The Castro, LGBTQ+ neighborhood in Eureka Valley, San Francisco, United States.
The Castro is a residential area in Eureka Valley, central San Francisco, covering several blocks around the intersection of Castro Street and Market Street. Victorian wooden houses with painted facades line the hillside streets, while shops, bars, and restaurants fill the main thoroughfares.
After World War II, discharged gay service members settled in this area and gradually transformed the former Irish working-class district. By the 1970s it had become a political and social center for the LGBTQ+ movement in North America.
Rainbow flags hang from storefronts and balconies throughout the district, creating a visible expression of pride and welcome. Residents gather at corner cafés and small parks where community events and memorials mark important moments in LGBTQ+ history.
Several streetcar lines and underground stations connect this district to the rest of the city, including the historic F-Market line with vintage cars. The steep streets require comfortable shoes, and many shops open late in the morning.
Harvey Milk's former camera shop on Castro Street is now a landmark site marking the place where California's first openly gay elected official ran his campaigns. The original storefront and windows remain largely preserved.
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