John Muir School
CITY OF BERKELEY LANDMARK
designated in 98
JOHN MUIR SCHOOL
James W. Plachek, Architect, 1915, 1919
Collins-Byrens & Gerson-Overstreet, 1976
Baker/Vilar Architects, 1998
John Muir School was built beside Harwood Creek on land once part of a 19th-century
country estate. The half-timbered style reflects the scale and architecture of the neighborhood
and the nearby Claremont Hotel. A remodeling project undertaken in 1976, in part for
earthquake safety, rebuilt the interior but the exterior was preserved with the help of
strong community support. The auditorium, preserved in its original condition, expresses
the Craftsman ideal of using handcrafted materials in harmony with nature. Murals
painted on burlap in 1924 by John Muir School parent Ray Coyle and his assistant
Homer Ansley now hang in the reconstructed library. A two-classroom addition
was integrated into the design in 1998. The school is named for American
naturalist John Muir (1838-1914).
Berkeley Historical Plaque Project
2000