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Westerfeld House - The Russian Embassy

The William Westerfeld house is one of San Francisco's most beloved Victorian landmarks. The spectacular twenty eight room mansion was built in 1889 facing Alamo Square park. With it's
five story observation tower and intricate gingerbread facade, it has delighted tourists and San Francisco residents alike for generations.

The home has a colorful past, having served as home to prosperous San Francisco residents William Westerfeld and John Mahoney.

During the 1920's through 1940's the home became a refuge for Czarist Russians who used it as a speakeasy and social club. By the 1950's the home had been carved up into a fourteen unit
apartment building housing legendary African American jazz musicians including John Handy.

The 1960's saw the home transferred into the city's first Hippie commune. Their story was documented in the Tom Wolfe book "The Electric Koolaid Acid Test". Underground filmmaker
Kenneth Anger also occupied the mansion and filmed several movies inside its walls.

Jim Siegel purchased the home in 1986 and has been restoring it back to 1880's splendor from the basement ballroom to tower and widows walk.