The tower was closed at one point to remove the Communist hammer and sickle in one of the murals, which was originally included to depict the range of American philosophies. As with many artistic creations, the content of certain murals caused a public outcry. These fresco murals depict working-class citizens in the midst of daily life and criticize the politics and society of the time. The massive project was funded by the Public Works Project under the New Deal, designed to create positive public cultural attractions. The interior of the tower has been painted with murals by 26 different artists of the Depression era. Today, many tour guides have noted the resemblance and mistakenly passed on the popular lore as fact. and Henry Howard explained that the resemblance was not intentional the similarities between the tower and a fire nozzle were purely coincidental. The shape of Coit Tower resembles the nozzle of a fire hose, but the designers Arthur Brown Jr. Coit Tower is the more famous of the two, nestled amongst the trees on the peak of Telegraph Hill. Two memorials were built in honor of her contribution to the city: Coit Tower and the firefighter sculpture in North Beach’s Washington Square. In her will, Lillie set aside an entire third of her fortune to go toward the beautification of the city of San Francisco that she loved. From the age of 15, when the teenage Lillie witnessed a fire engine crew in need and sprang into action, Lillie was a fervent supporter of the volunteer fire engine crews of San Francisco until her death in 1929. Lillie spent her life helping volunteer San Francisco firefighters. Construction on the tower began after her death in 1929 and finished in 1933. The tower was built in her honor after she specified that one-third of her fortune go to beautifying the city she loved. Fun Facts: 9 Fun Facts about Coit Tower Historyīuilt in honor of wealthy socialite Lillie Hitchcock Coit, Coit Tower is made of unpainted, reinforced concrete. Great views are available from the viewing areas on telegraph hill at the base of the tower. NOTE: On our Jeep tours (due to time constraints) guests do not ride the elevator to the top of Coit Tower. For those seeking a bit of exercise with their vacation, choose from a variety of staircases that wind up Telegraph Hill and bring you to the base of Coit Tower. Visitors can walk to Coit Tower from a variety of nearby locations, but the trek is uphill.

Enjoy panoramic views of the San Francisco skyline from the heights of Coit Tower! At the lofty height of 210 feet (64 meters), Coit Tower offers unobstructed views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, Angel Island, the Bay Bridge, and the financial district of San Francisco.

Coit tower