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Union Square — The checkable facts
Quick answer
Union Square in San Francisco takes its name from pro-Union rallies held here during the American Civil War, not from a labour union. The Dewey Monument at its centre was dedicated by Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. The plaza sits on the roof of a garage finished in September 1942 — the world's first multilevel underground parking structure.
| Claim | Source |
|---|---|
| The square is named for pro-Union rallies during the American Civil War, associated with Thomas Starr King | Wikipedia — Union Square, San Francisco |
| The Dewey Monument commemorates the Battle of Manila Bay, 1 May 1898, and President McKinley | Wikipedia — Dewey Monument |
| Theodore Roosevelt dedicated the monument on 14 May 1903 | Wikipedia — Dewey Monument |
| The figure of Victory was modelled on Alma de Bretteville | Wikipedia — Union Square, San Francisco |
| The underground garage was designed by Timothy Pflueger and dedicated on 12 September 1942 | OpenSFHistory, Western Neighborhoods Project — Union Square Garage: A Closer Look |
| It was the world's first multilevel underground parking garage | Wikipedia — Union Square, San Francisco |
| Wartime materials were released for its completion because it could serve as a bomb shelter or emergency hospital | OpenSFHistory, Western Neighborhoods Project — Union Square Garage: A Closer Look |
Frequently asked
Why is Union Square in San Francisco called that?
For the Union side in the American Civil War. California's loyalty was genuinely uncertain in 1861 — a young state, far from Washington, with plenty of Southern sympathisers. Thomas Starr King and others held pro-Union rallies on this block through the war, and the name stuck to the plaza afterwards.
What is the column in the middle of Union Square?
The Dewey Monument, topped by a bronze figure of Victory. It marks Admiral George Dewey's victory at Manila Bay on 1 May 1898 and also honours the recently assassinated President McKinley. Theodore Roosevelt dedicated it on 14 May 1903.
Who was the model for the statue on the Dewey Monument?
Alma de Bretteville, a Danish-American artist's model working in San Francisco at the time. She later married Adolph Spreckels, one of the wealthiest men in the city, and went on to give San Francisco the Legion of Honor museum. The figure is the one piece of the square most people photograph without knowing whose face it is.
Is there really a parking garage under Union Square?
Yes, and it came first as an idea nobody had built. The plaza was lifted and a multilevel garage put underneath, finished in September 1942 to a design by Timothy Pflueger. It was the world's first underground parking structure of its kind, and the model was copied internationally.
What should you look for standing in Union Square?
The ventilation grilles around the edges of the plaza. They are the tell that the lawn you are standing on is a roof. Wartime materials were only released to finish the garage because it could double as a bomb shelter and emergency hospital, which is why a car park got built in the middle of a war.
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