Located in the uptown Tenderloin District, the Ambassador Hotel has a long and moving history in San Francisco. It was constructed in 1911 as the Ferris Harriman Hotel and Theater. An addition to the hotel was completed in 1922 and in 1923 it was renamed the Hotel Ambassador. Eventually the theater was converted into a garage.&nbsp; &nbsp;From 1978 to 1996, Hank Wilson owned the Ambassador, but by that time, the hotel had fallen into a state of decline and disrepair. The city of San Francisco cited the hotel on numerous occasions for various code violations, most of which went unaddressed.&nbsp; At the time, Wilson was running the hotel essentially as a home for a AIDS patients, many of whom lacked the resources to care for themselves and had no support systems. At the height of the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco, most of the hotel's residents had AIDS. Under the leadership of Wilson, already an activist in a number of LGBT causes, the hotel became a haven for the poor and the sick, and Wilson never turned anyone away. Even before the illness was named or understood, Wilson made a point of providing care for AIDS patients.&nbsp; Wilson took in hundreds of AIDS patients with no public funding. He relied on volunteers who donated their time and as best he could, paid for repairs to the building out of pocket. Wilson only abandoned running the Ambassador in 1996 when he left to care for his elderly parents.&nbsp; The building was acquired by the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation in 2000, and underwent a full renovation which was completed in 2003. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.&nbsp;

An article about Hank Wilson's role in caring for AIDS patients

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Built in 1911, the building that is now the Ambassador Hotel was, for its first several years of existence, known as the Ferris Harriman Hotel and Theater. The hotel gained fame, however, from the 1970s until 1996, when the owner, Hank Wilson, opened the hotel to patients with AIDS and cared for them without any public assistance.

Ambassador Hotel 

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Starting at the Tenderloin Museum, this tour will guide you through some of the complex and surprising history behind San Francisco's well-known Tenderloin district.

In 2009, the Tenderloin Museum was founded under the name Uptown Tenderloin, Inc. Run by Randy Shaw, a longtime area resident, the organization was dedicated to preserving and teaching much of the unknown history that resides within the Tenderloin District- one of San Francisco's most well-known (as well as most infamous) neighborhoods. Through archival work and investigation, Uptown Tenderloin began uncovering the area's history as a diverse hub for artists, sex workers, racial minorities, and the LGBTQ+ community. Over the course of its existence, the organization pushed local government to install over 100 plaques on historic buildings in the Tenderloin, as well as nine sidewalk plaques for buildings that have since been demolished, and murals honoring the neighborhood's cultural heritage. They also sponsored the creation of the Uptown Tenderloin District on the National Registry of Historic Places, which includes 409 buildings. Uptown Tenderloin opened the 3,200-square-foot, $3.5 million Tenderloin Museum in June of 2015 to display local history in interactive exhibits that feature memorabilia, artifacts, documents, photographs, art pieces, and other items. One of its prized collections is that of the Tenderloin District business matchbooks. From the 1940's to the 1960's, matchbooks were commonly designed and sold by businesses as a way of advertising since most people smoked. In less documented areas such as the Tenderloin District, matchbooks give insight into what businesses were operating in the storefronts back then as well as what they may have been like. The Museum also operates a wide variety of walking tours through the historic locations of the neighborhood. Among these are places such as The Blackhawk Jazz Club, where famous live performances from music legends Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis were recorded. Also included are the hotels and brothels where the district's notorious sex industry thrived, as well as Compton's Cafeteria- where queer history was made when a group of trans women and drag queens rioted against police brutality in 1966, three years before the Stonewall Riots. Tenderloin Museum frequently hosts art exhibitions made by neighborhood artists. It also produces interactive reenactment events of unique and significant moments in Tenderloin history. The Compton's Cafeteria Riot Interactive Play and a 100th anniversary reenactment of the first sex workers' march in United States history in 1917 are two of such events.

Opened in 2015 by Uptown Tenderloin, Inc.- an organization dedicated to local historical preservation and education- the Tenderloin Museum unravels 100 years of the vibrant, hidden history behind one of San Francisco's most infamous districts. Interactive exhibits at the museum feature a wide variety of art, memorabilia, artifacts, documents, and photographs which all pay tribute to the unique neighborhood where the Grateful Dead recorded an album and one of the first LGBTQ riots in United States history took place.

Tenderloin Museum

The “Compton's Cafeteria Riot” is sometimes referred to as the “Gene Compton's Cafeteria Riot” because Gene Compton was the owner of the chain of cafeterias. This specific cafeteria, the location of the 1966 riot, was open from 1954 to 1972, in what was referred to as the "Tenderloin District," where prostitution and other “vice” was rampant, but also one of the few places trans people could live relatively openly. On the corner of San Francisco’s Taylor and Kurt, the cafeteria was a haven for queer people, especially transgender and transsexual people. At a time of great change in America, this riot marked this riot marked a key moment in the LGBTQ rights movement in San Francisco, prior to the Stonewall Riots in New York, 1969. The transsexual and transgender population in San Francisco faced a long history of discrimination and harassment by police and the public. The period from roughly 1954 to the time of the riot at Compton’s saw particular harsh policing of the gay community, with changes in policing and laws that equated homosexuality with prostitution and other “vice.” The 1951 CA Supreme Court case surrounding the Black Cat, a popular gay bar, established that gay people could gather and assemble. The Alcoholic Beverage Commission, though, worked to expand the definition of “illegal acts” to include perceived homosexual behavior, and the police often sent undercover agents into establishments. At Compton’s, many workers and the management were not keen on having drag queens, gays, and the like late at night, and they frequently called the police. Nevertheless, queer San Franciscans long had found tenuous acceptance in the growing culture of gay bars and nightclubs in areas like the Tenderloin, and continued to do so through this period.  On the night of the riot in August, 1966, at a high point of tension in the queer community, as well as anti-war and civil rights activism in the Bay Area, things went differently. The police came to the cafeteria with the intent to close the establishment down by midnight. When the police attempted to close the cafeteria, patrons became aggressive, and one of the queens responded by throwing a cup of coffee at the officer. Patrons began to throw sugar shakers and dishes, and swing their purses at the police. The windows of the establishment were broken, a police car was vandalized, and a nearby newsstand was burned. The riot continued the next day, with picketing led by a radical queer group called Vanguard. Unlike the response to prior raids and incidents of police violence against LGBTQ San Franciscans in the 30s – 60s, such as the 1965 New Year’s Ball raid, the riot at Compton’s has been called “the first known incidence of collective, militant, queer resistance to police harassment in United States history.” It was the product of years of solidification of the queer community in San Francisco, thanks to the growth of queer nightclubs and establishments and the growth of homophile organizations. Yet, the Compton’s Cafeteria riot did not become a watershed event like the Stonewall Riots. Homophile activists and organizations in San Francisco, building on the community created in the city’s gay bars and clubs, took up the mantle of LGBT activism during the period 1955-1964, the worst period of police crackdowns. Yet, these organizations tended to consist of predominantly white, relatively affluent or middle-class, older, cisgender gay men, who largely opposed rioting and excluded trans women in their activism. Thus, without their efforts and support, the event did not garner much attention in the local gay press, never mind the mainstream press. Furthermore, these organizations fought for and were able to negotiate and secure many of the freedoms that activists in New York were fighting by the time of Stonewall, making a moment like the Compton’s riot less of a key event. Decades later, historian Susan Stryker began researching the event and talking to surviving people who were involved, creating the documentary Screaming Queens (see link in additional info). The tension between bar-based queer society and resistance, and homophile organizations in 1950s-60s San Francisco, in many ways paralleled tensions between different corners of other movements for civil rights in the United States. When visiting San Francisco, be sure to view the 40th anniversary marker that commemorates the event at the site of the Compton's Cafeteria Riot.

In August 1966, The Compton's Cafeteria Riot marked an important date in the civil rights movement in the United States. The conflict erupted into violence during an aggressive police effort to close the establishment of Compton’s Cafeteria, a popular, 24-hour spot frequented by LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) patrons. Though largely forgotten, and not holding the same place in queer history as events like the Stonewall Riots in New York a few years later, it was nevertheless an important moment in San Francisco gay history because of the patrons’ violent response. It can be seen as a flashpoint, an eruption after years of conflict, resentment, and community. Compton’s Cafeteria no longer exists. The building remains on-site and at one time housed the Oshun Center - a women’s clinic that offered free care.

Gene Compton's Cafeteria Riot 1966

The Admission Day Monument was commissioned by San Francisco
Mayor James D. Phelan for $12,000. Like the Mechanics Monument located nearby,
it was sculpted by Californian Douglas Tilden. It was unveiled on California
Admission Day (September 9) in 1897.&nbsp; 

The monument stood at the intersection of Mason, Turk and
Market Streets, near the Native Sons of the Golden West in San Francisco’s
Tenderloin District, from 1897-1948. It was moved from that location to expedite traffic in 1948. It was relocated to Golden Gate Park, home of many other public monuments.&nbsp;But lobbying from the Native Sons moved it back
to the Tenderloin District at Market, Post &amp; Montgomery streets in 1977.

Original site of the Admission Day Monument, also known as the Native Sons Monument and the Phelan Fountain.  Erected in 1897 to celebrate California statehood. It was moved to Golden Gate Park in 1948. But lobbying from the Native Sons led to it being moved again to Market, Post & Montgomery streets in 1977.

Original Site of Admission Day Monument

In 1929, Lizzie Glide, a devout Methodist and philanthropist, established the Glide Foundation in honor of her late millionaire husband, Joseph L. Glide. Using the money from her many successful business ventures, she purchased a plot of land in San Francisco’s downtown Tenderloin district in order to construct a church and philanthropic center that would operate alongside the Foundation. She also purchased the Hotel Californian, located a few blocks away, which began operating as a temperance hotel (discouraging alcohol consumption) for the years following. Construction of Glide Memorial Methodist Church started that year and was completed two years later on January 11, 1931. The church was instantly recognizable and popular due to its rotating neon crucifix which sat on top of its steeple. Another was hung on the wall behind the pulpit and choir, and was used to give a “mellow glow” during the evening services. These light-up crosses are thought to have been one of the only ones in existence at the time in the United States. Records show that Glide Memorial Methodist had initial success with growing its congregation during the 1930’s and early 1940’s. However, by 1950 the church had begun experiencing difficulties. Shifting demographics in the downtown area led to a decline in attendance and tithing, as many members of the church’s original leadership began passing away. Slowly, younger members of the Glide Foundation took up these open positions and gradual shifts in vision occurred in response to the church’s lack of presence in the community. The most radical of these shifts came in 1962 with the appointments of young Methodist pastors Lewis E. Durham and Ted McIlvenna to leadership positions at Glide. The two men shared many of the same beliefs about the modern church and how it ought to function. They believed that churches had lost credibility in the eyes of their communities and that the answer was to listen wholeheartedly to every member of a community in order to find out how the church can be of service to them. With the support of the pastor, they began creating outreach programs that spoke directly to the Tenderloin District’s diverse population. In particular, this included reaching out to the many members of the LGBTQ community who had moved into the Tenderloin during the late 1950’s. As a result of this, Glide became one of the earliest dissenting churches in the country that supported LGBTQ individuals- despite the doctrine of the Methodist denomination at the time. Extensive programs were also established for women, racial minorities, the elderly, the homeless, recovering addicts, troubled youth, and various other disenfranchised groups. Glide Memorial Methodist Church’s new brand of social justice community activism was cemented upon the arrival of Reverend Cecil Williams, who took over as the main pastor in 1963. Working with Durham. McIlvenna, and LGBTQ community leaders, Williams spearheaded the creation of Council on Religion and the Homosexual in December of 1964- making it the first organization to have the word “homosexual” in its name. The organization was heavily involved in the fight for LGBTQ civil rights in San Francisco in the 1960’s. Also in 1964, Glide member Janice Mirikitani- a survivor of a World War II Japanese-American internment camp- founded Citizens Alert, one of the first citywide programs aimed at documenting police brutality against racial and sexual minorities. Citizen Alert’s advocacy work eventually led to the first FBI investigation of the San Francisco Police Department in 1968. During both the HIV/AIDS and crack cocaine epidemics of the 1980’s and 1990’s, Glide was at the forefront of San Francisco’s response to the crises. Famously, Reverend Williams organized multiple events where he visited known crack dens and used a megaphone to call the addicts and dealers out of the building so they could receive any help that they needed. In recent years, Glide was formerly known as the largest Methodist church in the state of California, with a whopping 13,000 members. However, its legacy public support for social justice causes have made the church a lightning rod of controversy and in 2019- after a lengthy legal battle over alleged “moral corruption” in Glide’s leadership- Glide Memorial Church declared independence from its denominational parent church, the United Methodist Church. It continues to serve the San Francisco community as a non-profit spiritual organization with over 86 programs and weekly Sunday morning services featuring the church’s famous, jazzy 100-member Gospel Choir.

In 1929, the Glide Foundation was created by Methodist philanthropist Lizzie Glide in memory of her late millionaire cattleman husband, H.L. Glide. Construction of Glide Memorial Church began that year and was completed on January 11, 1931. Beginning in the 1960's, the church became heavily involved in grassroots community outreach and activism- particularly centered around women's rights, LGBTQ rights, addiction, homelessness, and racial equality. Due to their progressive theology and wide array of social programs, Glide Memorial Church has been a lightning rod for controversy over the years. After years of contentious debate- much of which surrounded the issue of gay marriage- Glide Memorial Church issued a declaration of independence from its former parent church, the United Methodist Church. As an independent non-profit, Glide continues to operate in the same capacity as it always has, offering both lively church services and as many as 87 social services to the community today.

Glide Memorial Church

Angela Isadora Duncan was born in San Francisco in 1877 or 1878 (the year is uncertain). Her family lived at 501 Taylor Street. Though born into a relatively prominent, well-to-do family, Duncan's father was implicated in illegal bank dealings, and the family's fortunes declined significantly as a result. Duncan's parents divorced when she was an infant, and her mother moved the children to Oakland. Both of Duncan's parents had an interest in the arts, and Isadora's mother continued to encourage her daughter's passion for dance, even as the family lived in genteel poverty. Duncan and her three older siblings offered dance lessons to neighborhood children to earn extra money for the family. As an adult, Duncan gained fame for her innovative approach to dance, as well as her unconventional, colorful lifestyle. Always more acclaimed in Europe than in her own country, Duncan nonetheless returned to San Francisco in 1917 for what would be her last visit to her birthplace. She gave cold-out performances at the Columbia Theater, now the Geary Theater.&nbsp; Duncan is perhaps as famous for her tragic death as for her life and art. In 1927, while riding in an open car, Duncan's trademark long, flowing scarf became entangled in the spokes of one of the car's tires, breaking her neck.&nbsp;

Though much of her life was lived abroad,  Isadora Duncan, considered by many to be the mother of modern dance, was born on Taylor Street in San Francisco. On Duncan's last visit to the city, in 1917, she performed for sold-out audiences at what is now the Geary Theater.

Tenderloin District of San Francisco Walking Tour

Ambassador Hotel

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Additional Information