About SFSU Over the Years
This collection consists of photographs of San Francisco State University throughout decades of the twentieth century. It documents when San Francisco State campus was in the city’s Western Addition up to 1953 and the development and transition to our current campus located adjacent to Lake Merced. This collection reveals multiple lenses into student life at SF State through depictions of campus facilities and living areas, events, student life, and other activities chronicling tremendous cultural and social change. (more)
- Total number of items
- 1,790
- Total number of views
- 839,545
Featured items
Collections
Graduations and Commencements
Photos taken during the graduation and commencement ceremonies over the years.
Historic San Francisco State Campuses
San Francisco State University has been in three separate sites since it was established in 1862. Originally, it was located downtown at Powell Street near Clay Street then called the San Francisco State Normal School. This collection contains images of those two early campuses and images of the early San Francisco State College campus we...
Aerial Views of San Francisco State Campus
Aerial views of the campus over time show how the campus grew within a new development center in the southwest corner of the city. This collection includes a series of aerial views from the 1970’s and several undated but from an earlier period.
Buildings and Architecture
While SF State’s Lake Merced campus was modern and well equipped, it was becoming a homogenous liberal arts college with green lawns and State Architect designed buildings. Legend has it that when architect Frank Lloyd Wright visited the campus, he quipped, “plant ivy.”
Frederic Burk School (Teacher Training)
The Frederic Burk School, a training facility for the School of Education, was unique in the California State University System, offering kindergarten to sixth grade while providing observation opportunities for student-teachers. It closed in 1971.
Library Scenes
This collection includes images from the original J. Paul Leonard Library predominantly from the 1970’s. Images show students, library staff, and activities in the building, prior to its 2012 renovation. Highlights include students searching through the card catalogs.
Campus Visitors and Speakers
We highlight notable figures who have visited or spoken at SF State, including prominent cultural, political, and institutional leaders. The collection features appearances by guests such as Willie Mays and Hillary Clinton, capturing moments of engagement and inspiration on campus.
Dorm Scenes
This collection includes student life in the three main dormitories of the 1970’s. These included Mary Ward Hall, Merced Hall (later dedicated to Mary Park, a beloved custodian – the only building in the CSU named after a staff member), and the former Verducci Hall (removed after damage from the 1989 earthquake).
Students and Alumni
This collection includes images of students predominantly from the 1970’s. The images portray campus life, buildings, and classrooms from that era.
Faculty, Staff and Administration
This collection includes images of individual faculty and administrators with descriptions of their background and era. Familiar names of current university buildings are also included.
Student Union Scenes
In 1967, students hired architect Moishe Safdie to design a new eleven-story union, but the Trustees rejected it. Construction of a new $8-million building began in 1973, continuing the tradition of student unions as spaces for exploring art and architecture, creating a dynamic campus experience.
Concerts, Theater and other events
San Francisco State University has been a center of cultural events throughout its history. Music, theater, poetry readings, are just some of the events held over the years.
Historic Technology
This collection contains images of technologies used at SF State over the years.
Athletics and Campus Spirit
This collection highlights the excitement and spirit of San Francisco State University athletics through dynamic photographs capturing student-athletes in action and the energy of campus sporting events. It celebrates the dedication, teamwork, and pride that define Gator sports.
Contact
DIVA Team
These collections are hosted by the DIVA Team at Academic Technology, San Francisco State University.
For questions about the collection, please contact the DIVA Team:
Email: digitize@sfsu.edu