Alamo Square in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Westerfield House

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 16, 2014

1. Westerfield House Marker

Inscription. has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
circa 1882

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1882.

Location. 37° 46.634′ N, 122° 26.183′ W. Marker is in San Francisco, California, in San Francisco City and County. It is in Alamo Square. Marker is on Fulton Street near Scott Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1198 Fulton Street, San Francisco CA 94117, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Native Daughters of the Golden West Home (approx. 0.3 miles away); Native Daughters of the Golden West (approx. 0.3 miles away); Watershed History (approx. half a mile away); Haight-Fillmore Building (approx. half a mile away); 1545 Divisadero (approx. half a mile away); Dr. Oscar J. Jackson (approx. 0.6 miles away); Dante Benedetti (approx. 0.7 miles away); Uoki Sakai (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Francisco.

More about this marker. The tablet misspells the name of the house. It should read “Westerfeld House.”

Also see . . .
1. Westerfeld House. NoeHill in San Francisco entry:
This enormous
Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online
wood palazzo is the closest San Francisco equivalent to the Carson house in Eureka; both are exceptionally picturesque versions of the towered villa form, here seen in uncompromising Stick expression with the characteristic squared-bay window of the 1880s. (Submitted on March 22, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

2. William Westerfeld House. National Register of Historic Places Asset Detail:
“[The house] embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type and period of construction and possesses high artistic merit in its elaborate design, architectural quality and prominent hilltop location and tower. It is widely recognized virtually as a symbol of San Francisco’s Victorian architecture. ‘One of the most picturesque examples of the Stick Italianate Villa is 1198 Fulton Street, the most imposing building in the area. . . . This enormous wood palazzo is the closest San Francisco equivalent to the Carson house in Eureka; both are exceptionally picturesque versions of the towered villa form, here seen in uncompromising Stick expression with the characteristic squared-bay window of the 1880s.’ It has a high degree of integrity; the rear garage was added before 1912. It possesses some additional significance as probably the largest and most ornate house by prominent and prolific local architect Henry Geilfuss, and as the residence 1896-1918 of John Joseph Mahony, prominent

Westerfeld House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 16, 2014

2. Westerfeld House

The marker is located at the entrance.

local building contractor.” (Submitted on September 3, 2014.)

Additional commentary.
1. Some Facts and Myths about the Westerfeld House
"Up at Fulton and Scott is a great shambling old Gothic house, a freaking decayed giant, known as The Russian Embassy" Tom Wolfe wrote in The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (1968).

By The Summer of Love (1967) and The Autumn of Love (1968), like many of San Francisco's grand but derelict old mansions, its roof leaked, and it was home to a commune, and it was this commune called Calliope that Wolfe visited.

San Francisco tour guides, eager to exploit The City's scandalous past, have decided that Charles Manson once lived here. He did live in San Francisco but not here.

Bobbie Beausoleil did live here just before he joined The Manson Family. He and his buddy Kenneth Anger, also in residence, would spend nights in the tower on the look-out for flying saucers. According to Anger he had "a couple of very good flying saucer sightings."

Anger shot his movie The Invocation of My Demon Brother here. Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, used to practice witchcraft in the tower, employing a lion cub and 500 candles.

San Franciscans of a certain age call this building

Westerfeld House, Scott Street view image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, March 16, 2014

3. Westerfeld House, Scott Street view

the Russian Embassy, but it never housed an embassy, not even a consulate. During the 1930s, the Russian Club of San Francisco, a social center for Russian emigres, was located here.

— Submitted December 24, 2022, by Alvis Hendley of San Francisco, California.

Additional keywords. Westerfeld House

Photographed By Alvis Hendley, October 16, 2002

4. Westerfeld House

San Franciscans of a certain age call it "The Russian Embassy."

Photographed By Alvis Hendley, October 16, 2002

5. Westerfeld House

Astounding things took place in the tower.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 22, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 736 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 22, 2014, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 4, 5. submitted on December 24, 2022, by Alvis Hendley of San Francisco, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.