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Overview

The noted San Francisco architect Julia Morgan worked on the designs for dozens of buildings for the Young Women's Christian Society's Pacific Region during the 1920s. In Fresno, she created three buildings for the organization, two larger ones and a smaller, bungalow-type facility. This YWCA Recreation Center was one of the two larger commissions.

Building History

This Julia Morgan-designed YWCA facility operated as a recreation center from the 1920s until 1933, when it closed during the depths of the Depression. Fresno architectural historian John Edward Powell described its subsequent history: "YWCA Recreation CenterIn 1933 the recreation center was closed due to local financial problems. From 1945 to 1960 it was occupied by the Pacific Bible Institute (now Fresno Pacific University). Sadly, the recreation center was remodeled beyond recognition in 1965, as Fresno embraced a modernization campaign bolstered by the construction of the Fulton Mall." (See John Edward Powell, Historic Fresno.org, "Biographies of Architects, Designers, and Builders: Julia Morgan (1872-1957)," publised 2001, accessed 02/23/2022.)

Alteration

Morgan's YWCA Recreation Center in Fresno was remodeled during the mid-1960s, into an austere and quite charmless office building, called the "Garden Court."