Kathleen from San Francisco

About me Born on an American Army base in Germany, I came to the states when I was six months old and my parents were stationed back home at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington, where I spent my entire childhood. Little did I know that the military lifestyle was going to become what inspired me to become an artist. I have been a photographer for most of my life. Whether I knew it o...

Apr 5, 2025

Albion Castle San Francisco

A real urban castle

""Albion Castle" is a real castle in San Francisco that belongs to the family that owns what used to be the city's only springs. For private parties only!"

A friend of mine mentioned there is an honest-to-goodness castle in San Francisco. When I asked where, she said "over there by Hunter’s Point somewhere". That’s all it took; I was on a mission to find this “castle”. In Ireland alone, there are 30,000 castles, so how hard could it be to find one in San Francisco? After all, it’s something that would definitely stick out in a country that’s only just over 200 years old.

Google is a wonderful thing. One search and I found it, in a manner of speaking. From there it took tracking down the owner and getting permission to visit the property and find someone to answer my questions.

The owner’s daughter gave me a tour and the historical rundown on the property because it’s been in her family for a while. It houses natural springs which were once the only water source for the entire city. From there it became a brewery which was closed down during prohibition and there is actually only one bottle of the original brew left and she has it. The top floor still houses a swing arm which was originally used to move pallets of beer bottles.

Currently, the castle is used for corporate events, weddings and private parties so if you get the urge to party in a real castle, go for it. It’s spectacular! You can visit their website for booking information at www.thealbioncastle.com.

Art & culture

About this spot

881 Innes Avenue

US$

no-price

Website

6504644742

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