Pioneer Park

The Pioneer Park is located on top of Telegraph Hill. It officially became a park in 1876 as part of the United States Centennial celebration. The park is just under five acres in size and is a popular destination for residents and visitors of San Francisco. In the years before it officially became a park, the area was the site of the Marine Telegraph Station. The major feature of the park is the Coit Tower. This tower was built in 1933 with money donated by Lillie Hitchcock Coit. The tower offers great panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay when you climb to the top of the viewing platform. The tower was part of the beautification of San Francisco project and is designed to look like a firefighter's hose. It is 210-feet tall and resembles the art deco style of many of the area buildings and homes. The exterior is unpainted, but there are 26 different murals adorning the interior walls of the tower, each painted by a different artist. The park is inhabited by flocks of wild parrots and when visiting both the tower and park, you can hear them calling. The park also features a bronze statue of Christopher Columbus, donated by San Francisco's Italian-American community.