San francisco gay neighborhood

Perfect Day in the Castro

About the Castro

Originally known as Eureka Valley, the Castro was once part of a enormous rancho owned by Jose de Jesus Noe, a Mexican land baron. He began selling it off in 1852 after the American conquest of California.

In the 1880s, German, Irish, and Scandinavian immigrants began settling in Eureka Valley and building handsome Victorian row houses for their enormous families. The Market Street Cable Railway connected Eureka Valley with the relax of San Francisco in 1887, creating a housing boom and turning the village into a thriving working-class neighborhood.

Having transformed from a working-class neighborhood through the 1960s and 1970s, the Castro remains a symbol and source of lesbian, gay, multi-attracted , and transgender (LGBT) activism and events.

The activism of the '60s and '70s forged a people with sizable political and economic force, and when the historic Twin Peaks bar at Market and Castro streets removed the blackout paint from its floor-to-ceiling windows, most took it as a sign that Castro residents were secure in their gay identity.

There were, however, tense and sometimes violent clashes with the police, and the assassinati

Historical Essay

by Chris Carlsson, 1995

Castro Street Reasonable, 1978

Castro Street Scene 1970s

Photos: Crawford Barton, Gay and Female homosexual Historical Society of Northern California

Many across the Together States consider San Francisco to be a “Gay Mecca” due to its large gay collective located primarily in the Castro District as well as the city’s relatively liberal attitude towards sex. Until the 1960’s, though, the Castro was largely a white functional class Irish neighborhood known as “Eureka Valley.” A change came during Earth War II, when many soldiers came to San Francisco and formed lgbtq+ relationships. These soldiers then stayed in the city after being discharged for homosexuality. In the 1950s, Beat Customs erupted in San Francisco and notoriously rebelled against middle class values, thus aligning itself with homosexuality and helped bring gay identity to mainstream attention. In the mid to late 1950s, groups such as the Daughters of Bilitis and the Mattachine Society were born, as good as the Tavern Guild, which was the first openly gay business association. By 1969, there were 50 homosexual organizations in San Francisco, and by 1973 there were 800. Unfortunately,

Vibrant and eclectic, the Castro/Upper Market neighborhood is an internationally known symbol of gay freedom, a superior tourist destination full of stylish shops and widespread entertainment spots, and a thriving residential area that thousands of San Franciscans call home.

Its streets are filled with lovingly restored Victorian homes, rainbow celebration flags, shops offering one-of-a-kind merchandise, heritage streetcars, lively bars and restaurants, and numerous gay-borhood landmarks including Harvey Milk Plaza, the Castro Theatre, Pink Triangle Park and Memorial, and the large SF Queer woman Gay Bisexual Transgender Collective Center.

The Castro District, superior known as The Castro, is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California, which is also known as Eureka Valley.

San Francisco’s male lover village is most concentrated in the business district that is located on Castro Street from Market Street to 19th Road. It extends down Market Street toward Church and on both sides of the Castro neighborhood from Church Street to Eureka Street. Although the greater gay community was, and is, concentrated in the Castro many gay people live in the surrounding residential areas bordered by the

Best LGBTQ+ Neighborhoods in San Francisco

San Francisco, located at the heart of Northern California, is a bayfront playground for the fresh , hip, and active crowd. Famous for its LGBT-owned establishments which have been thriving for decades and will cater to your every need and whim, San Francisco has it all -- from piano bars and eateries to pubs for your never-ending nightlife adventures. There are more than 60 bars and clubs that cater to the Diverse community for a night out on the town!

This area is filled with fun-filled gems and it is a real doubt to find which neighborhood will suit your interests the most! Do you belong to the young, hip, and active or do you rather have a quiet family-friendly environment? You will be spoiled for choice when looking for apartments in San Francisco.

If you’re looking for the best LGBTQ+ neighborhoods in San Francisco, you’ve come to the right place! Here are the top five San Francisco neighborhoods.

What are the Best LGBTQ+ Neighborhoods in San Francisco?

  • The Castro
  • Bluff Heights
  • Park Estates
  • Belmont Heights
  • Los Altos

Castro

(Average monthly rent: $1,550 for a 1-bedroom apartment)

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