Lillie Hitchcock Coit facts for kids
Lillie Hitchcock Coit (born August 23, 1843 – died July 22, 1929) was a famous person in San Francisco. She loved the city's volunteer firefighters and later left money to build the famous Coit Tower.
Her Life Story
Lillie was born in West Point, New York, in 1843. She moved to California with her parents, Charles and Martha Hitchcock. Her father was an Army doctor.
People thought Lillie was quite unique for her time. She enjoyed smoking cigars and wearing trousers, which was very unusual for women back then. She also liked to play games of chance, which were often only for men. Sometimes, she would even dress like a man to visit places in North Beach where these games were played.
Lillie's father was successful and left her a lot of money when he passed away. As a young woman, she traveled to Europe with her mother. After returning, she married Howard Coit. He worked at the San Francisco Stock Exchange. They separated in 1880, and he died a few years later in 1885. Lillie lived a long life, returning to San Francisco after a long stay in Europe. She passed away in 1929.
A Friend to Firefighters
Lillie was fascinated by firefighters from a young age. When she was just 15 years old, in 1858, she saw the Knickerbocker Engine Co. No. 5 struggling to get their equipment up Telegraph Hill to a fire. They didn't have enough people. Lillie bravely stepped in and helped them pull their engine up the hill!
After this, the firefighters saw her as their special "mascot." In 1863, she became an honorary member of their company. She would ride with them to fires and join them in parades. Lillie also cared deeply for the firefighters. If they were sick, she would visit them. When a firefighter died, she sent flowers and attended their funerals. She kept this special connection with firefighters throughout her entire life. After she passed away, her ashes were placed in a special tomb with many memorials related to firefighting.
Her Gift to San Francisco
When Lillie Coit died, she left a large part of her money to the City of San Francisco. She wanted it to be used "to add to the beauty of the city which I have always loved." The city used this generous gift to build the famous Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill.
Her money also helped create another important landmark in the city. It helped pay for a 
located in Washington Square Park. This statue honors the brave volunteer firefighters she admired so much.
Images for kids
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Lillie Coit's signature.
