Civic clubs stepped in to save the day. In 1902, the California Club, the North Beach Improvement Club, and the California Outdoor Art League banded together to lobby for preservation of the hill. When a road to the summit was completed in 1923, public access became possible. Arthur Brown Jr., the architect of City Hall, was hired to design the tower that bears her name. It was completed in 1933.
Experts deny that it is modeled on a firehose nozzle.
Over the last 60 years, tourism has worn the park down to the exposed roots of its trees. Drought, inadequate irrigation, and foot traffic have caused devastating erosion. Pedestrian access is limited, and endless lines of cars, their engines idling, queue up on Telegraph Hill Boulevard. In 1995, the Pioneer Park Project was born, just in time. They have drawn and refined plans to rebuild stairways, paths and terraces, restore natural habitat, and deal with the problems of erosion, safety and handicap access.