Today: Commemoration For Fire Hydrants That 'Saved The City'

Today: Commemoration For Fire Hydrants That 'Saved The City'

Photo: Guardians Of The City

Nuala Sawyer
Published on April 17, 2015

Have you ever heard of the "Silver Twins" or the "Little Giant?" Three unassuming fire hydrants located throughout San Francisco are being repainted to honor their work in helping to save San Francisco during the great fire of 1906. 

The repainting ritual is organized every year by Guardians of the City, which "celebrates the lives, history and service" of the SFFD, SFPD, EMS and Sheriff departments. The group's administrative offices are in the historic Firehouse No. 21 on Oak Street, though they also manage the SFFD Museum and Learning Center at 655 Presidio. 

(Photo: Chadwick H.D. / Wikipedia)

These three fire hydrants are being honored for their contribution to the great fire following the 1906 earthquake, which killed over 3,000 people, left 200,000 homeless and destroyed 80% of San Francisco. During the chaos on April 18th only 42 fire hydrants out of 4,500 in the city had water, including the three being re-painted today. 

At 10am the Silver Twins will be repainted—the first at Hayes and Buchanan streets, and the second and Ellis and Van Ness. The Western Addition hydrants only began being honored last year, and so this year will mark their second celebratory coat of paint. 

If you can't make today's first repaintings, head out after before work to 20th and Church streets tomorrow, where at approximately 5:40pm 5:40am the Guardians of the City will be gilding the Little Giant, and sharing some of its important history.

Arguably the most famous fire hydrant in town, the Little Giant is still active today. Legend has it that when all Mission hydrants were exhausted during the 1906 fires, a resident found one that still worked, but it was on top of a hill. The horses pulling the fire wagons were too tired to reach the top of the hill, so refugees tugged the engines up the hill on ropes to reach the "magic fire hydrant," effectively saving a significant portion of that neighborhood. 

So next time you stroll past one of these fire hydrants, be sure to give them a little pat (though watch out for wet paint) in honor of their work to save San Francisco.