San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Telegraph Hill continues to inspire and awe
Home to landmarks, history, parrots and plenty of homes, Telegraph Hill remains on of San Francisco’s destination neighborhoods. Telegraph Hill, along with Russian Hill, Twin Peaks, Rincon Hill, Nob Hill, Mount Davidson and Lone Mountain or Mount Sutro, is one of the Seven Hills of San Francisco. It’s also one of the 44 hills in the city.
It’s located in the northeastern corner of the city and enjoys views of San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge and downtown.
Telegraph Hill is bordered by San Francisco Bay, Sacramento, Taylor and Bay streets. The neighborhood includes the landmark Coit Tower, which was built in 1933. The 210-foot tower in Pioneer Park was part of Lillie Hitchcock Coit’s financial efforts to beautify San Francisco.
Made of reinforced concrete, the Art Deco tower includes fresco murals painted by 25 different artists. Coit Tower is dedicated to volunteer firefighters who have died in the city’s five major fires. It became a San Francisco Designated Landmark in 1984 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. A statue of Christopher Columbus that stood outside the entrance to Coit Tower since 1957 was removed in June of 2020.
Primarily a residential
neighborhood, Telegraph Hill enjoys quieter streets than neighboring North Beach. Telegraph Hill also is known for its gardens on Filbert Street and in Levi’s Plaza.
Along with about 8,200 residents, a flock of feral parrots also calls Telegraph Hill home. The flock, mostly redmasked parakeets, originated from escaped or released pets. The parrots were the subject of a book and documentary titled “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.”
An ordinance passed in June 2007 forbids the feeding of parrots in public spaces.
Originally known by the Spaniards as “Loma Alta,” Telegraph Hill earned its moniker from the semaphore, a windmill-like structure built in 1849 to signal to the city the nature of ships passing the Golden Gate. Perched atop a home, the semaphore had operable arms that corresponded to different classification of vessels.
Those looking to get their cardio in can take on the Filbert Steps. These steep, narrow steps belong to a pair of hidden staircases connecting the Embarcadero to Coit Tower. The steps date back to the early 20th Century and wind through landscaped yards.
There’s roughly a dozen listings in Telegraph Hill on Trulia.com right now. The most expensive, 288 Union St., is a three-unit property with a separate Accessory Dwelling Unit. It features open floor plans and panoramic views of San Francisco Bay. It’s priced at $5.615 million.