-id="14d522k" data-start="1120" data-end="1160"> <p data-start="1122" data-end="1160">Education Building (later Burk Hall)</p> </li> <li data-section-id="knibt6" data-start="1161" data-end="1177"> <p data-start="1163" data-end="1177">Central Quad</p> </li> </ul> <p><strong>Credits:</strong>&nbsp;Some descriptions were developed with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model by OpenAI.</p>
  • Geographic Coverage: San Francisco, CA
  • Temporal Coverage: late 1950s - early 1960s
  • Type: Still Image
  • Format: Negative
  • Source: San Francisco State University Archives
  • Rights: Public

Content

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