How a row of “Painted Ladies” became San Francisco ambassadors

On the edge of Alamo Square Park in San Francisco, a row of ornate Victorian houses known as the “Painted Ladies” cling to the sloped hill of Steiner Street. 

They draw tour groups and visitors from around the world who want to snap pictures of the pastel homes against a backdrop of modern skyscrapers. 

“The row of Painted Ladies, to me, represents what San Francisco’s ideal is,” said Woody LaBounty, president and CEO of San Francisco Heritage, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving San Francisco’s architectural and cultural identity. “It’s a place that loves and cherishes the past and is always looking to the future.”

In the mid-1800s, when San Francisco was transformed by the Gold Rush, most houses were simply built.

“As the city gets more wealthy and has a larger middle class wanting to show off its wealth, then you start getting these imported Victorian styles,” LaBounty said. “It really reaches a height with what’s called the Queen Anne style.”

Though many of those homes were destroyed by the 1906 earthquake, the row of houses on Steiner Street survived. 

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Painted Ladies have appeared in an estimated 70 movies, advertisements and TV shows, including the opening montage of “Full House.” 

“They’re actually great ambassadors for what we have here,” LaBounty said. 

Click the audio player above to hear more about how the Painted Ladies intersect with San Francisco’s economic history.

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