The Shannon-Kavanaugh House

Garnering nicknames like the “Seven Sisters,” Postcard Row,” and the “Painted Ladies,” the group of six gabled Queen Anne cottages along with the tower-house at 722 Steiner Street have become iconic symbols of San Francisco. All constructed by Matthew Kavanaugh in the 1890s, the contractor first built his own corner abode in 1892 before constructing the uphill parcels. He would reside there with his wife Catherine until the turn of the century.

Five years after the Kavanaugh townhouses were completed in 1895, he and his wife moved to San Rafael. Aside from their nationally famed row houses, the couple is memorialized by a large stained glass window that they donated to Fillmore Street’s Sacred Heart Church. Located on the northern wall of the nave, and probably dating from 1898, it features painted portraits of their patron saints, Catherine of Alexandria and Matthew the Apostle. 

Kavanaugh was eclectic in the choice of design and details for his house, borrowing from a variety of styles. Principally Queen Anne, the corner house features second-story fish scale shingles and lacks heavy applied woodwork that was typical of the period. The octagonal bay is reminiscent of the Second Empire style of two decades earlier. The neo-classic ornaments (laurel swags and acanthus leaves in frieze bands) predate trends of decades to follow. In addition to its front tower, the house is distinguished by its hipped roof and portico entryway. Its northern exposure is enlivened by a rectangular bay and two small gables. 

Succeeding the Kavanaughs was the three-generation German-American family of Fred Klopper, a leather dealer, and his wife Anna. Residing with them, according to the 1900 census, were three of their four children, Fred, 18; Herman, 10; and their married daughter, Louise Schnabel, 28, and her two children. Fred passed away in 1917, and his children sold the house in 1922. By 1975 the property, which had changed hands approximately ten times, had been condemned and, to make way for a parking lot, slated for demolition. 

Determined to preserve the property, 1975 purchasers Michael Shannon and his partner, Dr. James Vogeney, brought it up to code by replacing all wiring, water and gas lines, and installing a new heating system and reinforced foundation. Shannon was one of the neighborhood activists whose efforts were responsible for creating the Alamo Square Historic District in 1984. 

Because of its corner location, the garage was placed on its Grove Street side, allowing the preservation of its Steiner Street-facing garden and wrought iron fencing.

The interior of the house includes a stained glass skylight in the central hall, salvaged by Shannon from a church in St. Louis, MO, plus six other stained glass windows.

Two of the light fixtures on the main floor are working gaslights. The one above the dining table was manufactured in San Francisco in the 1880s for a home in Pacific Heights.

The house has 4 stories and contains 4500 square feet. The lower level is a 900-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment. The third level has 4 bedrooms and 2 modern baths. The top floor is a large loft and storage area with a full bathroom.

The movie Maxie—starring Ruth Gordon, Glenn Close and Mandi Patinkin—was filmed here in November 1984. The house has been featured on over 40 commercials and series, numerous magazines and books, and multiple postcards. 

Previous owners Shannon and Vogeney, along with Peter Jeal, oversaw restorations, until the house was sold in 2014. The following owners conducted extensive work on the building during their tenure, including a major seismic upgrade, replacement of the flooring, and other modifications to the floorplan including the kitchen, before selling it in 2022. The current owners are grateful for the extensive restoration and renovation efforts of those before them, allowing them to enjoy, maintain, and share the house’s storied life.