Coit Tower is one of San Francisco’s most unique landmarks — a 210-foot-tall slender white concrete column rising from the top of the Telegraph Hill neighborhood of San Francisco. Providing sweeping views of the region from a 360-degree observation deck, the Art Deco tower is also notable for the historic art it showcases and its strong ties to the local fire service. Coit Tower was designated a National Historic Site in 2008.
Here’s a quick primer on the history of the tower, plus some factoids that make this landmark so unique.
Where is Coit Tower located?
Coit Tower is located in the northeast corner of San Francisco, specifically Pioneer Park in the Telegraph Hill neighborhood.
How tall is Coit Tower?
Coit Tower is 210 feet tall. It is situated on a hill that is close to 300 feet above sea level, so the views from the observation deck (located at around 180 feet high inside the tower) provide visitors with a view of the region from approximately 480 feet above sea level.
Why was Coit Tower built?
The tower’s construction is directly linked to a wealthy San Francisco resident named Lillie Hitchcock. Hitchcock died in 1929 and left one-third of her estate (approximately $118,000 at the time; approximately $2.5 million today) to the City of San Francisco. Her will stated that the money should be used “for the purpose of adding to the beauty of the city which I have always loved.” At the time, the city wanted a lasting, visible landmark on Telegraph Hill — an area that had incredible views but was undeveloped.
How was Lillie Hitchcock connected to the San Francisco firefighting community?
Hitchcock was born in 1843 and had moved with her family to San Francisco by the time she was 8 years old. During her youth, the city relied on volunteer fire companies to battle frequent, devastating fires.
An incident that occurred in 1858 (when Lillie was 15) permanently bonded her with the local firefighters. She was walking on Telegraph Hill and noticed that Knickerbocker Engine Co. No. 5 was struggling to haul their hand-drawn hose cart uphill to a blaze. Without hesitation, she dropped her books, grabbed hold of the rope, and urged on bystanders to help pull. The engine made it to the fire in time, and Lillie earned the lifelong admiration of the firefighters. As a result, she was made an honorary member of Knickerbocker Engine Co. No. 5 — the only woman ever to have been given this honor. She became known as “Firebelle Lil” and would ride along on fire runs with the Co. No. 5.
In 1863, Hitchcock married Howard Coit, a wealthy caller at the San Francisco Stock Exchange and remained socially prominent. She was a gambling, cigar-smoking outlier who often defied the rigid gender roles of her day. She stayed close with the local firefighting community for her entire life.
Besides the Coit Tower, Hitchcock’s donated estate money also funded the Firefighters’ Memorial in Washington Square Park, which shows three firefighters, one holding a woman and child.
What are the views like from Coit Tower?
The tower provides panoramic views of San Francisco that showcase Lombard Street, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Twin Peaks, Aquatic Park, Pier 39, the Financial District and the Ferry Building. The San Francisco Bay can be seen clearly as well. This opens up sightlines to Angel Island, Alcatraz, Treasure Island, and the Golden Gate and Bay bridges.
Is Coit Tower designed to resemble a hose nozzle?
Due to Hitchcock’s connections with the fire service, there has been speculation that Coit Tower was built to resemble a hose nozzle. From a distance, the tower’s tall cylindrical shaft, tapering crown and flared top ring do resemble the profile of an old brass nozzle attached to a fire hose; however, the tower’s design was purely architectural and was not intended be likened to a nozzle.
What type of art is displayed inside Coit Tower?
The walls of the ground floor inside Coit Tower are covered with one of the most significant collections of Depression-era art in the United States. These Coit Tower murals were created using a technique, fresco, in which dry pigment is applied directly onto wet or dry plaster so the colors will bond with the surface of the wall. The murals were commissioned under the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) — a New Deal program focused on employing artists during the Great Depression — and painted in 1934. The murals include images depicting fruit picking, construction, city markets and street scenes that emphasize working people, class and industry in 1930s California. Several murals contained leftist imagery (such as workers on strike) and were briefly covered or censored before the tower opened due to fears of communist propaganda. Today, they are preserved as an authentic record of 1930s political art.
What movies and other pop culture are connected to Coit Tower?
Numerous TV series such as Monk, Charmed and Full House use the tower as a skyline landmark to establish San Francisco as the region where the programs are set. It is also the target of an interesting dis courtesy of James Stewart’s Scottie Ferguson while he is speaking with Madeleine Elster in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 classic, Vertigo:
Madeleine: Oh, I couldn’t mail it. I didn’t know your address, but I had a landmark. I remembered Coit Tower. It led me straight to you.
Scottie: That’s the first time I’ve been grateful for Coit Tower.
What significant events are connected to Coit Tower?
Perhaps the most interesting factoid here is that the tower was closed to the public for periods of time and used as a military observation post during World War II. This was due to its vantage point over San Francisco Bay.
