Lower Nob Hill in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
891 Post Street
Literary Landmarks Register
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, June 6, 2017
1. 891 Post Street Marker
Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) lived in this building from 1926 until 1929, when he wrote his first three novels: Red Harvest (1929), The Dain Curse (1929), and The Maltese Falcon (1930).
Sam Spade's apartment in The Maltese Falcon is modeled on Hammett's, which was on the northwest corner of the fourth floor.
This site is dedicated a Literary Landmark by Friends of Libraries U.S.A.
Erected 2005 by Friends of Libraries U.S.A., San Francisco Chronicle.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Literary Landmarks series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1926.
Location. 37° 47.234′ N, 122° 24.982′ W. Marker is in San Francisco, California, in San Francisco City and County. It is in Lower Nob Hill. It is at the intersection of Post Street and Hyde Street, on the right when traveling east on Post Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 891 Post Street, San Francisco CA 94109, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 851 O'Farrell Street (approx. 0.2 miles away); Blanco's Cafι & Music Box (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hotel Jefferson (approx. Ό mile away); Hotel Winton (approx. Ό mile away); Isadora Duncan (approx. Ό mile away); Cadillac Hotel (approx. Ό mile away); Hamlin Hotel (approx. Ό mile away); Wally Heider Recording - 1969-1980 (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Francisco.
Also see . . .
1. Dashiell Hammett (Wikipedia). Samuel Dashiell Hammett (May 27, 1894 – January 10, 1961) was an American author of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories, screenwriter, and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade (The Maltese Falcon), Nick and
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, September 14, 2017
2. 891 Post Street Marker - Wide View
The marker is barely visible here, mounted to the right of the door below the awning reading "891".
Hammett's apartment is on the top floor, on the right-hand corner of the Post Street side of the building.
Hammett's apartment is on the top floor, on the right-hand corner of the Post Street side of the building.
2. Dashiell Hammett's San Francisco (YouTube, 91 minutes). Curator/writer Brad Rosenstein took us down the foggy mean streets of Dashiell Hammett's San Francisco, exploring how the city and the writer combined to shape each other's myths and produce some iconic American fiction -- and some classic movies as well. Rosenstein, whose last presentation here focused on Ernest Hemingway, is developing an enthusiastic following for his unique, multi-media programs on larger-than-life cultural
circa 1940
3. Sam Spade, as played by Humphrey Bogart
891 Post is discussed approximately 43 minutes into the video. (Submitted on September 15, 2017.)
3. Literary Landmark: 891 Post Street - Dashiell Hammett. Official American Library Association page explaining the literary significance of this landmark. Additional resources & links are included. (Submitted on August 10, 2025, by Annette Fillmore of York, Pennsylvania.)
4. Dashiell Hammett
This 1937 painting of Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) by Edward Biberman hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.
“Inspired to try his hand at writing mysteries after his years with the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Dashiell Hammett met a warm reception when he published his first two detective novels in 1929. But it was the appearance of The Maltese Falcon, a year later that secured him his reputation as one of America's most original mystery writers. The hardbitten realism and crisp dialogue of that work led critics to compare its author's style to that of Ernest Hemingway. Hammett's later books, The Thin Man and The Glass Key, drew similar accolades. In defining the main difference between Hammett's works and the far more common drawing-room detective stories of the period, one admirer observed that Hammett had taken murder out of the Venetian vase and dropped it into the alley, where, after all, it more generally occurred in real life.” — National Portrait Gallery
“Inspired to try his hand at writing mysteries after his years with the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Dashiell Hammett met a warm reception when he published his first two detective novels in 1929. But it was the appearance of The Maltese Falcon, a year later that secured him his reputation as one of America's most original mystery writers. The hardbitten realism and crisp dialogue of that work led critics to compare its author's style to that of Ernest Hemingway. Hammett's later books, The Thin Man and The Glass Key, drew similar accolades. In defining the main difference between Hammett's works and the far more common drawing-room detective stories of the period, one admirer observed that Hammett had taken murder out of the Venetian vase and dropped it into the alley, where, after all, it more generally occurred in real life.” — National Portrait Gallery
Credits. This page was last revised on August 11, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 15, 2017, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 1,136 times since then and 100 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 15, 2017, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 4. submitted on September 15, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.
