Question:
What happened to the University College of San Francisco? In 1859, the Reverend George Burrowes founded University College in San Francisco. Confusingly, it was also known as City College.
Short Answer:
The Rev George Burrowes is credited with being one of the founders of the San Francisco (Presbyterian) Theological Seminary(SFTS) or City College or Presbyterian City College or evidently University College.
I found the SFTS association through his grave stone given below and then was able to corroborate that the SFTS originally used the names City College or Presbyterian City College.
That's ultimately your answer.
In 1890 the City College of San Francisco moved to a 14-acre hilltop site in San Anselmo, and changed it's name to the San Francisco Theological Seminary(SFTS) where it remains to this day.
San Francisco Theological Seminary
105 Seminary Road
San Anselmo, CA 94960
415-451-2800
Details:
I started by looking for Reverend George Burrowes grave site to see what it would tell me and found this.
George Burrowes, D.D. Apr 3, 1811 - Apr 19 1894 (aged 83)
A third name ever to be held in remembrance as that as one of the founders of the San Francisco Theological Seminary is the name of Rev. Dr. George Burrowes. He began his services as Professor of the Hebrew Language and Literature with the first term of the Seminary, and for almost a quarter of a century he continued his remarkable expositions of Scripture and in the manifestation of a beautiful Christian life.
Then I searched for San Francisco Theological Seminary and found this
In 1871, SFTS (San Francisco Theological Seminary.) began with four professors and four students meeting for instruction at the Presbyterian City College located in what now is Union Square. Six years later, the seminary moved to its own building next to the City College building on Haight Street.
I originally thought that was the answer but upon reviewing my answer, I thought the above quote could be interpreted that the SFTS originally used City college facilities but were not the same organizations.
Then I searched for Presbyterian City College San Fransisco
That turned out to be a bit of a rabbit hole and still ambiguous. As I couldn't definitively equate the City College with the SFTS.
So then I spent an hour researching James Lick who's foundation opened up the Lick Old Lady's Home mentioned in the original question.. wanted to figure out if he was a Presbyterian, and any information there... While very interesting that was a rabbit hole too.
James Lick (August 25, 1796 – October 1, 1876) was an American carpenter, piano builder, land baron, and patron of the sciences. At the time of his death, he was the wealthiest man in California, and left the majority of his estate to social and scientific causes.
Then I started researching the history of the SFTS and found a quote which equates the SFTS with the Presbyterian City College.
San Francisco Theological Seminary The Seminary was founded in 1871 in San Francisco as Presbyterian City College.
In 1890 the SFTS moved to a 14-acre hilltop site in San Anselmo, where it remains to this day.