One Telegraph Hill
(at the top of Telegraph Hill)
(415) 362-0808
Built in 1933 to honor the city's volunteer firefighters,
picturesque Coit Tower stands 210 feet tall above Telegraph
Hill. This Gold Rush souvenir was named after Lillie Hitchcock
Coit, an heiress who liked to dress in men's clothing to better
gain access to the more interesting corners of the city.
Legend has it that during the early days of the Gold Rush,
Lillie deserted her own wedding and chased down the street after
her favorite fire engine, Knickerbocker No. 5, in her bridal
gown and veil. She left the city $125,000 when died in 1929 at
the age of 86, to "expend in an appropriate manner … to
the beauty of San Francisco."
The walls inside the lobby are covered in 19 Depression-era
murals in the style of Diego Rivera, commissioned by the U.S.
government as a part of its Public Works of Art project. The 25
painters, some of whom were fresh from art school while others
were out-of-work professional fine artists, were paid $38 a week
to create the murals.
Ride the elevator to the top of the tower to enjoy
breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge and
Alcatraz island. The slightly larger, wilder island to the east
of Alcatraz is beautiful Angel Island, a hikers' paradise with
amazing views of the city.
You can often find artists at work at Pioneer Park, at the
foot of the tower, where you can pick up a small painting of the
bay below at a reasonable price.
City Guides, run by the San Francisco Public Library
(415-557-4266), leads free tours every Saturday at 11 a.m.,
including the second-floor murals that are normally closed to
the public.
One of the best ways to reach Coit Tower is via two
old-fashioned stairways — an exertion, but worth the effort.
The rustic wooden Filbert Steps wind through hillside gardens,
and the concrete Greenwich Stairs give plenty of chances to take
a break and enjoy the view of San Francisco — many visitors
walk up the Filbert Steps and down the Greenwich Stairs.
Film noir buffs will want to take a look at the fantastic Art
Deco building and the unending stairs featured in the Humphrey
Bogart and Lauren Bacall 1947 classic "Dark Passage"
at 1360 Montgomery St., near the base of the Filbert steps.
Hours:
Open daily
Oct.-Mar.:10 a.m.- 6 p.m.
April-Sept.: 10 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Admission/fees:
Adult: $3.75
Children: $1.50
Seniors: $2.50
