The Golden Fire Hydrant

This little fire hydrant apparently helped save the city during the big fire. You wouldn’t know so make sure to google it if you pass by. It receives a new fresh golden paint every year.

Yes it’s unique, celebrity kind of hydrant!! It’s so famous that you will need to be patient and skilled in order to find parking in first hour of your visit on weekends! But Dolores Park is such a fun place to be on weekend, beautiful view and of course a short photo shoot with the Hydrant! I loved it!

I drove by this to see something in the city I have not seen before. I know it is just a golden fire hydrant commemorating the 1906 Eathquake. I bet dogs would love this too!!

SF. California may be struggling with high rents, homelessness, a drug pandemic that overshadoes COVID & all the varients but there are so many cool and interesting historical places to visit throughout.
This little giant of a fire hydrant saved the Mission District neighborhood of SF during the 1906 earthquake. If you visit this area, do it on the weekend so you can also explore Dolores park.

I was taking a stroll around the corner of Dolores Park, bored out of my mind, when a shimmering beacon of golden goodness appeared in the front.

The golden fire hydrant in its glory. It’s only a simple hydrant, but do not underestimate its majesty.

SF history is so interesting and amazing! I loved being the tour guide when living there for 25 years.

Just one of the many amazing views in The City. Thanks for your hard work Mr. Fire Hydrant. Job well done!!!

Truly a miraculous hydrant. When the fires raged and all the water mains had busted, this little guy was shooting out water. The brave firemen were able to save the entire Mission district because of this hydrant. Yes, it is small and a bit underestimated in it's design (aside from the gold paint job) and location. But that is what makes it so perfect. Silently standing guard watching over its beloved city.

Walking down the street near Mission Dolores Park I passed this fire hydrant. There are lots of hydrants around. I scarcely noticed them, but this one is different. It's painted gold.

Later I took one of the San Francisco Walkin Tours that met here and the guide explained that in the great fire that this hydrant had helped to save the city. So five stars for a hero.

Got to see it the day before and the day of the annual painting ceremony(april 18). The hydrant itself is not overly exciting but the story and history make it fun! Plus the park right there is beautiful.

Yes. The fire hydrant that saved large swath of the city. A couple of other notes.
- For many years, it was painted gold by an unknown fan. The city would regularly repaint it in white or yellow, whatever the DPW standard was at the time. It was only until sometime in the late 60s that the city saw the enthusiasm and decided to give it up and to salute the hydrant and keep it gold. (sorta' like Pier 39 saluting the sea lions only after they wouldn't leave, but tourists flocked there to see them. So instead of trying to shoo them away to reclaim the expensive yacht berths, they made them an attraction)

- Also, I don't know if they still do it, but when I lived nearby on Guerrero, in the 80s I'd get off the J Church at that intersection, and on the quake anniversary, the immediate neighbors would set up a card table with some cheap champagne, plastic cups and some roasted almonds. After getting off the train, we'd meet the neighbors, have a bit of champagne to toast the fire hydrant, and salute SF. Sweet moments.

Painted with a gold paint each April 18, the fire hydrant above Dolores Park now stands as a testament to the fire department’s valiant efforts to save the city against almost insurmountable odds. When San Francisco burst into flames in the days following the disastrous 1906 earthquake, much of the city’s network of fire hydrants failed. Miraculously this hydrant have been the only functioning hydrant and is credited with saving the historic Mission District neighborhood from a certain fiery doom.

Good video of Dolores park and the city

The view from the top of Dolores Park is spectacular. The fire hydrant is a quirky SF style historical marker

We visited on a rainy day, so didn’t get to see her up close, but it was worth the trip. She saved half of SF and deserves her gold status.

What a special piece of history to go visit.

All tourists must go here to pay their respects. Like the little engine that could, this was the little fire hydrant that did.

Just saw it after it’s yearly paint job.

Besides the fact that it saved my house 100 years ago or so, it is painted gold. What more do you want out of a fire hydrant?

Must visit place in San Francisco. Ultimate tourist stop!