COIT TOWER

210 feet high, Coit Tower sits atop Telegraph Hill, a quiet residential neighborhood of gardens and private cottages, and home to San Francisco's feral parrot population.

A LITTLE HISTORY

Telegraph Hill received its name in 1849 when a semaphore was erected for the purpose of signaling The City about approaching ships. When merchants and financiers knew the nature of the approaching ship & its cargo, they could take financial advantage of that information.

Coit Tower, was commissioned by Lillie Hitchcock Coit to beautify The City. Its art deco design is said to resemble the nozzle of a firehose. Apparently, that was not the intention of Lillie or the designers, although Lillie was a great admirer of San Francisco's firefighters - particularly after the 1906 earthquake.

Inside this San Francisco attraction, the tower walls are decorated with intricate murals commissioned by the Public Works Art Project during the Great Depression.

The murals were inspired by Diego Rivera and depict Depression-era topics and socialistic political views. The figures are strong & the subjects will transport you back to the United States of the 1930s - a history lesson pictorial!

THINGS TO DO ON TELEGRAPH HILL

• Enjoy the amazing views
• Peruse the murals in the main lobby and visit the gift shop
• Take a City Guide tour to see the murals that aren't open to the general public - City Guide Tours are free and they are amazing!
• Climb the stairs (or take the elevator) to the top observation deck for more amazing views
• Enjoy a leisurely stroll down the Filbert Street steps to Montgomery Street below, strolling through the exquisite gardens and little cottages along the way - and don't forget to look up as you may catch a glimpse of the feral parrots!

The parrots are decendants of Red-masked Parakeets from Peru and Ecuador that most likely escaped their cages or were released by owners who didn't want them anymore. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill have established a breeding colony in the area!

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