The “Painted Ladies” of San Francisco sounds quite scandalous, but is actually a nickname for the city’s Victorian and Edwardian mansions with their genteel pastel hues and feminine façades, lacy wooden mantles and perfectly pitched roofs.
One of the most photographed vistas is from Alamo Square on the corner of Hays and Steiner where you get a background of the modern city that contrasts with these lovely ladies. 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. The definition of a painted lady is a Victorian with three or more paint colours. So, even though the seven on Steiner Street are the most famous — there are several other painted ladies in the neighbourhood to enjoy.
Explore the streets, parks and vistas around Scott Street, McAllister, Haight Street, Steiner and Pierce that tell the story of a Victorian era and discover more beautiful mansions, but be warned, it is very hilly around here so it can be quite a strenuous walk. Alamo square is a great place to sit and rest and admire the view after your walk around the neighbourhood.
I walked about 10 blocks from the Misión San Francisco de Asís on 16th Street which is some distance away, through Duboce Park. You can of course take public transport to Alamo Square, but then you’d miss an awful lot of this wonderful architecture. And don’t forget to look up!
This monthly challenge is hosted by Dawn from ‘The Day After’ who invites participants to post pictures of any windows that they find curious, inviting, photogenic, or in some way tell a story. Visit her blog to see more windows and/or to join in with the challenge.
TRAVEL WORDS 
Eye candy!
Indeed 🙂
Very photogenic, Jude!
After my somewhat nervous photo shoot of the murals around Clarion Alley I was relieved to get out onto these streets with the most wonderful architecture. A little Disney-like in some instances, but so different to what we know of Victorian houses.
Clarion Alley?
Street art, but the area is somewhat unsavoury.
OK….’nuff said
Marvellous!
Shame about the unsightly tagging though 😦
Very true – it’s everywhere you go, it seems
A nice selection of classic American painted houses Jude. They were lucky to survive the 1906 earthquake.
Regards as always, Pete. x
Yes, I believe this area was not affected by the earthquake. Lucky eh!
Gorgeous, stunning and now I’m very homesick for California… love SF in all it’s glory 🙂
Aw, sorry to make you homesick. I miss my California trips too 😦
It’s nice to reminisce together though isn’t it? Have a lovely weekend Jude, see you next week 🙂 xx
Love those Painted Ladies, Jude. Did you find any benches to rest on? 🙂
I don’t think I did Sylvia. Maybe they don’t have many benches in the city.
Wonderful to see these lovelies again!
I remember you mentioning them on your SF post. They are gorgeous!
Your third pic made me think of Mrs Doubtfire…
Apparently the house in the film was at 2640 Steiner Street and other locations in SF. Very similar to that third photo, but with two turrets.
Such a wonderful city to visit if one can hike those hills! I’ve been there many times for business and pleasure, falling in love again each time. Great photo tour of the Painted Ladies!
Oh yes, those hills! Thank goodness for the Muni buses, trams and cablecars 🙂
Now those are gorgeous houses, especially the round bayed one, but Postcard row looks bizarre to me!
It’s quite a foreshortened image – the modern city buildings are much further away than they appear. My favourite is the blue one in the first gallery as it is right next to a park 🙂
Great name. I didn’t know they were called that.
The old British Pathe clippings that have just been released on YouTube include footage of the San Francisco earthquake.