HAIGHT-ASHBURY AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE COUNTERCULTURE MOVEMENT A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Cornell University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Historic Preservation and Planning by Ethan James Potter August 2020 i © 2020 Ethan James Potter i ABSTRACT The City of San Francisco, specifically the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, was the epicenter of the American Counterculture Movement in the mid to late sixties. The social, cultural, and political impact of this movement is vast and widely known. This thesis provides a themed historical narrative of the Haight-Ashbury, specifically about its role in the Counterculture Movement. There are three major themes that explore the history of both the Counterculture Movement and Haight-Ashbury. Significant planning and preservation efforts for Haight-Ashbury, since the sixties, are also surveyed. Subjects such as intangible culture, history, city planning, and architecture are examined as they pertain to Haight-Ashbury and the Counterculture Movement. ii BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Ethan Potter is, above all, passionate for history. He grew up in Sammamish Washington, playing baseball and football. He studied history, English, and anthropology at Washington State University graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in History. He then worked in education as a tutor and a docent. Ethan decided to pursue a degree in Historic Preservation for its ability to educate the public about history. Ethan was inspired to pursue history after reading Carl L. Becker’s 1930 speech, “Every Man A Historian,” which demonstrates how historical research is conducted by nearly everyone, every day. Historic Preservation proved to be a great medium to pursue both of his interests. More specific research interests include vernacular cultural landscapes, American sports and music history, rural communities, architectural history, castrametation, and geography of the American West. Ethan enjoys reading, cycling, and golf. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I thank Professor Michael A. Tomlan for his constant support and guidance throughout my two years at Cornell University. In his role as Committee Chair, Professor Tomlan assisted me at all stages on this thesis and provided invaluable advice. Our weekly discussions about topics of all sorts helped to guide, inspire, and satiate my increasing interest in all things historic preservation. Professor Tomlan’s breadth and depth of knowledge is second to none, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from him. Professor Jeff Chusid, my second committee member, has helped my growth as a student of historic preservation substantially. Professor Chusid imparted his knowledge of California history, cultural landscapes, architecture, and materials to me. His passion for preservation emanates and inspires. It has been a true honor to study under both of these scholars. I also wish to thank Donna Graves, Pilar LaValley from San Francisco Planning, William Beutner from San Francisco Heritage and Brian Turner from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for giving their generous help to my research. Lastly, I thank my family, specifically, my parents, Ted and Adriana. Without their unconditional and constant love and support, none of what I have accomplished would have been possible. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... ii BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ......................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. iv LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................... vi INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1: ARCHITECTURAL AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND ...................... 10 CHAPTER 2: HEALTH AND WELLNESS ............................................................... 46 CHAPTER 3: POLITICS THROUGH ART ................................................................ 73 CHAPTER 4: ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, COMMERCE ...................................... 104 CHAPTER 5: HAIGHT-ASHBURY’S CONTINUED EVOLUTION ..................... 155 CHAPTER 6: PRESERVATION IN THE HAIGHT-ASHBURY ............................ 173 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 200 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................... 206 APPENDIX ................................................................................................................ 215 v LIST OF FIGURES 1.1: The Cole Valley Lange Dairy, Ca. 1870. http://www.outsidelands.org/almshouse-road.php 1.2: Stanyan Park Hotel after rehabilitation. https://noehill.com/sf/landmarks/nat1983001235.asp 1.3: View from the top of the Chutes. http://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=The_Chutes 1.4: Real Estate Map Ca. 1880. http://www.outsidelands.org/podcast/WNP291_Baird_Estate 1.5: The Dudley Stone School. https://opensfhistory.org/Download/wnp37.01893.jpg 1.6: 1779 Haight, Oldest building on Haight Street in Upper Haight. https://goo.gl/maps/oiTxmGo7eAgy6qVAA 1.7 Building Density in the Haight 1919-1970. https://ia801306.us.archive.org/14/items/haightashburybri00sanf/haightashburybri 00sanf.pdf. 1.8 SF Heritage 1987 Haight-Ashbury Tour Map Scanned by Author in The Haight: History and Architecture, Heritage Newsletter Vol. XV No. I, April 1987, I-VIII. 1.9 1937 San Francisco Residential Security Map https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/7b1886a2c3594db9b4076f1a063cb49f 1.10: Coexistence Bagel Shop in North Beach. https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?max=800&id=AAA-AAA_greemark_28241 vi 1.11: Map of North Beach in a café located in the Tea Room and Coffee Gallery. https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?max=800&id=AAA-AAA_greemark_29350 1.12: Muir Beach Acid Test Poster. https://woodstockwhisperer.info/page/201/ 2.1: Timothy Leary at the Human Be-In. https://americanhistory.si.edu/lisalaw/photoind.htm 2.2: 558 Clayton, Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic. https://goo.gl/maps/HUEYsbMdngWJ6jBf6 2.3: 1915 Page, formerly Far-Fetched Foods. https://goo.gl/maps/VPn2Uz6JuJBPhFCm8 3.1: 924 Howard, Calliope Warehouse Loft. https://goo.gl/maps/MDTsEWNb37ui9EXT8 3.2: ALF Meeting. https://americanhistory.si.edu/lisalaw/photoind.htm 3.3: Dutch Provos with their famous White Bicycle. https://bicycletrax.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/provoking-the-birth-of-bike- sharing/ 3.4: 50 Green Street, former KMPX studios. Taken by author 3.5: 211 Sutter, former KSAN studios. Taken by author 3.6: 1350 Waller, All Saints Episcopal, date unknown. http://sflib1.sfpl.org:82/search/?searchtype=X&searcharg=%221350%22+waller& vii sortdropdown=- &SORT=D&extended=0&SUBMIT=Search&searchlimits=&searchorigarg=X%2 2Haight%22+Ashbury%26SORT%3DD 3.7: 1321 Oak, Howard Presbyterian Church. https://calisphere.org/item/33b0f7e75937bfce23f281a7bc8a6739/ 3.8: 330 Ellis, Glide Memorial Church. Taken by author 3.9: 42 Belvedere Street. https://goo.gl/maps/WsY9mzoETmJ5bMWp6 4.1. 1806 Geary, The Fillmore. https://goo.gl/maps/fLtneUZaYNGGntj8A 4.2. 710 Ashbury, home of the Grateful Dead, with several other bands. https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/scapvc/theatre/research/current/culturesoftheleft/dis patches/leftinsanfrancisco/ 4.3. Typical Elvis concert poster. https://i.etsystatic.com/19389619/r/il/fe1dc4/1889428590/il_1140xN.1889428590 _3k0z.jpg 4.4. The Red Dog Saloon pre-renovation. https://flashbak.com/charlatans-hippies-guns-lsd-san-francisco-rock-band-wild- sixties-387027/red-dog-saloon-virginia/ 4.5. 1268 Sutter, Avalon Ballroom. Taken by author 4.6. How ‘Fillmore’ font differs from typical poster font. viii Scanned by author from Harrah-Conforth, Bruce M. “The Rise and Fall of a Modern Folk Community: Haight-Ashbury, 1965-1967,” 1990 4.7. Alton Kelly and Stanley Mouse Poster for a Grateful Dead concert. http://www.artnet.com/artists/stanley-mouse/ 4.8. Death Skeleton Roses Wreath by Edmund J Sullivan https://www.si.edu/object/voice-music-bo-diddley-quicksilver-messenger- serviceavalon-ballroom-san-francisco-california-72867:saam_2007.27.23 4.9 Rick Griffin’s Flying Eyeball BG-105. https://www.wolfgangs.com/posters/jimi-hendrix-experience/poster/BG105.html 4.10. A Victor Moscoso poster for The Family Dog. https://www.si.edu/object/finger-electric-flag-mad-riveravalon-ballroom-san- francisco-california-2268-2468:saam_2007.27.20 4.11. A woman selling copies of the San Francisco Oracle. http://sflib1.sfpl.org:82/search~/a?searchtype=X&searcharg=%22Haight%22+A shbury&x=0&y=0&SORT=D&stype=X 4.12 Robert Crumb’s “Keep on Truckin’” https://today.uconn.edu/2020/02/keep-truckin-art-r-crumb-contemporary-art- galleries/ 4.13. Ron and Jay Thelin outside the Psychedelic Shop. https://www.mocp.org/detail.php?t=objects&type=browse&f=maker&s=Greene% 2C+Herb&record=89 4.14. 1568 Haight, former location of Love Burgers. https://goo.gl/maps/DETDgiCtJFGg3rg49 ix 4.15. Black Panthers at a protest in Kezar Stadium. https://americanhistory.si.edu/lisalaw/photoind.htm 4.16: The Grateful Dead standing in front of Mnasidika. https://www.kqed.org/news/11748384/corner-of-haight-and-ashbury-in-san- francisco-declared-national-treasure 4.17 451 Pacific Ave. Old Firehouse #1 https://noehill.com/sf/landmarks/poi_engine_company_01.asp