Painted Ladies

Steiner St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA

Address:	Steiner St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA
Phone:	+1 415-218-0259
Site:	sfrecpark.org
Rating:	4.1

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 6

P Kusserow

Must Seen ! Painted ladies is a term in American architecture used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural details. The term was first used for San Francisco Victorian houses by writers Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larsen in their 1978 book Painted Ladies - San Franciscos Resplendent Victorians. Since then the term has also been used to describe groups of colorful Victorian houses in other American cities. About 48,000 houses in the Victorian and Edwardian styles were built in San Francisco between 1849 and 1915 (with the change from Victorian to Edwardian occurring on the death of Queen Victoria in 1901), and many were painted in bright colors. As one newspaper critic noted in 1885, "...red, yellow, chocolate, orange, everything that is loud is in fashion...if the upper stories are not of red or blue... they are painted up into uncouth panels of yellow and brown..." While many of the mansions of Nob Hill were destroyed by the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, thousands of the mass-produced, more modest houses survived in the western and southern neighborhoods of the city. During World War I and World War II, many of these houses were painted battleship gray with war-surplus Navy paint. Another sixteen thousand were demolished, and many others had the Victorian decor stripped off or covered with tarpaper, brick, stucco, or aluminum siding. In 1963, San Francisco artist Butch Kardum began combining intense blues and greens on the exterior of his Italianate-style Victorian House. His house was criticized by some, but other neighbors began to copy the bright colors on their own houses. Kardum became a color designer, and he and other artists / colorists such as Tony Cataletich, Bob Buckner, and Jazon Wonders began to transform dozens of gray houses into Painted Ladies. By the 1970s, the colorist movement, as it was called, had changed entire streets and neighborhoods. This process continues to this day. One of the best-known groups of "Painted Ladies" is the row of Victorian houses at 710–720 Steiner Street, across from Alamo Square park, in San Francisco (here shown on the picture). It is sometimes known as "Postcard Row." The houses were built between 1892 and 1896 by developer Matthew Kavanaugh, who lived next door in the 1892 mansion at 722 Steiner Street. This block appears very frequently in media and mass-market photographs of the city and its tourist attractions and have appeared in an estimated 70 movies, TV programs, and ads, including in the opening credits of the television series Full House. In 2010, 722 Steiner St. was put up for sale, at the asking price of $3,999,999. It is located on the corner of Steiner and Grove. It was the first time in thirty five years that 722 Steiner St. had been for sale. It has been called the oldest, largest, and most detailed of the seven sisters. In December 1993, 710 Steiner St. sold for $575,000. 712 Steiner St. sold for $920,000 on Nov. 4, 1998 and again for 1,250,000 on Nov. 15,2001. 718 Steiner St. sold for $55,000 in 1974. 720 Steiner St. was sold on Aug.16, 1996 for $650,000 and again on Aug. 24, 2001 for 1,210,000. 722 Steiner St. sold for $65,000 in Feb. 1976. Source: Wikipedia

Milton Lau

I have to confess that at least two of the ladies could use some fresh make up, or a new coat of paint - as it is they seem rather drab and solemn. When not overcast, its quite lovely and serene, aside of the occasional noise pollution of city noises and the riffraff cruising around blasting hiphop/rap (hate "music"). The new landscaping is almost finished, but the new grass is making the dogs run for joy. Yet there are still bad dog owners defiling the park by not picking up after their animals, and letting the big dogs loose without a leash. Otherwise it is still a beautiful park, with a new childrens play area and a brand new non gender handicap access restroom next to it. Lastly, due to the chill breezes, it is way too cold to camp here, a natural deterrent for most homeless transients. Yet the police and park rangers need to be vigilant because those with a tent, will try to camp out after hours, leaving beer bottles and needles, as well as pooping. Human solid waste is much more smelly & biohazardous than doggie poos, which is not good for the neighborhoods children. Like in the Tenderloin neighborhood.

Glacius Returns

Well the problem is that tourist assume its hippy world and litter everywhere. Thinking "oh its San Francisco I will just leave this bottle of oj here, even though I only took a sip." Then the locals really are hippies and they all think " well theres a bottle of juice here, maybe I should throw it away? No someone can use it Ill leavevit there." Then D.P.W thinks "well is it our responsibility to throw away the juice it has rights to be here right? Leave the bottle of juice alone they dont pay us enough for that #!$@!!!!" Recreation & Park is thinking " well we can get rid of the o.j but we demand over time there are alot of parks in this city you cant expect us to pick up every gosh darn strangly almost full bottles of juice" Reader your thinking is he still talking about o.j? Message leave people alone mind your own business be humble quiet self preservation the ones close to you the ones that love you love them back. The ones that cross you forgive them dont give them the control of your life by affecting your emotions and moral stranding

Idfi Pancani

Well, I know that Painted ladies on Steiner St is probably one of the most featured, most popular and dearest landmarks of SF. But, to me, its just 7 houses painted in different colours. But however if we visit SF, again, our visit wouldnt be complete if you do not visit these seven victorian houses. But, once is enough.And try to dig some historical backround and fun facts about it prior to your visit. 15 minutes is just enough to enjoy and photograph painted ladies unless you wanna do picnic on Alamo Square which is right in front of the houses. A public toilet is located in the square. But its not that clean. If you travel with kids, and your kids are not into the houses, just take them to the play ground at Alamo Square. For tourists who come with big tourist buses, normally bus will drop you off & pick you up at the intersection of Fell St & Pierce St. Then, you have to walk up to the right at Pierce St towards The Alamo Square. Once, you reach Alamo Square, voila, youll find Painted ladies on you right at Steiner St.

Sweety B

After visiting almost every place in SF, we decided to take a look at painted ladies. We chose a pleasant February day to visit this place and few others in the neighborhood. We decided to take Bart from Millbrae till the SF city and we walked till Painted ladies. The walk was approximately 3.5 miles and we had to cross some shady areas to reach there. Once we reached there we could spot more tourists and locals taking photos and enjoying some quiet time in the garden near this place. As of Feb, 2017 some construction work is going on in the garden. But you can sit and enjoy the beauty. The neighborhood is filled with people and you can get buses to go different places. There are 5-6 homes that are a part of painted ladies and all in together look beautiful. If I have out of state tourists then will surely take them here. A fun quiet spot to visit on a pleasant day.

Regina C

Visitei a cidade de San Francisco em fevereiro de 2017. Passei no painted ladies para ver as famosas casas. Impossível não lembrar do seriado full house ao ver essas casas. Quando eu fui à praça em frente às casas estava em reforma, por isso não consegui ter uma vista ideal, mas mesmo assim valeu a pena. Vale a pena dar uma passadinha rápida quando visitar a cidade para tirar umas fotos, pois as casas são uma graça.