San Francisco, California story
The Crookedest Street
Lombard Street is world-famous for its eight hairpin turns, but the design wasn't for the tourists—it was for safety. In the 1920s, a property owner suggested these switchbacks be…
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Lombard Street is world-famous for its eight hairpin turns, but the design wasn't for the tourists—it was for safety. In the 1920s, a property owner suggested these switchbacks because the hill had a brutal twenty-seven-degree incline, making it far too steep for the cars of the time. By curving the road, they made the descent manageable.
Today, this one-block section between Hyde and Leavenworth is a masterpiece of urban planning turned landmark. It's a strange, beautiful bit of architecture that proves sometimes the longest way down is actually the smartest way to travel.
Updated June 2026