Russian Hill, San Francisco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Russian Hill
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Russian Hill seen from the southeast
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 Russian Hill
Location in San Francisco
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| City and county | San Francisco |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.397 sq mi (1.03 km2) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 13,146 |
| • Density | 33,110/sq mi (12,785/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
94109, 94133
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| Area codes | 415/628 |
Russian Hill is a famous neighborhood in San Francisco, California. It gets its name from one of San Francisco's 44 hills. It was also one of the city's original "Seven Hills."
Contents
Exploring Russian Hill's Location
Russian Hill is located just north of Nob Hill. It sits uphill from Fisherman's Wharf and west of the North Beach area. To its west, you'll find parts of Cow Hollow and the Marina District.
At the bottom of the hill to the north is Ghirardelli Square. This spot is right on the San Francisco Bay waterfront. Nearby are Aquatic Park and Fisherman's Wharf, which is a very popular place for tourists. If you go down the famous winding Lombard Street and cross Columbus Avenue to the east, you'll reach the North Beach neighborhood. To the west, past Van Ness Avenue, are the Cow Hollow and Marina districts.
The History of Russian Hill
The name "Russian Hill" comes from the California Gold Rush days. During that time, settlers found a small Russian cemetery at the very top of the hill. Russian ships often visited San Francisco in the 1800s. Records show that some crew members were buried in this cemetery. Even though the cemetery was later moved, the name "Russian Hill" stayed.
In the 1850s, three men worked together to build houses on Russian Hill. These houses were on what is now called the Vallejo Street Crest. The Atkinson House, built in 1853, is one of the oldest houses still standing in San Francisco. It might also be one of the first examples of Italianate-style architecture in the city.
The unique zigzag design of Lombard Street was first suggested in 1922. It was built to make the hill less steep. The original slope was too sharp for most cars to drive up easily.
Attractions and Views on Russian Hill
Steep Streets and Amazing Views
Because Russian Hill is so steep, some streets are actually staircases! For example, parts of Vallejo and Green streets are made of stairs. From the top of the hill, you can see amazing views in many directions. You can see the Bay Bridge, Marin County, the Golden Gate Bridge, and even Alcatraz.
The Macondray Lane District is known for its old buildings in a hilly, tree-filled area. It features Macondray Lane, which is a path just for people walking. The Paris Block Architectural District is a neighborhood famous for its unique buildings, like the Feusier Octagon House.
The Vallejo Street Crest Historic District is on the southeast side of the hill. It's known for its history and architecture. A small park at the top of Vallejo Street has a plaque from the Russian Government. This plaque remembers the old Russian cemetery that used to be there. Another park on Vallejo Street is named after the writer Ina Coolbrith.
Russian Hill was home to the former San Francisco Art Institute. The Academy of Art University also has buildings here. They use them for art studios and photography classes.
Lombard Street: The Crookedest Street
The neighborhood is most famous for Lombard Street. There's a one-way section on Russian Hill between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets. This part of the road has eight sharp turns, like zigzags. Because of these turns, it's known as "the crookedest street in the world." Many tourists visit this street, so it can get very busy. Tourists also enjoy riding the cable car line along Hyde Street, where there are many restaurants and shops.
Parks and Recreation
The Alice Marble Tennis Courts are four tennis courts located at Lombard and Hyde Streets. From these courts, you can see the bay and North Beach. On windy days, it can be hard to play tennis here. There's also a basketball court next to the tennis courts. The San Francisco Cable Cars on the Powell-Hyde line stop nearby.
Education
Russian Hill is part of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). Students in this area attend Jean Parker Elementary School. The original school building was built in 1911 and rebuilt in 1996.
Famous People from Russian Hill
Many interesting people have lived in Russian Hill, including:
- Brian Boitano, a famous American figure skater.
- Ina Coolbrith, a well-known writer and librarian.
- Milton Friedman, an economist who won a Nobel Prize.
- Jack Kerouac, a famous writer.
- Dorothea Lange, a very important photographer.
- Gavin Newsom, who used to be the Mayor of San Francisco and is now the Governor of California.
- Willis Polk, a notable architect.
- Rose Wilder Lane, a writer and the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Russian Hill in Stories and Movies
Russian Hill has appeared in many books and films:
- The TV series Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin was based on life in this neighborhood in the 1970s.
- Parts of the famous car chase in the 1968 movie Bullitt, starring Steve McQueen, were filmed on Russian Hill.
- The cast of The Real World: San Francisco lived in a house on 949 Lombard Street in Russian Hill in 1994.
- In Anne Rice's book The Wolf Gift, the main character, Reuben Golding, grew up here.
- John "Scottie" Ferguson, a character played by James Stewart in Alfred Hitchcock's film Vertigo (1958), lives at 900 Lombard Street.
- Admiral James T. Kirk's apartment in the films Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock was shown to be in the Russian Hill area.
- In the video game Blur, one of the racing courses is named after and looks like Russian Hill.
- A funny version of Russian Hill called 'Soviet Hill' appears in the 1997 video game Grand Theft Auto.
See also
In Spanish: Russian Hill (San Francisco) para niños
