St. Paulus Lutheran Church
Unfinished History
by Alyssa Boragno, San Francisco Museum and Historical Society
St. Paulus Lutheran Church.
Photo: San Francisco Museum and Historical Society
"One of San Francisco's landmarks, St. Paulus Lutheran Church was located at 999 Eddy Street at Gough. It was built in 1893, and seated about 1,000 people. The church's services were held in German until 1920, when it added English services. It was not until the mid-1930s that English was the dominant language for the church. In 1906, St. Paulus served as a shelter and hospital for the victims of the earthquake and fire. In 1940, St. Paulus church suffered from a fire that destroyed its roof and tower, which were eventually restored. In 1995, St. Paulus suffered another fire that eventually destroyed the church. St. Paulus was known for their many missionaries. The church also makes an appearance in Alfred Hitchcock's film, "Vertigo.""