William Westerfeld House, Victorian mansion in Alamo Square, San Francisco, United States

William Westerfeld House stands at 1198 Fulton Street and shows elaborate wood ornaments, 28 rooms, and architectural features from the Victorian era. The facade combines curved balconies, turrets, and delicate carvings into one of the most striking examples of Queen Anne architecture in the Alamo Square neighborhood.

German-born confectioner William Westerfeld hired architect Henry Geilfuss to design this 28-room mansion, built in 1889 for $9,985. After Westerfeld died in 1895, John Mahony of Mahony Brothers bought it and replaced the rose garden with flats to house a growing city. Czarist Russians purchased the house in 1928, and in 1948 it was converted into a 14-unit apartment building. It is San Francisco Landmark Number 135.

The building earned the nickname Russian Embassy when Russian emigrants bought it in 1928 and turned the ground floor into the Dark Eyes nightclub. This connection to the Russian community shaped the residence for several decades, linking European tradition with San Francisco social life.

The building holds the official designation San Francisco Landmark Number 135 and underwent extensive restoration work including foundation reinforcement and woodwork preservation. Visitors can view the exterior facade from the sidewalk, as it remains a private residence.

Kenneth Anger lived in the house during the 1960s counterculture movement and used it as a filming location for his underground film productions. This phase connects Victorian architecture with the avant-garde cinema of that era.