Painted Ladies

San Francisco's painted ladies are a real joy to behold. While strolling along the streets you are greeted with bursts of colour and architectural whimsy.

Most of the Victorian houses were built in the late 1800s with redwood from nearby Mendocino and are either Italianate, Stick, Queen Anne or a combination of those styles that make them uniquely San Francisco. When they were originally built many were painted with bright colours, but when they fell into disrepair they were painted over with surplus Navy battleship gray paint. During both world wars cast iron trim was removed and melted down to use for shells. In the late 60s some people began painting the houses in eye-popping colours and it really caught on. Today many of the painted ladies have been lovingly restored and they are one of the many charms of San Francisco.