Nestled in the hillside, a small pedestrian-only lane is a little neighborhood oasis. Macondray Lane is easy to miss as you walk around Russian Hill. It spans only a block, a simple terrace marking the entrance. As you enter, a thriving garden shades the stone path. You’ll see a bubbling fountain, blooming flowers, and historic homes lining the lane. As you reach the end of the block, the bath slopes down, soon revealing a stunning view of the Bay and Coit Tower behind Victorian apartments. The other lane entrance is accessible via unmarked wooden stairs, which aref easily missable on the hillside.
The lane is part of the Russian Hill-Macondray Lane District and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1988. The district is only 1.6 acres and received the historic designation due to its architecture. The historic district has some notable past residents, including poet Ina Coolbrith, who has a park just a few blocks away named after her. Renowned oil painter Giuseppe Cadenasso and writer Charles Caldwell Dobie lived in the small district. Women’s rights activist and suffragist Anita Whitney was another resident of the historic district many years ago. Unfortunately, many of the original houses built in the late 1800s did not survive the 1906 earthquake, with the oldest surviving house in the district dating back to 1878.
Macondray Lane has also found its way into the literary world. In 2017, it was confirmed that the lane inspired the fictional “Barbary Lane” in the iconic series Tales of the City written by Armistead Maupin.
Today, the lane is as beautiful as ever. If you’re in the area, we recommend walking up the hill to Ina Coolbrith Park, which offers stunning city views. If you do plan to visit the lane, remember that many people live there, so be sure to be respectful to residents while you’re enjoying the storied lane.