The summit of Telegraph Hill was saved from development by a farsighted group of citizens in 1894 who bought the land and donated it to the city for creation of Pioneer Park, which preserved this awesome viewpoint for the public. The 1933 tower is decorated with now famous murals by artists paid by funds combatting the great recession. The tall statue of Christoph Columbus, whose accidental 'discovery' of America was celebrated by the Italian community with statues in many American cities with Italian immigrants, was removed preemptively in 2020 during a wave of monuments toppled by demonstrators.