Nob Hill is an affluent district, home to many of the city's upper class families. Both San Francisco Cable Car lines run through Nob Hill.  The area was settled in the rapid urbanization happening in the city in the late 19th century. Because of the views and its central position, it became an exclusive enclave of the rich and famous on the west coast who built large mansions in the neighborhood.  This included prominent tycoons such as Leland Stanford, founder of Stanford University and other members of The Big Four.  Parts of the neighborhood were rebuilt following the 1906 Earthquake.

The Huntington mansion was one of the hill's palatial residences to survive.  The mansion of tycoon James Flood,  was rebuilt and stands to this day as the headquarters of the Pacific-Union Club.  Many of the hotels now in the area were built from the former mansions.  Views from the top of the hill (and especially from the Top of the Mark) extend in all directions around the San Francisco Bay Area.  The property that Grace Cathedral encompasses reaches the top of Nob Hill.

The intersection of California and Powell streets is also the location of four well-known hotels: the Fairmont Hotel, the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, the Stanford Court, and the Huntington Hotel.  Interestingly, they represent also three names out of the The Big Four (i.e. Stanford, Hopkins & Huntington).