Castro District, Castro San Francisco guide and voice of the gay and lesbian community!

18th Street and Castro Intersection
San Francisco, CA 94114

18th and Castro is the pulsing heart of the GLBT community, meeting place, and, of course, "the" spot for leisure time gay activities. What used to be the intersection for the gay rights movement, today gives way to community and a feeling of home instigated by its proactive community. On any given day, you can walk this intersection and be a part of history while "Gays" can be seen teaming out of every retail store, bar, and restaurant for blocks.

From the corners of 18th and Castro, "The Castro" extends in all directions, bordered by Noe Valley, Diamond Heights, Twin Peaks, Upper Haight, Hayes Valley, and the Mission Districts. From this cozy neighborhood corner, you can find bars, shops, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, and great places to people watch.

A visit to 18th and Castro wouldn't be complete without a stop for a burger at Harvey's, (named after our famous civil rights leader and former district supervisor) and a coffee to shake off the food coma from "Bear Bucks," casually termed for the vast amount of what are known as gay hairy men that invade the doorway.

The community has always been known for throwing great parties, so you won't find it unusual that some of the most frequent and best parties happen here. The most notable would be the Pink Party during San Francisco Gay Pride, a festive ritual to celebrate and support continued diversity. On any other weekend, whatever your reason for partying, these corners are a stone's throw from countless watering holes. The most popular and the newest additions include Q bar, Toad Hall, Badlands, The Mix, and The Café. Each of these bars is a diverse delight with one thing in common: heavy handed drinks.

You literally can't miss 18th and Castro when you're visiting our neighborhood. Make sure to stop and take a look around; fully appreciate the history that surrounds you whether you're running errands during the day, bar-hopping at night, or enjoying the countless other activities throughout the Castro.

429 Castro Street
San Francisco CA
(415) 621-6120
www.castrotheatre.com

The Castro Theatre was built in 1922 by pioneer San Francisco theatre entrepreneurs, the Nasser brothers, who started with a nickelodeon in 1908 in the Castro neighborhood.

The Castro was built at a cost of $300,000. The Castro's designer was Timothy L. Pflueger (1894-1946) who went on to become a famous Bay Area architect. In 1977, the Castro was designated City of San Francisco registered landmark number 100. It is one of the few remaining movie palaces in the nation from the 1920s that is still in operation.

Timothy Pflueger chose an exterior design reminiscent of a Mexican cathedral. The large windows, the shape of the roof line of the front wall of the building and the plaster wall decorations all combine to convey a look of grandeur in keeping with the large scale of many theatres built in the 1920s. The marquee and the vertical neon sign are additions from the late 1930s, but the glazed tile street foyer, ornate tent-like box office and the wooden doors are all from the early 1920s.

The Castro's interior is very diverse. One can sense Spanish, Oriental and Italian influences. The auditorium seats over 1400 in a fantasy setting that is both lavish and intimate. Both side walls of the auditorium are covered with classic motif murals which were created in a wet plaster process called scrafitto. This type of wall decoration is rare.

On either side of the stage and screen (the small original screen has long ago been replaced with a large screen) are large organ grills. The Art Deco chandelier dates from 1937 when a small electrical fire destroyed the original parchment fixture.

The mezzanine and balcony above it are reached from the lobby by two dramatic staircases which are highlighted by large mirrors framed in gold. Hanging on the walls of the mezzanine are rare film posters. The mezzanine with its elegant older pieces of furniture is often used for film-related receptions and other parties.

From 1922 until 1976 the Castro showed first and second run mainstream films. Then, in 1976, the theatre was leased to Surf Theatres and later to Blumenfeld Theatres. These two chains proceeded to change the exhibition format to repertory cinema, foreign films, film festivals and special first run presentations.

In 1982 the theatre's old Conn organ was replaced by a mighty Wurlitzer organ. Ray Taylor and his sons Dick and Bill began assembling the all-Wurlitzer pipe organ in 1979. The Taylors had to obtain parts for the organ from many different sources. For example, the console came from a theatre in Detroit. The organ belongs to the Taylors.

Some of the improvements include the installation of new, larger and more comfortable seats on the main floor, the seats in the balcony were refurbished, the stage was expanded to accommodate live performances, a new curtain and a new screen were installed, the entire theatre was recarpeted, the walls were painted and the candy counter was updated.

Additionally, sound quality was improved with installation of new speakers behind the screen, new stage lighting was installed, the theatre received a new PA system and the auditorium was wired to accommodate modern audio and video presentations.

This article appears on the Castro Theatre website at: http://www.thecastrotheatre.com/history.html

434 Castro St
San Francisco CA
(415) 626-0462
www.covesf.com

With over 40 years of support to the community, Cove on Castro Cafe is the only place where the past and present are honored with non stop slide shows on three high definition screens with black and white photos from the early days of San Francisco. These include the earthquake (just before and after), the early days of Polk Street before Castro took its place, to many photos of Harvey Milk, parades, riots, night club shots, street fairs, tributes to fallen heroes...you name it. Cove on Castro Cafe has monthly themes with contests rewarded with dinner for two for the best new images sent in that month.

Cove on Castro Cafe's owner has always supplied free food and soup to those in need over the years and has supported everything gay that comes their way. So for the price of a cup of coffee, you can sit and enjoy a collection of over 5,000 images of San Francisco focusing on the Castro District.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2012

Jane Philomen Cleland. "Protesters Chanting 'Shame' During an ACT UP/San Francisco Demonstration" (circa 1990). Copyright © 1990 by Jane Philomen Cleland.

San Francisco -- The GLBT History Museum's new photography exhibition, "Life and Death in Black and White: AIDS Direct Action in San Francisco, 1985-1990," focuses on the work of Jane Philomen Cleland, Patrick Clifton, Marc Geller, Rick Gerharter and Daniel Nicoletta. On Monday, April 9, the photographers will discuss their experiences documenting the emergence of militant AIDS activism in San Francisco through the medium of black-and-white film; the event is set for 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the museum, located at 4127 18th St. in San Francisco.

All of the images in "Life and Death in Black and White" portray civil disobedience as a response to discrimination, indifference and official neglect in the face of a fatal epidemic. At the panel, the photographers will recount the stories behind the photos and will address the role of photography and photojournalism in the struggle for social justice for people with AIDS. In addition, they will discuss how the transition from film to digital photography has affected their current approach to documenting the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

Admission to the panel is $5.00 (general); $3.00 (California students with ID); free for museum members. The exhibition is on display through July 1 in the front gallery of The GLBT History Museum. For more information, call (415) 621-1107 or visit visit www.glbthistory.org.

What: "Documenting the Emergence of AIDS Activism: Five Photographers Tell Their Stories"

When: Monday, April 9, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Where: The GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th St., San Francisco

About the GLBT History Museum

Left to right: Patrick Clifton, Jane Philomen Cleland, Daniel Nicoletta, Marc Geller and Rick Gerharter at the opening of "Life and Death in Black and White" (March 15, 2012).

The GLBT History Museum features two major exhibitions: In the main gallery, a long-term show titled "Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating San Francisco's GLBT His­tory" and in the front gallery, periodically changing the­matic shows. The front gallery also offers timely one-case exhibits shown for one to two months and permanent displays of the wedding pantsuits worn by pioneering lesbian activists Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, and of personal belongings of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected of­ficial in California, who was assassinated in 1978.

The museum is a project of the GLBT Historical Society, a research center and archives founded in 1985 that houses one of the world's largest collections of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender historical materials. For more information, visit www.glbthistory.org.

Time flies when you're having fun!
June 27, 1983. Venerable Muni car No. 1 was 'only' 70 years old. Dianne Feinstein was mayor of San Francisco. And a new old streetcar line had just begun. The Mayor had just finished running car No. 1 from Castro to the Transbay Terminal, officially opening the first San Francisco Historic Trolley Festival. She handled the car expertly, under the tutelage of Muni's Reno Bini (right). The mustache brothers in the middle are Chamber of Commerce Chairman Gordon Swanson and Festival Project Manager Rick Laubscher. The first year was the only year that the parade began at Castro Street. In subsequent years, parades began at Transbay Terminal at First & Mission Streets and ran west out Market Street.

If you're of a certain age, it was like a Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland movie. Or, if you're of a certain younger age, it was like Disney's High School Musical. You know, "Let's get the kids together and put on a show"--the innocence of youth not understanding the challenges that could get in the way, but cheerfully conquering those that did.The creation of America's most popular vintage streetcar line was kind of like that, at least from my perspective. The author was fortunate enough to be the volunteer project manager for the summertime activity that proved the concept and built irresistible momentum for the permanent F-line: the San Francisco Historic Trolley Festival. Here's how it happened.

In the fall of 1982, Muni was preparing to retire the last of its streamlined PCC streetcars that had served Market Street for 35 years, and in their place begin full-time streetcar service in the Muni Metro subway beneath Market Street, using modern light rail vehicles built by Boing. To commemorate what most thought would be the end of 122 years of continuous rail service on the surface of Market Street, Muni ran 1912 car No. 1 (its oldest streetcar) and 1923 car No. 178 (borrowed back from a museum) along the J-line on Market and Church Streets for a few weekends.

Some Muni planners held out hope that this two-car service would spur interest in a permanent F-line, but the service wasn't frequent enough to catch the attention of many people. But the special service gave the author, who then served as chair of the Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee, an idea. The cable cars were about to be shut down for a 20-month rebuilding. Why not expand the two-car weekend service into a summer-long event that could be promoted as an 'alternative transit attraction' to the cable cars? Easier dreamed than done, as it turned out. The author put together a plan to lease several vintage streetcars, and add a couple more Muni cars, and gained critical support from the late John Jacobs, then the Chamber's president. Together, they went to see Mayor Dianne Feinstein, who heard their pitch and said, memorably, "All right, but I don't want to see any junk out there."

Enthusiasm and suspicion
As the Chamber began spreading the word about the proposal, the concept was met with both enthusiasm and suspicion. Some in Muni were dubious; a few were downright hostile, but the arrival of über-railfan Harold Geissenheimer as general manager drove that hostility underground (so to speak). Work began on a 'temporary' service pit and storage area at Market & Duboce, where the N-Judah surface tracks in the shadow of the US Mint were no longer needed. Shop forces went to work on preparing historic streetcars as they arrived, and began converting an old work car back to its original configuration as passenger car No. 130.Meantime, some residents of the Castro neighborhood expressed skepticism over the proposal because it came from the Chamber, which was in those days largely identified with large downtown employers. The author met with concerned community members and neighborhood businesses to be sure they were fully involved in planning and were positioned to benefit from the ridership of the line. Neighborhood residents were awarded commissions for official Trolley Festival merchandise, including t-shirts and posters, and created their own neighborhood poster as well. Alan Lubliner of the Mayor's office and the late Lee Knight of the Chamber were very helpful with both neighborhood relations and a wide range of other important activities that made the first festival a reality.All the while, the author was beating the bushes for vintage streetcars. A trip to New Orleans yielded hope of borrowing a famed St. Charles Avenue 'Perley Thomas' car, but the City Council wouldn't let one go. (San Francisco finally got one through the efforts of Mayors Willie Brown and Marc Morial fifteen years later.) Visits to eastern museums focused on a New York 'Third Avenue' car and a Montreal trolley, but again, agreement could not be reached. But other efforts were successful, including the purchase of a recently retired 1930 W2 class tram from Melbourne, and lease of three cars from an Oregon railfan named Paul Class who was planning for a future vintage line in Portland.

Adventures in transport
Getting the streetcars to San Francisco proved to be an adventure. The author was awakened at 3am one day by a distraught Paul Class, en route from Oregon. He had almost decapitated Porto, Portugal car No. 189 on a Nimitz Freeway overpass. The car wasn't damaged, but he was shaken and wanted help to get the car safely across the Bay Bridge. Another streetcar, Milwaukee No. 978, leased from the East Troy museum in Wisconsin, began sagging badly on the road near St. Louis. Turned out to be badly corroded underneath (a common problem with historic streetcars from snowy areas, we learned--the hard way). It finally got here, but wasn't street-worthy and had to be returned. (Thankfully, the Chamber had insured it.)
Then there was the seemingly simple task of getting the vintage streetcars from Geneva Division, then Muni's only streetcar storage and maintenance facility, to the F-line itself. In those days, the J-line ended at 30th & Church and didn't continue to Geneva Division. All streetcars had to get back to the carbarn through the Twin Peaks Tunnel, opened in 1917, but in 1983 just connected to the new Muni Metro subway. There were (and still are) exit tracks that come up to the surface near Castro and Market, but there was still work going on at Forest Hill Station, restricting vertical clearance. Not a problem for the new light rail vehicles, but how about the old streetcars? One night we all found out! Everything that could be removed from the roofs of the taller cars was, and they slipped through one by one, with just a couple of inches to spare sometimes. The tower in the center open 'Boat Tram' from Blackpool, England, cut it so close that part of its trolley pole actually bowed above the trolley wire. But everything made it.

A great team
The last ingredient for success was the operating and maintenance team. Some in Muni believed the historic cars shouldn't be mixed in traffic with the then-new Boeing light rail vehicles, so they opposed running single-end cars either out the J-line to 30th Street or the N-line to 30th Avenue (there was only a temporary crossover on 17th Street near Castro the first year, so only double-end cars could terminate there). Others just plain thought the whole Festival idea was stupid.

Fortunately, there were plenty of 'can do' people at Muni too, including veterans of the old 'Iron Monsters' (Muni's first streetcar fleet, parts of which ran in service until 1958), as well as younger employees excited by the prospect of working on these antiques.
Two Muni veterans ran the daily operations: Carl Barton as overall manager and Rino Bini as front-line inspector. Many veteran operators gave up higher-paying runs in the Metro subway in favor of the Trolley Festival cars, including Jack Smith, Chip Palmer, Tom Biaggi, Walt Thomsen, David Strassman, Lee Butler, Ray Fontaine, Jim Fine, Ray Walker, and Joe Batiste. Warren DeMerritt oversaw maintenance, with Karl Johnson applying his deep knowledge of historic streetcars to day-to-day maintenance, joined by Don Troya, Larry Fried, Ben Lam, and Wally Linn. Art Michel, later president of Market Street Railway, Muni's nonprofit preservation partner, joined the Festival maintenance team later in the 1980s.

And operating (figuratively) in his own inimitable manner here there and everywhere, was the eminence grise of the Trolley Festival, Maurice Klebolt, lifelong railfan, travel agency owner, regular campaign contributor to the city's politicians, and part-time Muni operator. Klebolt's name was given to the author very early in the festival planning process as someone both knowledgeable and powerful, someone who must be on the team.
Klebolt proved invaluable in solving any number of problems, moving matters forward by blustering, cajoling, wheedling, whatever it took. He even had his own streetcar, a 1954 Hamburg tram he had imported without Muni authorization in 1979 and 'presented' to Mayor Feinstein, in an attempt to jump-start the E-line concept.

Successful launch
Following much frantic last minute activity by both Muni and its Chamber of Commerce partner (whom the author served as project manager), it all came together on June 23, 1983, when Mayor Feinstein gave a brief speech at 17th & Castro Streets, then wound up the controller of car No. 1 and led a parade of vintage streetcars, buses, and other vehicles down Market Street to Transbay Terminal, officially opening the first San Francisco Historic Trolley Festival.

Many of us also expected it to be the last--a one-year demonstration project to show that vintage transit vehicles could meet today's everyday transit needs. To keep costs down, it was a one-shift service: eight hours per day, five days per week (Wednesday through Sunday from about 10:30am to 6:30pm). It ran through late September and ended with what some considered a farewell parade.

But the Festival proved so popular with locals and visitors alike, Mayor Feinstein asked that it be repeated again, on a longer schedule. Additional cars were found to replace the ones that had only been leased for one year, while other cars on hand--including Klebolt's Hamburg tram--were restored to operating condition. Again in 1984, success...so much so that the Festivals continued every summer through 1987, with steadily expanding hours of operation.

Point proved
By that time, the value of historic transit on San Francisco's main street had been indisputably established, and plans and funding were in place to begin construction of the permanent F-line. Advocating and staging the Trolley Festivals carried an element of risk. Had ridership been poor, or had Castro residents not embraced the service as warmly as they did, it could have doomed a permanent F-line. There was, after all, a significant element inside Muni at the time who wrote the F-line idea off as a 'toy train'. Even after Market Street construction was nearing completion in 1995, a senior Muni official (who has since left the organization) openly bragged that he was going to 'kill' the Embarcadero section, despite repeated votes by Muni's governing body and the Board of Supervisors to build it. But in the end, it moved forward.The Market Street segment of the F-line opened in September 1995 and immediately shot way beyond ridership expectations. When the Embarcadero extension opened in 2000, the same thing happened. The original order of seventeen restored PCCs, which some planners thought would be plenty for the extended line, turned out to be not half enough. A group of ten vintage 1928 'Peter Witt' type trams from Milan, Italy, was hurriedly acquired, but demand kept growing. Muni and its nonprofit preservation partner, Market Street Railway--which assumed some of the Chamber's role after the first two Trolley Festivals--have been working ever since to acquire and restore more vintage streetcars to expand the operation, through the long dreamed-of E-line, as well as meeting demand on the F-line.

Market Street Railway doesn't take the success of vintage streetcars in San Francisco for granted. Our board of directors recognizes that it comes as the result of constantly striving to demonstrate the value of historic transit in daily operation, along with constantly monitoring the planning, political, and financial processes of city government to identify bottlenecks and help keep improvements to the city's historic streetcar service on track.

Quite a show
The author has often been asked: If he knew before starting on the Trolley Festival how much work would be involved, would he have still done it? The short answer is, "You bet!" It was a lot more work than anticipated, but it was a great learning experience, and it clearly paved the way for the hugely successful operation of historic streetcars on Market Street and The Embarcadero we all enjoy today. Whether you're from the Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland generation or the High School Musical generation, it's something to celebrate.


How the F-line Came to Be
July 21, 2008 by Rick Laubscher - President, Market Street Railway

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2011

San Francisco - The GLBT Historical Society has announced the latest programs in its 2011 summer series, along with a special mini-exhibit marking the 40th anniversary of the first LGBT political club in the United States. Taking place in late July and August 2011, the events will feature authors, performers and community organizers offering first-hand insights on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender history. All the programs will be presented in the main gallery at the society's new GLBT History Museum at 4127 18th St. in San Francisco's Castro District. For more information, visit www.glbthistory.org or call (415) 621-1107.

JULY 24: "Queer. Fat. Political." A dynamic presentation of live theater, spoken word and informal discussion to commemorate the life and work of fat activist Judy Freespirit, whose personal papers are preserved at the GLBT Historical Society. FAT LIP Readers Theater, Jezebel Delilah X and others will perform, and an open dialogue among generations of fat queer activists and their friends will follow. The event is set for Sunday, July 24, 5:00-7:00 p.m.

AUGUST 1: "Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club: 40th-Anniversary Exhibit." During the month of August, the GLBT History Museum will feature a special mini-exhibit on the history of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, founded in San Francisco in 1971 as the first registered LGBT political club in the United States. An opening reception on Aug. 1 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. will feature longtime Alice member and former GLBT Historical Society intern Nathan Purkiss presenting a retrospective of the club's 40-year history. The event is set for Monday, August 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

AUGUST 8: "Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club: Stories From Four Decades." A living-history panel will recall four decades of organizing and advocacy by the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, with speakers offering inside stories of the struggles, the controversies, the breakthroughs, the behind-the-scenes work and the ballot-box victories that have helped make San Francisco an internationally recognized pioneer in LGBT electoral politics. The event is set for Monday, August 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Featured Speakers: Phyllis Lyon (cofounder of the Daughters of Bilitis, the first lesbian organization in the United States, and friend of Alice founder Jim Foster); Gary Miller (founding member of Alice and president of the club in 1975); Connie O'Connor (Alice president, 1980-1982); Pam David (Alice leader and first lesbian appointed to the Mayor's Office of Community Development by Art Agnos in 1990); Theresa Sparks (first transgender cochair of Alice, 2001-2003).

ABOUT THE GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY & THE GLBT HISTORY MUSEUM

Often referred to as San Francisco's "queer Smithsonian," the GLBT Historical Society was founded in 1985; its archives house one of the world's largest collections of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender historical materials. The society's GLBT History Museum in San Francisco's Castro District opened in January 2011 as the first full-scale, stand-alone museum of its kind in the United States. The museum currently features two major exhibitions: "Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating San Francisco's GLBT History" and "Great Collections of the GLBT Historical Society Archives." For more information, visit www.glbthistory.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2011

San Francisco -- The GLBT Historical Society's annual Unmasked gala, set for Oct. 27, will bring together enthusiasts of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender history from throughout Northern California for a festive evening at the Green Room of the War Memorial Building in San Francisco's Civic Center. The gala will support the public history work of the society and its world-renowned GLBT History Museum, the first museum of its kind in the United States.

"Unmasked is the high point of the social season for lovers of GLBT history," said Paul Boneberg, executive director of the GLBT Historical Society. "The event pays homage to both the great pioneers and the everyday heroes of our movement, who have made it possible for us to drop the mask of secrecy and to live our lives fully and openly. For the gala, we invite our friends to bring out another kind of mask -- the ones we wear for festivity and celebration."

The Unmasked gala will feature live entertainment, food and a hosted bar. A silent auction will offer guests the chance to bid on travel packages, fine wines and other distinctive lots. Of particular note for lovers of history will be numerous vintage photographs, posters and items of queer historic memorabilia, including an anonymous photo of two women dressed as men from circa 1900 and a framed campaign poster from Harvey Milk's first run for the Board of Supervisors in 1973.

Taking part in the gala as honored guests will be representatives from the Bay Area's annual queer marches, including San Francisco's LGBT Pride Parade, Dyke March and Trans March and Oakland's Sisters Steppin' in Pride. Other special guests who have made notable contributions to the GLBT community also will attend, including groundbreaking community organizers Phyllis Lyon and José Sarria, novelist and arts advocate Michelle Tea, and military-equality advocate Joseph Rocha.

VIP tickets to Unmasked are $100; general admission is $60. Individual and organizational sponsorships start at $500. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the gala website at www.unmaskedgala.org.

What: GLBT Historical Society Unmasked Gala
When: Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011. VIP Reception: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Gala: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Where: The Green Room, War Memorial Building, 401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
Tickets: $100 (VIP); $60 (general). Available at www.unmaskedgala.org.

About the GLBT Historical Society & The GLBT History Museum

Founded in 1985, the GLBT Historical Society is an archives and research center often referred to as San Francisco's "queer Smithsonian." It houses one of the world's largest collections of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender historical materials.

The society's GLBT History Museum opened in January 2011 as the first full-scale, stand-alone museum of its kind in the United States and only the second in the world. Currently featured are two major exhibitions: "Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating San Francisco's GLBT History" and "Great Collections of the GLBT Historical Society Archives."

For more information on the GLBT Historical Society and The GLBT History Museum, visit www.glbthistory.org.

4127 18th Street (between Castro and Collingwood)
San Francisco CA, 94114
www.glbthistory.org

First GLBT History Museum in the United States
Announces Grand Opening for January 13

SAN FRANCISCO — Internationally renowned as a center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans­gen­­der culture, San Francisco soon will welcome yet another groundbreaking queer institution: The GLBT History Museum. A project of the GLBT Historical Society, an archives and research cen­ter established in 1985, the new museum will be the first of its kind in the United States. The formal grand opening is set for Jan. 13, 2011.

"A quarter century after the founding of the GLBT Historical Society, we're proud to open a museum to showcase our community's history," said Paul Boneberg, executive director of the Historical Society. "The GLBT History Museum is in the heart of the Castro, a neighborhood visited not only by locals, but also by tens of thousands of tourists every year who come in search of queer culture. At our museum, they'll discover treasures from our archives that reflect fascinating stories spanning nearly a century of GLBT life. We have gone all out to create a museum as rich, diverse and surprising as the GLBT community itself. Whether they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or straight, visitors are sure to be moved, enlightened and entertained."

Located at 4127 18th St., the museum includes 1,600 square feet of gallery and program space built to the specifications of the Historical Society, with custom fixtures, lighting and mul­ti­­media installations reflecting professional standards. Funding has come from Levi's, the City of San Francisco, Castro district merchants, and numerous other spon­sors and individual donors.

The museum will feature two debut exhibitions: In the main gallery, "Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating GLBT His­tory," curated by historians Gerard Koskovich, Don Romesburg and Amy Sueyoshi; and in the front gallery, "Great Collections of the GLBT Historical Society Archives."

The grand opening on Jan. 13, 2011, will include a preview for sponsors, donors and special guests, followed by a ribbon-cutting and reception open to the public from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Regular hours for The GLBT History Museum will be Wednesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 5:00 p.m. Admission: $5.00; free for members. For more information, call 415-621-1107 or visit www.glbthistory.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2011

San Francisco -- At the height of the AIDS crisis and in the midst of a wave of queer militancy in the early 1990s, California Governor Pete Wilson vetoed AB101, a statewide gay and lesbian rights bill. San Francisco's GLBT community responded with outrage: Thousands joined a massive protest on Sept. 30, 1991, that ended with the police in retreat and a state office building in flames.

Known as the AB101 Veto Riot, the clash was the most recent of the three queer riots that have taken place in the history of the city, following the Compton's Cafeteria Riot of 1966 and the White Night Riot of 1979. To mark the 20th anniversary of the 1991 riot, the GLBT History Museum in San Francisco's Castro District will feature a special program and a small exhibit this month:

PROGRAM

"All the Rage: Stories From the AB101 Veto Riot" is set for Thursday, Sept. 29, 7-9 p.m. Moderated by veteran activist Laura Thomas, the program will feature a new documentary short about the riot, as well as a living-history panel with Lito Sandoval and Ingrid Nelson offering inside stories about organizing the veto protest and eyewitness accounts of the uprising in the streets.

Also taking part will be contemporary composer Bob Ostertag, whose piece "All the Rage" for the Kronos Quartet includes sound recorded at the riot, and filmmaker Steve Elkins, director of the short about the riot and of a new feature-length documentary, "The Reach of Resonance," which discusses Ostertag's work.

Admission to the event is $5.00 for the general public; free for members.

EXHIBIT

In conjunction with the program, The GLBT History Museum will be showing "No Apologies, No Regrets: The AB101 Veto Riot" - a single case of historic artifacts and documents drawn from the archives of the GLBT Historical Society. Included is the shoe lost by mayoral candidate Frank Jordan when he was chased from the scene of the Castro District protest that preceded the riot. Also included is a fragment of stained glass from the shattered windows at the entrance of the Old State Building.

The exhibit will be on display Sept. 16 through Oct. 15. during regular museum hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday-Monday, noon-5 p.m. Admission to the museum is $5.00 (general); $3.00 (with California student ID); free for members.

The GLBT History Museum is located at 4127 18th St. (near Castro Street) in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.glbthistory.org or call (415) 621-1107.

ABOUT THE GLBT HISTORY MUSEUM

The GLBT History Museum opened in January 2011 as the first full-scale, stand-alone museum of its kind in the United States. Currently featured are two major exhibitions: "Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating San Francisco's GLBT History" and "Great Collections of the GLBT Historical Society Archives." The museum is a project of the GLBT Historical Society, a research center and archives founded in 1985 that houses one of the world's largest collections of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender historical materials.

Market @ Castro
San Francisco CA

Harvey Milk Plaza is located at the Castro Street Station on the K, L, or M lines of the MUNI Metro. After ascending from below ground the quite square with its sloping steps and bamboo stands as memorial to Harvey Milk, the self proclaimed mayor of the Castro. On November 7, 1997 the plaza was named after him to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his election to office as City Supervisor here in San Francisco. Former Mayor, Willie Brown over saw the ceremony in which it was named. In addition, the infamous rainbow flag was erected and fly's everyday as a statement of equality and diversity. This flag can be seen from miles away and far down market street even at the Embarcadero's Ferry Building.

"If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet shatter every closet door,"

- Harvey Milk