The Inside Scoop by our Local Expert
Coit Tower, located on Telegraph Hill in eastern San Francisco's Pioneer Park, affords visitors with a breathtaking 360-degree view of the city, especially if they take the elevator to the top. This concrete art deco structure, constructed in 1933, is a monument to the city's firefighters. The tower resembles the nozzle of a fire hose, although contrary to urban legend, it appears that this was not intentional. It is named for eccentric San Franciscan Lillie Hitchcock Coit (1842-1929), an ardent supporter of firefighters and an honorary firefighter herself, who bequeathed the money used to build it. In addition to the view, Coit Tower houses murals dedicated to the history and culture of San Francisco by 26 different artists. These murals were painted during the Great Depression under the auspices of the Public Works of Art Project, and are decidedly populist in nature, with many celebrating the everyday lives of ordinary San Franciscans.