F I R S TP R E V219NEXTLAST

Legs, Haight-Ashbury
While most people think of Hippies and the 'Summer of Love' when they think of the Haight district, that's only one incarnation of the area. In the 1800s the area was where the wealthy built their summer homes and after the great earthquake and fire of 1906, many affluent families migrated to this undamaged district. The area prospered until the 1930s when the Great Depression forced the owners of the great Victorian homes to abandon the neighborhood. African Americans from the shipyards and arms factories took advantage of the cheap housing and moved there during the 1940s and 1950s. Attracted by this neighborhood's new growing "cool" black culture and music, the beatniks and a student youth culture moved into the area as well. These younger beatniks became known as "junior hipsters" and eventually, "hippies". Today the neighborhood is a mix of trendy and retro fashion stores, funky restaurants, and just enough seediness to maintain its street cred for those interested in such things. The Haight district remains your best bet when shopping for a tie-dyed t-shirt or a bong featuring a picture of Haile Selassie. [ MAP J-9 ]