{"nrhp_refnum":"77000343","name":"First Unitarian Universalist Church","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"160 N. 3rd St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"San Jose","county":"Santa Clara County","state":"CA","lat":37.339530764000074,"lon":-121.89001135699999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1977-11-17","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Religion","Social History"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A Romanesque-style Unitarian church at 160 North 3rd Street, facing St. James Park in San Jose, California, built in 1891-92 to designs by architect George W. Page.","why_significant":"The nomination cites its architecture, including a mix of Richardsonian Romanesque and Transylvanian church influences and an unusual dome. It also notes an early use of laminated wood rafters and its good performance in the 1906 earthquake. It further highlights the congregation's religious and social-humanitarian role since 1866.","narrative":"Built in 1891-92 at 160 North 3rd Street in San Jose, this church faces St. James Park and is one of four 19th-century buildings remaining there. Architect George W. Page, who had studied in Europe, designed a round sanctuary under a near-hemispherical dome, with about 70 semicircular arches and 48 stained glass windows. Its main dome rafters were made of laminated Oregon pine, an early use of the technique that helped the building survive the 1906 earthquake with minor damage; it then sheltered the injured. Reviewers have called the style Richardsonian Romanesque, though the dome and conical roofs depart from it, and the form resembles Transylvanian churches. The congregation dates to 1866 and has served continuously in this building. Its history includes opposition to the Loyalty Oath, support for Japanese Americans displaced in World War II, and an open forum policy. Changes since completion have been modest, though weather, settling and quakes have caused cracking.","period_of_significance":"1891-92","architect_builder":"George W. Page, San Jose","architectural_style":"Richardsonian Romanesque with Transylvanian/European influences (unique dome and conical roofs)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Occupied and in continuous use as a religious facility since 1892; some deterioration noted, including stucco cracks and a leaning rear wall.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:31.87449-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_CA/77000343.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/77000343/8dc7d260b9-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/77000343/8dc7d260b9-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Eugene Zelenko","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USA-San_Jose-First_Unitarian_Church-1.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Eugene Zelenko</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USA-San_Jose-First_Unitarian_Church-1.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/123861671","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Unitarian_Church_of_San_Jose","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5453954"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/california/santa-clara-county/first-unitarian-universalist-church-77000343/"}