State Asylum for the Deaf,Dumb and Blind
About this property
The California School for the Blind is a public educational institution for blind children, K-12, located in Fremont, California. Its campus is located next to the California School for the Deaf. The San Francisco area's education of blind children began in 1860 with the organization of the privately supported Society for the Instruction and Maintenance of the Indigent Deaf and Dumb, and the Blind in California by Frances Augusta Clark. She served as the first principal of the school until 1865, when Dr. Warring Wilkinson was brought to the school. Dr. Wilkinson is credited with beginning the efforts to make the school wholly state-supported and seeing the school, then known as the California State Asylum for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind through its move to what would later become Berkeley in 1867. The first building on the Berkeley campus was a stone Victorian Gothic building called the Deaf, Dumb and Blind Asylum, which was constructed starting in 1867. This construction was interrupted when major damage was caused as a result of the 1868 Hayward earthquake. Construction was subsequently completed and the site opened for classes. On January 17, 1875, a devastating fire engulfed the building of the asylum, resulting in its destruction. This unfortunate event raised concerns among the Nevada State Senate and Assembly, who visited the asylum later that year to assess the well-being of the children from Nevada who had been placed in its care. They observed the aftermath of the fire but were relieved to find that the children were being accommodated in a neighboring building. Classes continued in temporary buildings for a few years while new buildings were constructed. In an effort to rebuild and continue providing care for the children, construction for the new buildings commenced on April 30, 1877. This marked an important milestone in the institution's history as they embarked on a journey to create a new and improved facility that would meet the needs of its residents. The groundbreaking ceremony symbolized the resilience and determination of the community to overcome adversity and ensure the continuation of vital services for those in their care. This including an educational building, four dormitories, various support facilities and a private residence for the principal. In 1887 the facility was listed as the Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institute located in Berkeley, with most of the staff residing in Berkeley. In 1890, the Spanish Colonial Revival education building was completed, featuring an assembly hall and a 160-foot (49 m) tower with a Seth Thomas clock. The education building survived the 1906 San Francisco earthquake with damage to some chimneys and the slate roof as well as interior cracks, but there was no fire and the main walls held firm.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was State Asylum for the Deaf,Dumb and Blind listed on the National Register?
State Asylum for the Deaf,Dumb and Blind was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 13, 1982.
What type of historic resource is State Asylum for the Deaf,Dumb and Blind?
State Asylum for the Deaf,Dumb and Blind is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for State Asylum for the Deaf,Dumb and Blind?
The period of significance for State Asylum for the Deaf,Dumb and Blind is recorded as the listed era.
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