These stairs were built when the Bay Bridge and its on and offramps were built and the grade of Essex Street was lowered. Prior to the bridge, Essex Street climbed over the top of Rincon Hill and directly intersected with Lansing Street.

Originally, the stairway was straight. Essex Street was widenened around the time the Embarcadero Freeway was built in the 1950s, and at this time the stairway was modified into an L shape along the retaining wall on the east side of the street.