Coit Tower

Coit Tower stands as a monument to Lillie Hitchcock Coit, an eccentric San Francisco socialite who became a local legend for her fascination with the city’s early volunteer firefighters. Born into a prominent family, Lillie was known for breaking social conventions, such as smoking cigars and wearing trousers at a time when such behavior was scandalous for women. Her obsession with the fire service began when she was just fifteen years old and famously helped pull a fire engine up the steep streets of Telegraph Hill after she encountered a crew that was dangerously short-handed. Her lifelong dedication to the firefighters earned her the title of an honorary member of the Knickerbocker Engine Company Number Five, and she was often seen riding on their fire engines during parades.