Mattachine Steps, Public stairway in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, United States
The Mattachine Steps are a public concrete stairway in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, linking two residential streets at different elevations. The steps run up a steep hillside and are lined with private homes and vegetation on both sides.
The stairway was built in the 1920s to help residents reach public transportation and shops in the city below. In 2012, it was officially designated as a memorial to Harry Hay and the Mattachine Society.
The steps are named after the Mattachine Society, one of the first gay rights organizations in the United States. Walking up them, you pass through the neighborhood where Harry Hay, the group's founder, once lived and worked.
The stairway runs between Cove Avenue at the bottom and Lucile Avenue at the top, making it easy to include in a longer walk through Silver Lake. The slope is steep, so firm footwear is a good idea, especially after rain.
The Mattachine Steps are part of a network of over 400 public stairways built across Los Angeles in the 1920s, most of which are now forgotten by locals. Many of these stairs do not appear on standard maps and can only be found by exploring on foot.
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