This $18.5 million, 112-year-old 'secret' hilltop estate in San Francisco has an elevator, multiple outdoor decks and sweeping 360-degree views of the city - take a look inside
Though the house sits on a hilltop, it's easily obscured by tall, dense shrubbery. Make your way through the trees to find the historic Boggs-Shenson house, listed for sale at $18.5 million.
Named after the home's two previous owners, the Boggs family and the Shensons, the present-day historic home was not the first structure on the lot.
San Francisco residents Angus and Mae Boggs purchased the lot and its original structure in the March of 1906, one month before the infamous earthquake and subsequent fire ravaged the city. The Boggs had barely moved in when the original structure was destroyed.
Months later, the Boggs built the existing Boggs-Shenson house on the lot. Realtor Dale Boutiette told Business Insider that by 1914, almost a decade later, the Boggs wanted better views from their home. So they had it rotated 90 degrees and placed on a new foundation.
In the 1940s, Mae Boggs sold the home to brothers Ben and Jess Shenson, both doctors. Mae befriended the Shensons after they bought the house — they became her personal physicians and hosted her 100th birthday party in the home in 1963.
The house is one of the last single-family residences in Nob Hill. It's lined with dark wood panels, matching the railings on the multiple decks and the pergola on top.
Both brothers have since passed away, leaving the legacy of this home behind them.
A pair of Chinese Guardian Lions greet guests at the front porch.
As an historic home in the city, San Francisco law doesn't allow much wiggle room for renovation. Despite that restriction, the home's 2012 interior renovation is equal parts modern and classic.
Bay windows let natural light in, providing owners and guests with stunning views right from the sitting areas.
The dark wood finishes in the kitchen mirror that of the home's exterior.
As does the sleek, yet rustic, eating area.
There are five bedrooms and five bathrooms in the home across three stories, all of which can be accessed by an elevator.
And it's hard to find a multi-million-dollar San Francisco Bay Area home without a wine cellar.
As is normally the case with hilltop homes in San Francisco, the easily accessible outdoor viewing and entertainment areas are the crown jewels of this property.
Multiple seating areas meant for enjoying the views are sprinkled throughout the outdoor decks.
One of the outdoor decks features a dining table, a lounge area, a grill, and a fireplace.
A pergola, and strings of large bulbed lights, hang in a canopy above one of the lounge areas of another deck.
The large door separating it from the indoor lounge makes for an easy entertaining space, with guests able to mingle indoors and out.
And, of course, the home's perch atop a hill affords its occupants a coveted vantage point of the city and the famous San Francisco Bay.
Regardless of which deck you're on, you get some kind of sweeping view.
Whether it's the Golden Gate Bridge...
...or a view of the skyline, punctuated by the Transamerica Pyramid, at sunset or sunrise.
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