Chronicle Building

Location: 690 Market (Market/Kearny, NE corner).

The first office of the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper (founded 1865) was at Kearny/Bush (first image below). Publisher M.H. de Young built the 10-story Chronicle Building at Market/Kearny in 1890; designed by Burnham & Root, it was San Francisco's first skyscraper. When the Call Building and Hearst Building were later built nearby, the location became known as Newspaper Row. After the 4-story clock tower burned on 11/07/1905 (don't play with fireworks!), de Young added two floors to the building and built an adjacent 16-story annex on Kearny, still under construction when the 1906 earthquake hit. The building was badly damaged by the earthquake and fire. The annex opened in early 1907 and the building rebuilt by architect Willis Polk opened in 1908. The newspaper office moved to 5th/Mission (the new Chronicle Building) in 1924. With 8 additional stories added in 2004, the building now (in 2025) is called the Old Chronicle Building or the de Young Building, occupied by the Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences.

Images:

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Postcards:

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Stereoviews:

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See also:

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