CITY OF SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SITE BOARD REGISTER NO. ---'"8.,_2 ___ _

1. LOCATION DESCRIPTION

Street No. 1502 Sec(l)nd Avenue 2. NAME OF SITE S ElCOnd and Bee Congregation meth Israel, 1889 • Legal Demiption Lot G, Bleck 207, Herten 's

Other Identification Northwest C0rner of Second Avenue and Beech Street, San Diego

3. OWNERSHIP DATA A, E, Horton, let private Original owner--Beth Israel built temple

1---4

_-F_A_c_T_U_A··-L-D·E-l-.A-I-LS-·----···-··---·-----·-------------·-i Present F'raternal Sp!hri tualist Church Co,

1 Addre" 1502 Second Avenue original use Synagogue, Cong. Beth !srae (c/o James Bradford, 2244 Second) Present use Church, Fraternal Spiritualist Architect Unknown Builder UnknOWn 5. PHYSICAL DETAILS

DateorPeriod 1889, Late Victorian Style Victorian Eclectic Other Modification of building appear No. of stories One story 1 with partial balcony to have be en minor 1 building appears Wall Construction Wood frame of a size that would be movable • condition Apparently sound

~---------------------------------------1 6. OTHER COMMENTS J EilWiSh symbOlS Clearly Exterior Interior

indicate original use, Fair--needs paint Good repair

7. SUMMA flY, HISTORICAL SIG~IIFICANCE AND NOTABLE FEATURES

This historic temple, used for the first time at sundown, Rosh Hashanah Eve, September 25, 1889, is either the oldest, or at least the next to the oldest, existing such structure in the West. This frame building is certainly the olde structure erected as a synagogue in Southern California.

•rhis frame building stands as one of the very few recognizable Jewish structure of the early days of San Diego, It is a symbol of the early Jewish settlers and their contribution to the history of San Diego as well as the

ion T e Beth Israel, 8. LOCATION MAP (Optional)

(See plat in attached exhibit)

10. TRANSMITTAL RECORD

Bldg. Insp.

Community Dev.

Engineering

Date

Site Ovvn€r

Fire Dept.

Prks. & Pub. Bldg.

Planning

9. PHOTOGRAPH

CoNGREGATION BETH IsRAEL, SAN DIEGO, 1889

Date

11. NAME AND ADDRESS OF RECORD OWNER

Fraternal Spiritualist Church Co, 1502 Second Avenue San Diego, Calif. 92101

------·-- ----------·-

Hi sto rically or Architecturu lly Si gn i ficant Landmarks

Pr· i or i ty

1f~,_

Locat i on \ 50'2. 2~ SA-f-ed-

2< )'i A

(i; 2 ..;...!

~H C'(

HISTORICAL S I GN I F I CANCE IV G ~

.'8£EC~ •oo Yea r· Comp l e_te d __ \'B8 ~L _ _____ _ 0 ri g i na 1 o~~me r· ---- ------ - - -----· Arch i teet/Des i gne r /Bu i 1 de r - - ------

Original Use Ori g ina l Si 7.e of Site/Ex i s t i ng Si ze ___ _

ARCH I TE CTU RAL S I GN I FICANCE

Architect u ra l /Ethnic Sty l e Un i que Features of t he Des ign :

Construct i on Me thod ------------

Original Loca ti on

De t a il i ng ___ ________________ _

Building Mate r ia l s~------------Ori g i na l i ty of Des ign _ ___________________________ _

Othe r ------------------------------------------------------ADD I "fi ONAL COMME NTS

CUR RENT STATUS

Lega l Desc ri ption: Lot#_HtG Block# '2..07 Subdi vis i on Name \io~"toVI1'S 1\J.d;·h'oY\

OSOOC Arbi trary Pa r cel # 533 3b3 c~ Zoning____.C _J_--'-e-'n"'"""su-'s-T-'r'-a-c-t"'"'#-5_0 __

Phys i cal Cond i tion of St r·uctu r e Good r.:==J f7 a ir c:=J Poor c=J Ass essed Va l ue :

Land 1~1 500 Imp r ovements 2..50 Tota l I fa 1

"-1 SO Si ze of Lot/Structure Prese n t Use Pre se n t Ovmer and Addre ss..Em_feroa.l \ p'irih.ud.\S± CM.iU'ch..Co .

1 C602- 2.wi

Date Repo r· t Fil ed By ;;y, Bu.tlelf"

SECOND AND BEECH TEMPLE

CONGREGATION BE'l'H ISRAEL • 1889

Researchers

Teresa O, Jennings

Henry Schwartz

CONTENTS

Letter, Rabbi Joel S, Goor to William Rick

Letter, Henry Schwartz to Rabbi J·oel S, Goor

Historical Data Concerning the Temple Beth Israel

by Teresa o. Jennings

History

Architecture

Architect

Alterations

F'eatures

Conditions

Record of T.itle

Picture, Xerox

Plat

Interview

Historical Data

Bibliography

TEHPLE BETH !SR/\El

locatiort: 1502 Seco~d Averltle, San Diegol San Di.ego County 7 California.

Present Ov,fnf•r: Fraternal Spiritu.::Jl ist Church} Co.

Present Use: Religious Services.

Statement of Sigr:i·f fcance: The Temple Seth lsrae·l ~ constructed In 1889~ is one

of the· earl 'iest surviving sync'llgo~;ues in California~

Alt~Jovgh modest is size, ttle building's rlesfgn and

.Jei'·dsh iconograph1c e!ernents 1 ik.e the tablets of the

law and the six pointed suxr· are highly originaL it

housed the Congn:~gatior1 Beth isrnel fron its construe~·

t ion cmt i l 1926.

PI\RT i. H ~:\TOR I CAL I NFOfU1f,,T I OtJ

1.. or;~.dna! and subseqvent O\I•Jners: Legcd description of the prop0rty:

Lot G, block 207, Horton's addition.

The followlng is an abstr21ct of the complete chain of title:

1889 Deed of January 19, 1889, recorded In Book 142, p. 365,

C. R. D<"uer and C. ltestover to Hebrew Congr·egetion Trustees,

consideration $5,000.00*

1926 Lever, .J. ~~.by cor. to First N<ltional Trust and Savings

Bank of San Diego.

193B First Natio .. nal Trust ;:;md Savings Bank of San Diego to the

Fr~ternal Spiritualist Church Co.

2. Date of erection: 1889.

3. )\rch i teet: None knov·m.

l1. Oriq!na'! plans and construction of bulldi_ng: A fairly complete account .

"of the temple appeared in the newspapers v;;herr the building v.·as finished.

According to the description the bun ding was constructed of red\40od,

painted a 1 ight brown with chocolate trimmings. The interio1' woodwork

including the vJainscoting and "four arched trusses supporting the roof"

was also of redwood but finished with oil. The interior of the temple

was painted a French gray with sky-blue ceiling. The land was purchased

for $5,000.00 and the building cost $3,500.00.

5. Alterations and Additions: The building in its main lines still pi·e­

serves remarkably well the features descdbed in newspaper articles

at the time of its completion. Apparently quite early a porch was added

to the fro~t of the building. When the property wus purchased by the

Fraternal Spiritualist Co., they dismantled the ark of the covenant at

the rear of the sanctuary and installed an alter. They also constructed

clfl addition to the rear of the building, sealed off the balcony, and

enc 1 osed the s to i rway leading to it. In 1952 the present seats 1r-1ere

lnstnl1edc The tablets of the la\Al at the peak of the gable h2ve also_

been removed and a large star now t~ests in this area~

According to the "1\nniversary Story of Congregation Beth Israel" the·

balcony was constructed in 1921 at a cost of $1 ,500,00, Ho•rever this

is problematical since the balcony appears to be of the same period

and construction of the rest of the building and the description of

the bu i 1 ding in 1889 a i ready mentions a "ga 11 ery" within arched

fronted, seating 40 or 50.

B. Historical Events and Persons connected with the Structure:

1, Temple Beth Israel: The Adath Yeshtwun, later to become the Beth

Israel. Congregation, was founded in 1861. Among the founders were

several very prominent San Oiegans including Marcus Schiller and J. S.

t1anasse, \~ho engaged in important mer cant i1 e operations in the area.

The congregation held services in various homes and other buildings in

the area. In 1886 the name was changed to the Congregation Beth Israel

and was incorporated in February 1·887 for the purpose of purchasi~g

land ''nd building a synagogwe. This was during a major boom period

of San Diego history. The congregation very early showed signs of

interest in reformed Judaism. AI ready in 1886 they had sponsored

1 ectures on this subject. By "f 906 tht>re was c i ear 1 y a separate reform

congregation. Hhen the temple was completed ln 1889 it was one of the

first In Cal lfornia. The congregation worshiped here until 1926 when

they moved to a nevv building at Third and Laure 1"

2. Fraternal Spiritual 1st Church: The Fraternal Spiritualist Church

moved to the buiiding in 1932. The founder of this sect was Dr.

H. Robert 1<\oore of Ohio who was said to have demonst .,,;ted psychic

pov:ers, After. extensive \tor1d travel, Dr~ Moore came to San Diego

around 1930. With the he 1 p of 1 oca l fo 11 owers the group purchased

the former ten~le In 1938. The Fraternal Spiritual lsts have occupied

the l>ulld!ng from 1932 to d<o•te.

C. Notes:

l. S,an Diego \4eekly Sun repO!"ted on April 4, 1889 that the building

comm; ttee of the church \~Jas engaged in a cons ide ration of p 1 ans for

the new structure. By September 1889, the building was finished. San

Diego Union, September 25, 1889.

2, This account which appeared in the September 25, 1889, San Diego Sun,

is reproduced In the appendix at the end of this report.

3. San Diego Union, September· 7, 1889.

lr. Interview with James Bradford, Pr·esident of the Fraternal Spiritualist ·

Church~

5. "History of the Fraternal Spiritualist Church".

6. See appendix.

7- Southwest Jewish Press Heritage, Septembe_r 13, 1974, p. 12~

8 .. ·Gerson, Jewish Religious Life, p.

9. San Diego Union, November l.r, 1886.

10. San Diego Union, September 19, 1906,

11, According to an article in the September 27, 1889, i5sue of the San

Diego Union, it was the second temple in Southern California.

12. Anniversary Story, p.

13. History of the Fr·aternal Spiritualist Church.

D. Sources of Information;

1 • 0 1 d V i e~IS ;

a. Photograph of the building soon after· it v11as bu i 1t vvi thout the

porch on the front. This photograph appears in the Southwest

.Jewish Press Her·itage, September 13, 1974, p. 5.

b. An early photograph of the synagogue but with the porch added is

in the collection of the San Diego Historical. Society.

2. Bib] iography:

a, Books:

11The Anrdvf"rSC~ry Story of CongresJatior: Beth f~;rae!H~ San Diego~ 1952~

Gerson, Ralph D. ",lewisl-, Religious Life in San Diego, 1851-1918,"

Master's Thesis for Hebrew Union Coilege, 1974. Copy in

Serra Museum ..

"History of the Fraternal Spiritualist Church" xeroxed copy in

the possession of the church.

Kramer, William, article in Southwest Je~Jish Press Her·itage,

September 13, 1974, pp. 5, 12.

Stern, Norton, notes on the Temple Beth Israel to an article by

James Allen in Western States Jewish Historical Quarterly,

October 1970.

b. Newspaper articles:

San Diego Sun:

September l. 1887, The congregation contemplates a $20,000.00·

synagogue.

December 27, 1887. The congregation buys a lot.

April It, 1889. The building committee considers plans.

September 25, 1889. The synagogue is finished and there Is

a long description. (See append·ix.)

San Diego Union:

September 26, 1886. The congregation has taken steps to

erect a building.

September 7, 1889. ~lentions cost of new building.

September 27, 1889. ,1\nnounces the completion of the synagogue

and gives a small line illustration.

October 14, 1889. Announcement of the annua 1 meeting to be

held in the new synagogue~

~

0 f-'• r; ()

Ill

i r: luJ l. ~

•

HISTORICAL DATA CONCERNllTG THE TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL

Lot G, Block 207 of Horton's Addition.

San Diego in the years of the 1880's was a place of

opportunity for real estate speculators such as Adolf G, Gassen • • The Coast County Directory for 1884-5 lists h4lm as "Gassen, A.

G. capitalist and contractor, residence D St. corner of 10~. ''

Gassen pUrchased the property on the northwest corner of 2nd

and Beech-from R. A. Thomas (also active in land speculation)

in March of 1887 and sold it a little over a month later to

Charles W. Pauly. Gassen was at times associated with D. c. Reed in Real Estate operations, and did well for himself in

such dealings, especially in Pacific Beach. He was not only

involved in Real Estate but was also a city_Marsru:tll in the

early 1870's, businessman and served as a colon~l on the gover­

nor's staff in later years.

Aaron Pauly purchased the property from his son Charles

in June of 1887. Mr~ Pauly was among the first to see the · .

future of San Diego a.'1d moved her.e in 1869. He found the streets

laid out in a desulatory way, though only a few houses had yet

been built. He entered at once into a business partnership

vii th his sons F. N. and Charles Y(. Pauly, renting a wharf and

store from A. E. Horton under the na.me of A. Pauly and Sons.

Pauly was instrumental in establishing the San Diego Chamber

. ,.

2

of Commerce and was elected its first president, which office

he held for 5 yrs. In 1875 he entered the real estate busi­

ness and in the ensuing years was elected tax collector. The

December issue of Golden Era Magazine, 1887, carried and article

on Aaron Pauly,· who was at the time considered a great as.set

to the San Diego community.

The property changed owners a few more times and then in

January of 1889 c. R. Dauer and c. Westover sold it to the

trustees of the Hebrew Congregation.known officially as the

Congregation Beth Israel.

!he First Temple (see attached exhibit)

The Congregation Beth Israel was a loosely knit organiza ....

tion of the first Jewish community in San Diego. The first

organization of the Hebrew Congregation took place in 1872 at

the house of Marcos Schiller in Old Town; the first officers

were: President Marcos Schiller (who served until his death

m 1904), Vice-president H, Welisch, Secretary A. Blochri:tan, and

Treasurer A. Lippman. Before the erection of the temple.on

2nc1 and Beech serv:Lces were held in rented halls and the Uni­

tarian Church, .but only on the Jewish New Year and Day of

Atonement. There were at first 18 members.

The Congregation was reorganized and incorporated as the

Congregation Beth Israel and by 1888 the Congregation found

itself with a growing membership of 55 and a need. to erect a

place of their own.

On Sept. 25, 1886 the San Diego Union reported: "The Jew:Lsh

3

citizens of San Diego are taking steps for the' erection of a

building to be used as synagogue and a school for religious

instruction. At a meeting a few days ago $500 was subscribed."

On Sept. 1, 1887 the San Diego Weekly Sun reported: "The

Jewish residents of this city contemplate the erection of a

synagogue at an early date, to cost $20,000. A great part of

this amount has already been subscribed."

On April 4, 1889 the Weekly Sun was able to report: "The

Building Committee of the projected Jewish Synagogue are en­

gaged on the consideration of plans for the structure which

is to be built on the corner of 2~d and Beech Streets. An

unpretentious building, similar to that first built by the

Unitarian Congregation and since made a vestry of the beauti­

ful new church, seems to be the choice of a large part of the

membership~"

*On Oct. 14, 1889 the Union reported that "the annual meet­

ing of the Hebrew Congregation will be held today at the new

synagogue at 2£d and Beech."

From the above evidence p.nd other sources I conclude that

the building was erected in 1889 sometime between the dates

of April 4th and Oct. 14th. - '-

Later History

The Jewish Community used the little temple for many

year:s to hold thei,r services and teach religious instruction.

But by the early 1920's :l.t was no longer able to accomodate

the growing congregation. In 1923 directors Adolph Levi,

4

Samuel I. Fox and Ed H. Sa.misch were given authority to pur­

chase the property at the northwest corner of Third and Laurel,

the price not to exceed "12,000.00, for the erection of a new

temple. Steps were then taken to sell the old temple site at

.Second Avenue and Beech Street, and to obtaiil plans for the

erection of the present structure at Third Avenue and Laurel

Street. A contract to build the new temple at Third and

Laurel was awarded in Aug. 1925 to M, Trepte and Son for $69,300.

Early in 1926, according to the present Congregation of Beth

Israel, the Second and Beech property was sold to H. N. Dur­

flinger for $20,000.

In 1938 the property was sold to the Fraternal Spiritualist

Co. and is presently used as a church for their divine healing

services.

Architecture

The architecture of the building is not typical of one

period or style of architecture but is a conglomeration of

different styles and periods,. i.e. the pillars in the front

of the building are corinthian and the design at the top of

the building 1880 gingerbread.

Architect

All evidence points to no architect. Certainly one of

the newspapers that were reporting on the progress of the build­

ing at the time would have mentioned ah architect if there had

been one. There was also no evidence of •an arc hi teet at the

San Diego County Recorders office. The pre.sent Congregation

Beth Israel had no knowledge of an architect.

Alterations

The building retains its original shape, although there

is a small wooden two story house that was attached to the

back' of the building years after it was built.

From the Anniversary Story of Congregation Beth Israel:

5

"The Jewish Welfare Building was removed from Camp Kearny,

where.it was used during WW1; to the lot adjoL~ing the Temple

on.Second Ave., and was designated a Community Center in which

all San Diego Jewish Organ:lzations carried on welfare work."

The only real alteration to the building was a balcony

that was constructed in the inside front of the temple.

From ·the Anniversary Story of Congregation Beth Israel:

"The membership drive and the inspiring leadership of Rabbi

Ernest Trattner proved such great stimuli that by April, 1921,

the Temple structure at Second Ave. and Beech Street was no

longer able to accomodate the regular Friday evening worshippers.

Thus it became necessary to build a balcony of considerable

size at a cost of $1500.00, mld a new campaign was launched

for ftmds to retire the indebtedness incurred in this project."

Features ---Immediately inside the door of the temple there is a foyer

with two small waiting rooms, one off to the right and the other

to the left. 'f.'here is a balcony upstairs in the very front of

the building and through the foyer is the main body of the

temple.or church. On the ceiling of the vestry are gothic

looking strips of panel inlay. The temple still has its

original stain glass windows.

Condition

The inside of the building is in excellent condition.

6

The outside of the building could use some painting etc., also

the wooden structure that topped the front of the temple (see

photo) is no longer there.

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CrTY OF SAN DIEGO

HORTON'S ADO. -. BLKS. 207·210

O.B.I3-P.!l22

MIDDLETOWN • -- -i-

UNMBO. LOTS .-JACI\SON MAP

SCALE I IN "'~ FT .