Whittier Mansion

The Whittier Mansion is a four-story residence with 30 rooms built with steel-reinforced brick walls covered in Arizona red sandstone. Each level contains approximately 3,500 square feet of living space, with the second floor featuring six bedrooms, three of which have private marble bathrooms.

Businessman William Franklin Whittier commissioned architect Edward Robinson Swain to design and build the house in 1896. The building served as the German Reich consulate until 1941, when the United States government seized it.

The mansion displays Richardsonian Romanesque and Renaissance elements, visible through carved mahogany panels and detailed metalwork throughout its rooms. The interior craftsmanship reflects the building traditions valued by wealthy families in turn-of-the-century San Francisco.

The residence is located on Jackson Street in Pacific Heights and is registered as a landmark, so visits have restrictions. The best time to explore the neighborhood is during warmer months when the area is pleasant for walking.

The mansion hosted a foreign diplomatic mission for decades, a less-known chapter compared to its architectural significance. This historical role shaped the building's path through one of the most turbulent periods of the 20th century.