Telegraph Hill

Why go

Telegraph Hill is defined by the street pattern and public spaces of Telegraph Hill. Another layer comes from architecture and daily movement across Telegraph Hill. Plan Telegraph Hill by remembering to set a compact boundary around Telegraph Hill before walking. After Telegraph Hill, choose a district beside Telegraph Hill; this keeps Telegraph Hill geographically coherent and avoids forcing Telegraph Hill into an unrelated crossing.

What to look for

• Look closely at the street pattern and public spaces of Telegraph Hill.
• Notice architecture and daily movement across Telegraph Hill.

The full story

The neighborhood is bounded by Vallejo Street to the south, Sansome Street to the east, Francisco Street to the north and Powell Street and Columbus Avenue to the west, where the southwestern corner of Telegraph Hill overlaps with the North Beach neighborhood. Originally named Loma Alta ("High Hill") by the Spaniards, the hill was then familiarly known as Goat Hill by the early San Franciscans, and became the neighborhood of choice for many Irish immigrants. From 1825 through 1847, the area between Sansome and Battery, Broadway and Vallejo streets was used as a burial ground for foreign non-Catholic seamen. The pole-and-arm signals on the Telegraph Hill semaphore became so well known to townspeople that, according to one story, during a play in a San Francisco theater, an actor held his arms aloft and cried, "Oh God, what does this mean?," prompting a rogue in the gallery to shout, "Sidewheel steamer!," which brought down the house.

Useful to know

• For Telegraph Hill, set a compact boundary around Telegraph Hill before walking.
• Pair Telegraph Hill with a district beside Telegraph Hill when the route and opening conditions align.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.