Mattachine Steps, Public stairway in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, United States
The Mattachine Steps are a public stairway made of concrete with 147 steps that connects two residential streets in the Silver Lake neighborhood. They allow pedestrians to move between different elevations throughout the area.
The steps were built in the 1920s to help residents reach public transportation and markets. In 2012, they received official recognition as a memorial to Harry Hay and the Mattachine Society.
These steps mark where Harry Hay lived and founded the Mattachine Society, a group that fought for gay rights in the 1950s. The site holds deep significance for LGBTQ+ history in Los Angeles.
You can access the steps from Cove Avenue and easily fit them into walking routes that connect to the Silver Lake Reservoir Trail. Good shoes are helpful since the steps are steep and the surrounding area has hilly terrain.
These steps are part of Los Angeles hidden stairway network that was originally built in the 1920s to connect neighborhoods. Many of these old stairs remain largely unknown today, even though they once served as important paths for residents.
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