California Historical Society

The building you are approaching at 678 Mission Street was constructed in 1922 to serve as the Builders Exchange Building. For many years, it housed an E.M. Hundley hardware store, a practical origin that contrasts with its later role as the headquarters for the California Historical Society. You might notice the exterior is painted a striking shade of international orange, the very same color used for the Golden Gate Bridge, a vibrant tribute added during the bridge's seventy-fifth anniversary celebrations. Beyond its function as a museum and research library, the structure also held a role in modern political history, as it once served as the site for Nancy Pelosi's first campaign for Congress.