San Francisco Telegraph Hill
San Francisco's Telegraph Hill was named during the days of the gold rush in San Francisco when a telegraph semaphore system signaled the coming of inbound ships from the Golden Gate. As the hill is the tallest in the city, it was a natural location for the tall pole with moving arms used to signal the arrival of ships. A flag was also raised to signal the nationality of the arriving ship. After only four years, the pole was replaced by an electrical telegraph system in 1853. However, the hill remained the location of one of the main telegraph stations.
Today the hill features Coit Tower and a statue of Christopher Columbus and offers sweeping views of San Francisco and the San Francisco Bay, including great views of downtown and the Transamerica Pyramid. The crest of the hill is accessible by a single road that winds around the hill. Drive to the end of Lombard Street (at Kearny) then follow the road around to the right. As you may imagine, parking is tight at the top of the hill and cars are often lined up waiting for the next available parking spot. You can also reach the hill via the 39 bus, which you can catch on Beach Street near Fisherman's Wharf.
Exploring the Stairways of Telegraph Hill
If you are up for a little exploring (and don't mind a little exertion), you may enjoy exploring some of the stairways that climb the hill. The stairways are often beautifully landscaped with lush greenery. The contrast between the greenery, the grey rocky cliffs and the colorful homes makes the stairways of Telegraph Hill some of my favorites. Start by descending the stairway to the East of Coit Tower. Explore Montgomery Street looking for three more stairways on which you can continue your descent. As you make your way through the lush trees, keep an eye out for the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill. The current flock of parrots originated in the 1970s and were described in Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City. Purchase from Amazon.com: Tales of the City (Tales of the City Series, V. 1)
At Montomery and Greenwich, find an Art Deco apartment building with decor that includes two bassreliefs. One features the San Francisco Bay Bridge, Coit Tower and a man rising out of the mountains and holding the world. The other, on the other side of the entryway, features an explorer with a telescope (perhaps Christopher Columbus).
At 1541 Montgomery, you'll find the Julius' Castle Restaurant perched on the side of Telegraph Hill. The castle, which opened in 1922, is an official San Francisco Historic Landmark. You can make reservations for evening dinners where the main course is sweeping bay views.
