Haight

Savannah Armer

September 20,2012

Art 195

Stacy Asher

Haight and Ashbury

            “Haight Ashbury was a ghetto of bohemians who wanted to do anything—and we did but I don't think it has happened since. Yes there was LSD. But Haight Ashbury was not about drugs. It was about exploration, finding new ways of expression, being aware of one's existence” – Bob Weir. Haight street was home to the biggest social revolution of the 1960s, the summer of love.  People from all over the world came to be a part of this peace-seeking mission and to experience the magic of the street. In the 90s, Haight took a turn and became gentrified due to the dotcom boom, rent went up and only the people with money were able to stay in the area.  Although Haight street has been able to maintain its identity of counterculture, the street is in a social clash between the 60s era and the dotcom boom era.

            Haight street started as a poor street with people searching for social liberation and equality in the 1960s. The residents pushed off the idea of commercialism and enjoyed the local shelters and free clinics in the area, they pushed for counterculture, opposition to mainstream society’s views. In 1967, the council of the summer of love announced the event to the world, which got a response of 100,000 young people flocking to the area in search of utopia. There was overcrowding, drug use, starvation, homelessness, and crime. After the end of the summer, many left but their left their mark with the signage of the area. Today, when walking through Haight, the signage has constant drug references and stores of counterculture. One store called Land of the Sun, has a sign out front that says the store name and beneath “A Long Strange Trip” which is a reference to LSD, as if going into the store is comparable to doing drugs. Also the clothing stores are almost all vintage or costume going against the dorms of society today. Walking down Haight, the signage reveals how much of an influence the Summer of Love made on it.

            Throughout the years, Haight remained a hub of drugs and crimes until the dotcom boom of the 90s occurred. In the early 90s, Haight became a scary place, with murders and crimes happening frequently. Once the dotcom boom hit, many educated young people came to the Haight, to live in the hip area. While this was good for the reputation and the businesses on the street, it wasn’t good for everyone. The classic stores had to start competiting with the new hip coffee houses, and the new attitude in the area. The bums started to be pushed out by the residents bothered by their presence. The area took a major turn, but it couldn’t erase the past. A Gap even opened on the street, which sent many into commercial hating frenzies and made many notice the gentrification happening the area. 1960s Haight struggled but was kept alive by the influx of tourism now reaching the area.

            Today, when walking down Haight the signage will reflect two very different times. One a free love and hippie attitude, the other a hipster modern personality but even with these two clashes Haight hasn’t lost its individuality. The summer of love in 1967 left its mark on the street, changing the attitude forever.