The City Club of San Francisco

The Stock Exchange Tower located at 155 Sansome Street was designed by noted San Francisco architects Miller & Pflueger under the direction of Timothy L. Pflueger (1892-1946). The building opened in 1930 and housed the offices of the brokers who worked ‘on the floor’ of the adjacent San Francisco Stock Exchange. That imposing structure, fronting on Pine Street, with its facade of stately Doric columns, was constructed in 1910 as a United States Sub-treasury and was adapted to serve as the exchange’s trading floor as part of the 155 Sansome Street project. The two monumental sculptures that flank its entrance are the works of sculptor Ralph Stackpole (1895-1973) and are named ‘Agriculture’ represented by feminine figures and ‘Industry’ represented by masculine figures.

Believing that great art should be an integral part of great architecture, Pflueger, one of California’s earliest architects to incorporate Classic European Modernism into his work, commissioned a number of the era’s most renowned artists and craftsmen to work on the project. The Pacific Stock Exchange Lunch Club (1930-1987), now The City Club, is considered the best interior in the Art Deco style in San Francisco, and among the best in California.

The Entrance to The Club

The City Club’s formal entrance is on the tenth floor of 155 Sansome, through bronze framed elevator doors faced with images drawn by interior architect Michael Goodman and executed by Harry Dixon (1890-1967) in five different metals: Copper, German Silver (Monel), Bronze, Silver and Brass. The first pair of doors show San Francisco at air-level, land-level and below sea-level. The second pair depicts the four winds and two hemispheres of the world. The third presents the convergence of old and new architecture, fashion and transportation. The remarkable balusters on the grand staircase, between the tenth and eleventh floors, designed by Robert Boardman Howard (1896-1983), are fashioned using chrome-plated steel. Stylized figures in brass represent a day in the life of the stockbroker — in business, golf and formal evening attire. The newel post at the base of the staircase forms the initials P. S. E. L.C. for The Club’s original name, Pacific Stock Exchange Luncheon Club.

Art at The Club

It was Ralph Stackpole’s responsibility to choose the artists who worked on The Club. His choice of Mexican artist, Diego Rivera (1886-1957) over California artists was somewhat controversial. Newspapers referred to the incongruity of choosing an artist of Rivera’s leftward political leanings to do a mural in ‘the citadel of capitalism. None the less, the renowned artist came and in 1931 completed what was to be the centerpiece and symbol of The Club.

Allegory of California

Diego Rivera created his first U.S. fresco on the wall and ceiling of the grand stairwell. The large figure represents California, for whom the state is named. Her right hand mines the earth for its hidden treasure while the left hand holds the treasures that grow on its surface. Tennis-great Helen Wills Moody, a friend of Stackpole’s, posed as Califia. There are also portraits of James Marshall, discoverer of gold, and Luther Burbank, famed horticulturist. Other figures represent the engineer, the merchant and the farmer, all panning for gold. Youth and its dreams are represented by a serious minded boy (the model in this case was photographer Peter Stackpole) holding an aero plane, representing the infant industry. The oil industry and shipping are illustrated above Califia’s shoulders. The large ceiling figure running diagonally (to recall the diagonal line created by the rail of the stairs) depicts electrical achievement, flanked by representations of sun and billowy clouds.

The City Club of San Francisco, 155 Sansome, 10th floor

San Francisco, CA 94104