Enchanted Castle hides underground water-maze in San Francisco

Within San Francisco city limits, there's a Norman-style castle with a 4-story turret that few residents have heard of. Built in 1870 by a 21-year-old English immigrant who wanted to start a brewery so he hand-carved two 200-foot caverns under the castle to tap into one of the city’s only sources of natural spring water.

Inside the caverns he dug three stone cisterns to hold the 8,000-10,000 gallons of natural spring water that flows through every day.

Burnelll operated the Albion Porter Brewery until he had to shut down for prohibition. In 1919, it was remade into the Albion Water Company, which specialized in bottled drinking water from the cisterns. The castle was under threat of demolition in 1961 since it was adjacent to a road construction plan, but its nature of producing underground spring waters saved it.

In case of a nuclear attack on the city, the castle could provide emergency water to the city. It is one of the only natural water sources that cannot be contaminated

The castle was nearly demolished in 1961 to make way for a highway, but it was saved based on the argument that the fresh water source under the building “could be the only non-contaminated source of fresh water in the event of a nuclear attack.” (San Francisco Chronicle).

In 2012, Bill Gilbert, who grew up in the neighborhood and remembers seeing the castle as a kid, bought it and installed a complex water filtration system hoping that someday he could begin bottling water here again.

[fredsimmons]

What a treat this was Kirsten, the owners are so gracious to share this beautiful compound.

[joewizuber]

Spent my childhood running around them neighborhoods and I remember walking past this place and admiring the look. But boy I had no clue this was a hundred year old castle brewery. So cool thank you for exploring

[svenswwis]

Thoughtfully built for sure. To last a long time. The current owners are trying to fully understand the complexity of the manufacturing process and pass it along the best the can. Super passionate about people are awesome. Thank you for this one. I never would have known about this place especially its water distribution network. Very Cool.

[rzella]

What a gem of a place with the hand-hewn out of rock hidden tunnels, and crystal clear water flowing. They've made a cozy living quarters there. Really enjoyed this; you find the most intriguing places!

[mattpipes]

My mind is officially blown! I have lived in San Francisco for 27 years… I even used to have a studio at Hunters Point… I have for sure been by this place hundreds of times and had no idea any thing like this existed! Amazing.

[PatriciaECodingOver]

In the early 2000's I went to a brilliant party at this place. For years I couldn't remember where it was but DISTINCTLY remembered the "pool" of crystal blue water. So glad to have found this vid! Great fun at that party too. PS, I was not one of the ppl that swam in the pool, but there were definitely swimmers when I was there.

[dl]

Very interesting. I lived in SF for quite a few years and am fascinated with its interesting history and secrets. I'd heard rumors of this place, and undoubtedly drove by it countless times. I do know that SF is lots of tunnels and right up to the post WW2 era SF was the world center for tunnel building with the Yerba Buena tunnel and the Waldo Grade tunnel among some of the most impressive and well known, but the rest of the area is also tunneled...and of course Alcatraz, the Presidio and even the modern trasnportation system, which are not only convenient in that high aspect landscape but tunnels are surprisingly safe during earthquakes contrary to what some think. Thanks again for this great tour. Cheers.

[MattKremer]

Very interesting property! Rather disappointed by the lack of knowledge of the owners(?). Thank you for providing some details in the description.

[missglenellen]

Another super amazing home, a piece of art, so special, incredibly unique. Thank you for showing, happy 2024!

[audioel]

I went to an amazing party in this place in maybe 2004-5. It was absolutely wild to be in those tunnels, and the rest of the property. I'd never been able to find any info about the place since.

[stevengilleyOU]

Kirsten, I can’t think of a better way to start day 1 of 2024 than to be educated by another great video of yours. Salute!

[timcasady]

Bill Gilbert bought the property in 2012 for $820k hoping that someday he could use the water source to start a spring water bottling company but to present date the revenues generated from the property have been from residential rental and later turned into an rental for events that Bills daughter Jennifer is the property manager.

[tmcbgrrl]

Ooooo, I just love the mystery of hidden rooms & secret tunnels~~ so evocative!! Great find 🙂 Thanks 4 sharing!

[ACHOSENONE]

It might be 50 feet tall at the most, it's certainly not equivalent to a 15 story building and 150 feet tall. It's only got maybe 5 stories above ground. Anyway, it's still an incredible property.

[terrorbulyfe]

That’s Hunter’s Point (HP or The Point), one of the roughest neighborhoods in SF. I can see the projects right behind them

[EmilyBoltz]

This is such a cool place. Had no idea it exisisted. Great history!

[Githinji_the]

Such a cool house. And a Cinderella to complete the look.

[jeffgrove]

After the brewery it was the Albion Water Company into the sixties. The shipyard workers housing surrounding on the hill above became housing projects in the 50s. So this is now lightly filtered runoff. They stopped bottling the water after the radioactive dump caught fire in the late 80s spreading radioactive ash all over Hunters Point hill and the flats. It’s about a kilometer away. They have built modern condos much closer to the dump if your looking to buy in San Francisco…

[cynmalin]

when i saw the granite, i guessed the labor was done by the Chinese who had just finished building the Transcontinental RR thru the Sierra Nevada. experienced, and limited opportunities for work made for cheap labor.

[jwebbw]

There were dozens of steam breweries in the latter part of the 1800's that used the steam method of brewing beer because then there was no need to keep it cold. The popular Anchor Steam beer Co. started up in 1896 and is finally calling it quits and is closing its doors in July of this year.