[2] The school is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, and is run by the Sisters of Mercy, founded by Catherine McAuley.

[citation needed] The site of the school is also the Mercy Convent, a preschool, retirement center for the nuns, as well as a conference room and retreat at the Mercy Center.

[4] The English Tudor revival mansion was built for Charles Frederick Kohl and his second wife Mary Elisabeth "Bessie" (née Godey), as their country house.

[6] The main building was exclusively a convent from 1924 to 1931, and it has been the home of Mercy High School since 1931.

[6] Hollywood used the estate when Disney filmed the movie Flubber in 1996, starring Robin Williams.