11 & 12: Projects in the Bay Area

In the early 1950s, Morgan closed her office and received emeritus status in the AIA. She had no romantic partner or children of her own, and her siblings were busy with their own lives. Many of her professional contacts and friends moved on. She died in 1957, largely alone except for a nurse companion, and her secretary Lillian Forney.[1]  She was ultimately a very private person, not at all given to memorials such as this exhibition. Her legacy is in her work, and in the acknowledgement of the incredible breadth of her style, responsiveness to her clients, and number of projects that came to fruition.

Julia Morgan 2012, the pilot project of Landmarks California, is a statewide festival celebrating the architect in a way she would never have imagined, but which shows our indebtedness to her genius.  A variety of activities are on offer for the general public.  A full list is available at www.landmarkscalifornia.org.

Some local examples of Morgan’s work are displayed on these final two panels. Julia Morgan buildings in Berkeley include the Berkeley City Club, and Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) has a walking tour of her projects.  To see Morgan buildings in Oakland, visit Mills College or the Downtown YWCA.  Morgan projects in San Francisco include the Emmanu-El Sisterhood, now the Zen Center, the original clubhouse for the Native Daughters of the Golden West, and the Chinese Historical Society of America, formerly the Chinatown YWCA.