Twin Peaks Tavern and Castro Street: The Glass Windows of Pride

Why is it significant?

Stand outside the corner of Castro and 17th Streets and observe the expansive plate-glass windows of Twin Peaks Tavern, bathing the antique interior in warm daylight.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Stand outside the corner of Castro and 17th Streets and observe the expansive plate-glass windows of Twin Peaks Tavern, bathing the antique interior in warm daylight. When owners Mary Ellen Cunha and Peggy Forster purchased this turn-of-the-century saloon in 1972, gay and lesbian bars nationwide were relegated to dark alleys, unmarked doors, and blacked-out windows to protect patrons from police raids and blackmail. Cunha and Forster took a revolutionary step: they stripped away the curtains and installed clear floor-to-ceiling glass, allowing customers to drink, socialize, and laugh in plain view of every passerby on Castro Street.

That bold act of architectural transparency became a watershed moment for queer visibility and community pride. In the early 1970s, stepping into a bar where the entire world could see your face required remarkable personal courage. By declaring that love and friendship had nothing to hide, Twin Peaks Tavern transformed Castro Street from an ordinary working-class Irish neighborhood into the gay capital of the Western world.

Look inside at the vintage carved mahogany back bar, the stained glass accents, and the brass Tiffany-style lamps suspended over the barstools. Longtime locals affectionately call the tavern the 'glass coffin' because of its mature, devoted clientele and panoramic street views. Sitting near the window offers an unmatched vantage point for observing the rhythm of the Castro. Every architectural element and surrounding viewpoint bears witness to the extraordinary historical transformations that reshaped San Francisco into an international haven of diversity and expression. Every architectural element and surrounding viewpoint bears witness to the extraordinary historical transformations that reshaped San Francisco into an international haven of diversity and expression.

In January 2013, the City of San Francisco designated Twin Peaks Tavern as City Landmark number two hundred sixty-four, recognizing it as one of the first LGBTQ+ historic landmarks in the country preserved specifically for social and civil rights significance.

Walk south along Castro Street, turning right onto 18th Street to reach the GLBT Historical Society Museum.