District Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco, CA, USA, is located at the intersection of two streets of San Francisco - Haight and Ashbury. Locals usually call this area âthe upper Haightâ. In mid of 1960 it has become a global center for "drugs and rock 'n' roll." It is an unusual place to see in San Francisco.
The streets that form the area were named in honor of two famous residents of the old San Francisco - the banker Henry Haight and Munro Ashbury, one of the first politicians in San Francisco.
Haight-Ashbury is known for its bohemian atmosphere. Its environs are the focus of thriving restaurants, bars, boutiques, book stores and music stores. In this area focused reserved fifties, organic and spiritual New-Age sixties, punk rock and the computer culture of today.
Haight-Ashbury began the path to glory Chief District hippies during spring break 1967, when the pupils and students began streaming into the Haight. San Francisco goverment, trying to stop the influx of young people, attracts additional attention to the events, which entails the attention of national and world press. Hippies of Haight-Ashbury react to this the fact, that officially proclaim the beginning of the âSummer of Loveâ.
During the 1967 Haight-Ashbury was home of âJefferson Airplaneâ, âGrateful Deadâ and Janis Joplin - all of them lived near the famous intersection of streets. While the media continued to promote the hippie subculture across the country and around the world. During the âSummer of Loveâ psychedelic rock gets more and more time in commercial radio, and the end of 1967 became part of popular culture.
Haight-Ashbury could not cope with the crowds of people. Overpopulation, hunger, drugs and high crime rates have caused the decline of this famous region. In October 6, 1967 was held a ceremony âDeath Hippiesâ: people left the Haight and the area fell into decline. This lasted until 1980, when local businessmen have undestand that Haight-Ashbury can be a good business idea. Now it has become a tourist attraction and there are many tourists.
How to get from San Francisco City Center to the Haight-Ashbury: a better way to do it on a trolley bus. The journey takes 15-20 minutes.
What to see: Personally, I remember the graceful Victorian houses, sticking out of the window a huge female feet, sitting on the tarmac young and old hippies, numerous gift shops and second-hand, where a huge amount of money he sold clothes 1910-1950.