Lillie Hitchcock Coit was a wealthy socialite who was a patron for San Francisco's firefighters, and the benefactor for the construction of Coit Tower. Ms. Coit is the official "Matron Saint" of San Francisco's firefighters.
She bequeathed one-third of her fortune, or $118,000, "to be expended in an appropriate manner for the purpose of adding to the beauty of the city which I have always loved."
There are beautiful murals within the spiral staircases of Coit Tower that are available to be seen on tours. Visiting and touring information can be found at the website, www.coittowertours.com. This site is wonderfully simplistic, while containing all you need to know before coming to visit.