Telegraph Hill

Telegraph Hill is perhaps the most famous and beloved hill in a city famous for its hills. San Francisco has at least 42 (the exact number is a matter of theological disputation), Early San Franciscans claimed only seven, like ancient Rome—and Telegraph Hill was first on the list.

San Francisco's Strategic Sentinel

Just 285 feet in elevation, Telegraph Hill is not the highest hill in the city by a long shot. But has always played a central role in San Francisco’s history because of its location. The closest hill to the city’s original waterfront, Yerba Buena Cove, which was centered around Montgomery and Washington. It is the only hill from which you can see both the Golden Gate and the historic business district, now Portsmouth Square.

Observers could see ships entering the Golden Gate then communicate their arrival to the merchants. This information was vital during the Gold Rush, when commodity trading was rampant as no one knew what goods would arrive or when.

Of Semaphores and Signals

In 1849, a wooden semaphore was erected on the summit, whose arms could be arranged to signal the identity of arriving ships to downtown businesses. This semaphore was called the Marine Telegraph, and the hill became known as Telegraph Hill.

The old wooden semaphore was responsible for one of the great jokes in the city’s history. During a performance of a play, an actor appeared on stage with his arms outstretched, declaiming, “What does this mean, my lord?” A wag in the audience shouted out, “Side-wheel steamer!” bringing down the house.

For much of its history, Telegraph Hill was a working-class and ethnically diverse neighborhood, with a pronounced Bohemian streak. A longshoreman who lived on Alta Street could recognize the different ships arriving through the Golden Gate by the sound of their horns and knew when he had to descend the steps to the Embarcadero to go to work. In the 1930s the hill began to become more middle-class.

Today Telegraph Hill is one of the most sought-after, and expensive, neighborhoods in the city.

The hill still has a large number of artists and writers living on it, drawn by its spectacular views, narrow, European- style streets and alleys, steep wooden steps, rich history and unique atmosphere. Today Telegraph Hill is one of the most sought-after, and expensive, neighborhoods in the city.