history of the college
Founded in 1863 by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, Saint Mary's College of California is one of the oldest colleges in the West. The College campus originally was located in San Francisco, and operated for several years under Archdiocesan direction.
For a detailed account of the schools founded by the Christian Brothers, including the ones which are now closed, please visit the De La Salle Christian Brothers San Francisco District Archives Web site.
Archbishop of San Francisco Joseph Alemany who was unhappy with the College's operation under the diocesan clergy, appealed to Pope Pius IX in 1867 for assistance in persuading the Superior General of the Christian Brothers to send Brothers to assume direction of the College. Nine Brothers arrived in San Francisco in 1868. Within two years, the student body increased from 50 to 200. The first Bachelor's degrees were awarded in 1872.
In 1889, the campus was moved to Oakland's Brickpile facility, where the College operated until 1928, when it moved to Moraga. The original Moraga campus was much smaller than the current campus. Eleven of the original buildings, constructed during 1928-1929, are still in use today. They include the Chapel, Dante and Galileo Halls.
Below are listed some of the significant dates in the College's history.
