Our golden hero fire hydrant

This small, yet incredibly important landmark on the corner of 20th and Church streets is no ordinary fire hydrant.

• In the chaos after the earthquake, much of the city burned for days due to the collapse of the municipal water system.
• Hundreds of miles of underground water mains were ruptured, leaving most of the city's hydrants dry.

But this lone functioning hydrant in the Mission became a lifeline that helped stop the flames.

• It's since become a symbol of resilience and is painted gold every year to honor the critical role it played.

Stop by: The city will host its annual painting of the "Little Giant" tomorrow at 5:45am.