Building History

A number of Oakland parishioners who had worshipped at Presbyterian churches in San Francisco (including Second United Presbyterian Church), gathered together in 1888 at the Fruitvale residence of Duncan C. MacMillan to discuss petitioning Presbyterian authorities to set up a congregation in Oakland, nearer to their homes. The "First United Presbyterian Church of Oakland" was formed as a mission church on 08/21/1890. In its earliest days, it met in various places, including at a local Baptist church on Harrison Street and the local YMCA at 12th and Clay Streets.

The congregation's first pastor, Reverend Charles Hanna, who was a dynamic, 25-year-old who spent about four months developing the new group. He made a strong impression in a short time. Unfortunately, Hanna left the congregation in 12/1890 in order to take over another flock in Philadelphia, PA. Recently married, Hanna passed away suddenly from an illness, shocking his Oakland parishioners, who decided to rename their church in his honor. This name, "Hanna Memorial Church" was used from 1891 until 1933.

Founding member Duncan C. MacMillan worked as a building contractor, and he has been credited with the design and construction of the first Hanna Memorial Church building at 18th and Castro Streets in Downtown Oakland. MacMillan was also the builidng contractor for the Hanna Memorial Church #2, designed by the great Julia Morgan and completed in 1917. The church's website provided a rationale for moving the congregation from Downtown Oakland to a North Oakland location: "On June 24, 1913, Dr. James Francis Ross, of Los Angeles, came to pastor Hanna Memorial Church. During his pastorate a new lot was bought in the Claremont-Rockridge District on College Avenue at Harwood. Construction began even before the Castro Street property had been sold. Julia Morgan was contracted for the architectural design, implemented by her building contractor, Duncan MacMillan. The premise for moving to the new location was motivated by the insight that downtown Oakland was heavily churched, and that a church can do the most good in a residential area, and that the people who need a church most are not the ones who will travel to a downtown church, Since Oakland was expanding Northward and Eastward the College Avenue property was negotiated in 1913. The congregation moved from the down-town location into the present facility on September 23, 1917, eventually followed by a Service of Dedication on November 4th, 1917." (See College Avenue Presbyterian Church.org, "Our Story," accessed 03/21/2023.)

PCAD id: 24616