Coit Tower San Francisco, California. Coit Tower was constructed in 1933 at the request of Lillie Hitchcock Coit. This interesting woman was a volunteer firefighter who rode along with the firemen of her day, often to the chagrin of those who may have found such behavior unladylike during her era. Ignoring those people, Ms. Coit lived a dynamic life. She was allowed her eccentricities in part because she had the money to live as she pleased. She donated much of that money to assisting the firefighters in the city. She also donated the money to build Coit Tower in the interest of both honoring the firefighters and creating a beautiful spot for viewing the city she loved.