Experience 1960s San Francisco and the thousands who chased drugs, music, and the hippie dream.
In the aftermath of World War II, the United States experienced an unparalleled growth in wealth that facilitated the rise of the American middle class and a rapid increase in the birth rate. However, the generation borne out of this era developed belief systems distinct from those of previous generations, and in many ways, outright rejected many traditional values.
What became counterculture ideals — peace, free love, experimentation, and racial equality — crystallized around the burgeoning hippie movement. Thanks to cheap housing and a relatively open social environment, San Francisco became the nexus of hippie culture in the 1960s.
The San Francisco of this decade was a cauldron of drugs and communal living that fostered an explosive creative environment and became home to tens of thousands of newcomers seeking the hippie dream. Today, we take a glimpse inside San Francisco in the 1960s:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
39 Vintage Hippie Photos That Capture Flower Power In Full Bloom
33 Photos That Reveal The Hippie Haven Of Goa In The 1960s And ’70s
‘Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair’: 33 Pictures Of The Summer Of Love In San Francisco
1 of 57At the center of it all was the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. After experiencing sinking housing prices in the late 1950s, Haight-Ashbury became a destination for bohemians and beatniks, and soon thereafter, hippies.BuzzFeed 2 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 3 of 57Musicians and artists that would become national icons took up residence and became immersed in the culture of 1960s San Francisco. Above: Janis Joplin in Haight-Ashbury in 1967.BuzzFeed 4 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 5 of 57A woman attends a concert at the Avalon Ballroom, a venue that featured some of the most prominent psychedelic rock groups of the 1960s.BuzzFeed 6 of 57The Huffington Post 7 of 57Rediscovered in the early 1960s and popularized by figures like Timothy Leary and Aldous Huxley, LSD became perhaps the most popular drug of the decade. The powerful hallucinogen, along with marijuana, was among the strongest social unifiers of the hippie movement. The Leica Camera Blog 8 of 57Pinterest 9 of 57When apartments weren’t available, re-purposed vans and school buses were the favored mode of shelter.CNN 10 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 11 of 57The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, better known as the Hare Krishnas, successfully attracted thousands of new followers in the 1960s with a message of enlightenment, peace, and inner-reflection.The Huffington Post 12 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 13 of 57Writing for The New York Times Magazine in 1967, Hunter S. Thompson wrote “‘Hashbury’ is the new capital of what is rapidly becoming a drug culture. Its denizens are not called radicals or beatniks, but ‘hippies.’“David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 14 of 57Mother Jones 15 of 57Perhaps the most famous hippie event in San Francisco was the Human Be-In that featured mantras spoken by Allen Ginsberg, music from the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, and copious amounts of LSD provided for free by the event organizers.Mother Jones 16 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 17 of 57Police stings (or “busts”) to catch drug dealers and users became a frequent problem for those inclined to experimentation.The Huffington Post 18 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 19 of 57The Huffington Post 20 of 57CNN 21 of 57Allen Ginsberg takes in San Francisco during the Summer of Love.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 22 of 57The Huffington Post 23 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 24 of 57Formed in 1965, The Grateful Dead were revered mainstays of the San Francisco music scene. From left to right, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, Ron McKernan, Jerry Garcia, and Phil Lesh pose for one of their first band photos in Haight-Ashbury.BuzzFeed 25 of 57The Huffington Post 26 of 57The Huffington Post 27 of 57Free concerts in Golden Gate Park became a staple and a natural place of congregation of the counterculture scene.BuzzFeed 28 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 29 of 57George Harrison plays for a group at Golden Gate Park during his visit in 1967.BuzzFeed 30 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 31 of 57Despite their dangerous reputation, the Hells Angels became entwined with the hippie movement. In fact, they were responsible for reuniting lost children with their parents during the Human Be-In.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 32 of 57The Huffington Post 33 of 57Communal-based economies sprung up inside San Francisco, with free clinics and grocery stores becoming central to the lives of those opting out of traditional modes of living.BuzzFeed 34 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 35 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 36 of 57World of Signs 37 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 38 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 39 of 57The Huffington Post 40 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 41 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 42 of 57A resident of Haight-Ashbury rests aside portraits of Jean Harlow and Marlon Brando.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 43 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 44 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 45 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 46 of 57"Free love” was the dictum of the decade, which meant hippies often eschewed traditionally monogamous relationships for polyamory.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 47 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 48 of 57The Huffington Post 49 of 57BuzzFeed 50 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 51 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 52 of 57A crowd awaits a concert in Golden Gate Park in 1968.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 53 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 54 of 57The never-ending show in Haight-Ashbury wasn’t enjoyed by the rest of San Francisco’s residents. Pressure from civic groups led to San Francisco taking stricture measurements about zoning, giving less opportunity for squatting and group homes.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 55 of 57While the flame burned bright for much of the 1960s, pressure from the city government along with the increased presence of law enforcement eventually made San Francisco less of a destination for the hippie counterculture.Pinterest 56 of 57 57 of 57Like this gallery?Share it:
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The Height Of Hippie Power: 55 Photos Of San Francisco In The 1960s View Gallery
The party could not last forever: by the end of 1967’s “Summer of Love,” San Francisco was no longer attracting just hippies, but also tourists, criminals, and party-seekers, as well as the unwanted attention of law enforcement and government officials. In October 1967, members of the Haight-Ashbury community held a mock funeral that declared the “Death of the Hippie.”
Like this gallery?Share it:
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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
39 Vintage Hippie Photos That Capture Flower Power In Full Bloom
33 Photos That Reveal The Hippie Haven Of Goa In The 1960s And ’70s
‘Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair’: 33 Pictures Of The Summer Of Love In San Francisco
1 of 57At the center of it all was the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. After experiencing sinking housing prices in the late 1950s, Haight-Ashbury became a destination for bohemians and beatniks, and soon thereafter, hippies.BuzzFeed 2 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 3 of 57Musicians and artists that would become national icons took up residence and became immersed in the culture of 1960s San Francisco. Above: Janis Joplin in Haight-Ashbury in 1967.BuzzFeed 4 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 5 of 57A woman attends a concert at the Avalon Ballroom, a venue that featured some of the most prominent psychedelic rock groups of the 1960s.BuzzFeed 6 of 57The Huffington Post 7 of 57Rediscovered in the early 1960s and popularized by figures like Timothy Leary and Aldous Huxley, LSD became perhaps the most popular drug of the decade. The powerful hallucinogen, along with marijuana, was among the strongest social unifiers of the hippie movement. The Leica Camera Blog 8 of 57Pinterest 9 of 57When apartments weren’t available, re-purposed vans and school buses were the favored mode of shelter.CNN 10 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 11 of 57The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, better known as the Hare Krishnas, successfully attracted thousands of new followers in the 1960s with a message of enlightenment, peace, and inner-reflection.The Huffington Post 12 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 13 of 57Writing for The New York Times Magazine in 1967, Hunter S. Thompson wrote “‘Hashbury’ is the new capital of what is rapidly becoming a drug culture. Its denizens are not called radicals or beatniks, but ‘hippies.’“David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 14 of 57Mother Jones 15 of 57Perhaps the most famous hippie event in San Francisco was the Human Be-In that featured mantras spoken by Allen Ginsberg, music from the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, and copious amounts of LSD provided for free by the event organizers.Mother Jones 16 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 17 of 57Police stings (or “busts”) to catch drug dealers and users became a frequent problem for those inclined to experimentation.The Huffington Post 18 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 19 of 57The Huffington Post 20 of 57CNN 21 of 57Allen Ginsberg takes in San Francisco during the Summer of Love.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 22 of 57The Huffington Post 23 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 24 of 57Formed in 1965, The Grateful Dead were revered mainstays of the San Francisco music scene. From left to right, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, Ron McKernan, Jerry Garcia, and Phil Lesh pose for one of their first band photos in Haight-Ashbury.BuzzFeed 25 of 57The Huffington Post 26 of 57The Huffington Post 27 of 57Free concerts in Golden Gate Park became a staple and a natural place of congregation of the counterculture scene.BuzzFeed 28 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 29 of 57George Harrison plays for a group at Golden Gate Park during his visit in 1967.BuzzFeed 30 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 31 of 57Despite their dangerous reputation, the Hells Angels became entwined with the hippie movement. In fact, they were responsible for reuniting lost children with their parents during the Human Be-In.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 32 of 57The Huffington Post 33 of 57Communal-based economies sprung up inside San Francisco, with free clinics and grocery stores becoming central to the lives of those opting out of traditional modes of living.BuzzFeed 34 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 35 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 36 of 57World of Signs 37 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 38 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 39 of 57The Huffington Post 40 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 41 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 42 of 57A resident of Haight-Ashbury rests aside portraits of Jean Harlow and Marlon Brando.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 43 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 44 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 45 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 46 of 57"Free love” was the dictum of the decade, which meant hippies often eschewed traditionally monogamous relationships for polyamory.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 47 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 48 of 57The Huffington Post 49 of 57BuzzFeed 50 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 51 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 52 of 57A crowd awaits a concert in Golden Gate Park in 1968.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 53 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 54 of 57The never-ending show in Haight-Ashbury wasn’t enjoyed by the rest of San Francisco’s residents. Pressure from civic groups led to San Francisco taking stricture measurements about zoning, giving less opportunity for squatting and group homes.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 55 of 57While the flame burned bright for much of the 1960s, pressure from the city government along with the increased presence of law enforcement eventually made San Francisco less of a destination for the hippie counterculture.Pinterest 56 of 57 57 of 57Like this gallery?Share it:
Share
Like this gallery?Share it:
Share
And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
39 Vintage Hippie Photos That Capture Flower Power In Full Bloom
33 Photos That Reveal The Hippie Haven Of Goa In The 1960s And ’70s
‘Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair’: 33 Pictures Of The Summer Of Love In San Francisco
1 of 57At the center of it all was the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. After experiencing sinking housing prices in the late 1950s, Haight-Ashbury became a destination for bohemians and beatniks, and soon thereafter, hippies.BuzzFeed 2 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 3 of 57Musicians and artists that would become national icons took up residence and became immersed in the culture of 1960s San Francisco. Above: Janis Joplin in Haight-Ashbury in 1967.BuzzFeed 4 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 5 of 57A woman attends a concert at the Avalon Ballroom, a venue that featured some of the most prominent psychedelic rock groups of the 1960s.BuzzFeed 6 of 57The Huffington Post 7 of 57Rediscovered in the early 1960s and popularized by figures like Timothy Leary and Aldous Huxley, LSD became perhaps the most popular drug of the decade. The powerful hallucinogen, along with marijuana, was among the strongest social unifiers of the hippie movement. The Leica Camera Blog 8 of 57Pinterest 9 of 57When apartments weren’t available, re-purposed vans and school buses were the favored mode of shelter.CNN 10 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 11 of 57The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, better known as the Hare Krishnas, successfully attracted thousands of new followers in the 1960s with a message of enlightenment, peace, and inner-reflection.The Huffington Post 12 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 13 of 57Writing for The New York Times Magazine in 1967, Hunter S. Thompson wrote “‘Hashbury’ is the new capital of what is rapidly becoming a drug culture. Its denizens are not called radicals or beatniks, but ‘hippies.’“David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 14 of 57Mother Jones 15 of 57Perhaps the most famous hippie event in San Francisco was the Human Be-In that featured mantras spoken by Allen Ginsberg, music from the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, and copious amounts of LSD provided for free by the event organizers.Mother Jones 16 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 17 of 57Police stings (or “busts”) to catch drug dealers and users became a frequent problem for those inclined to experimentation.The Huffington Post 18 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 19 of 57The Huffington Post 20 of 57CNN 21 of 57Allen Ginsberg takes in San Francisco during the Summer of Love.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 22 of 57The Huffington Post 23 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 24 of 57Formed in 1965, The Grateful Dead were revered mainstays of the San Francisco music scene. From left to right, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, Ron McKernan, Jerry Garcia, and Phil Lesh pose for one of their first band photos in Haight-Ashbury.BuzzFeed 25 of 57The Huffington Post 26 of 57The Huffington Post 27 of 57Free concerts in Golden Gate Park became a staple and a natural place of congregation of the counterculture scene.BuzzFeed 28 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 29 of 57George Harrison plays for a group at Golden Gate Park during his visit in 1967.BuzzFeed 30 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 31 of 57Despite their dangerous reputation, the Hells Angels became entwined with the hippie movement. In fact, they were responsible for reuniting lost children with their parents during the Human Be-In.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 32 of 57The Huffington Post 33 of 57Communal-based economies sprung up inside San Francisco, with free clinics and grocery stores becoming central to the lives of those opting out of traditional modes of living.BuzzFeed 34 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 35 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 36 of 57World of Signs 37 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 38 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 39 of 57The Huffington Post 40 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 41 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 42 of 57A resident of Haight-Ashbury rests aside portraits of Jean Harlow and Marlon Brando.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 43 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 44 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 45 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 46 of 57"Free love” was the dictum of the decade, which meant hippies often eschewed traditionally monogamous relationships for polyamory.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 47 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 48 of 57The Huffington Post 49 of 57BuzzFeed 50 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 51 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 52 of 57A crowd awaits a concert in Golden Gate Park in 1968.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 53 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 54 of 57The never-ending show in Haight-Ashbury wasn’t enjoyed by the rest of San Francisco’s residents. Pressure from civic groups led to San Francisco taking stricture measurements about zoning, giving less opportunity for squatting and group homes.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 55 of 57While the flame burned bright for much of the 1960s, pressure from the city government along with the increased presence of law enforcement eventually made San Francisco less of a destination for the hippie counterculture.Pinterest 56 of 57 57 of 57Like this gallery?Share it:
Share
Like this gallery?Share it:
Share
And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:
39 Vintage Hippie Photos That Capture Flower Power In Full Bloom
33 Photos That Reveal The Hippie Haven Of Goa In The 1960s And ’70s
‘Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair’: 33 Pictures Of The Summer Of Love In San Francisco
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1 of 57At the center of it all was the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. After experiencing sinking housing prices in the late 1950s, Haight-Ashbury became a destination for bohemians and beatniks, and soon thereafter, hippies.BuzzFeed 2 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 3 of 57Musicians and artists that would become national icons took up residence and became immersed in the culture of 1960s San Francisco. Above: Janis Joplin in Haight-Ashbury in 1967.BuzzFeed 4 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 5 of 57A woman attends a concert at the Avalon Ballroom, a venue that featured some of the most prominent psychedelic rock groups of the 1960s.BuzzFeed 6 of 57The Huffington Post 7 of 57Rediscovered in the early 1960s and popularized by figures like Timothy Leary and Aldous Huxley, LSD became perhaps the most popular drug of the decade. The powerful hallucinogen, along with marijuana, was among the strongest social unifiers of the hippie movement. The Leica Camera Blog 8 of 57Pinterest 9 of 57When apartments weren’t available, re-purposed vans and school buses were the favored mode of shelter.CNN 10 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 11 of 57The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, better known as the Hare Krishnas, successfully attracted thousands of new followers in the 1960s with a message of enlightenment, peace, and inner-reflection.The Huffington Post 12 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 13 of 57Writing for The New York Times Magazine in 1967, Hunter S. Thompson wrote “‘Hashbury’ is the new capital of what is rapidly becoming a drug culture. Its denizens are not called radicals or beatniks, but ‘hippies.’“David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 14 of 57Mother Jones 15 of 57Perhaps the most famous hippie event in San Francisco was the Human Be-In that featured mantras spoken by Allen Ginsberg, music from the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, and copious amounts of LSD provided for free by the event organizers.Mother Jones 16 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 17 of 57Police stings (or “busts”) to catch drug dealers and users became a frequent problem for those inclined to experimentation.The Huffington Post 18 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 19 of 57The Huffington Post 20 of 57CNN 21 of 57Allen Ginsberg takes in San Francisco during the Summer of Love.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 22 of 57The Huffington Post 23 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 24 of 57Formed in 1965, The Grateful Dead were revered mainstays of the San Francisco music scene. From left to right, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, Ron McKernan, Jerry Garcia, and Phil Lesh pose for one of their first band photos in Haight-Ashbury.BuzzFeed 25 of 57The Huffington Post 26 of 57The Huffington Post 27 of 57Free concerts in Golden Gate Park became a staple and a natural place of congregation of the counterculture scene.BuzzFeed 28 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 29 of 57George Harrison plays for a group at Golden Gate Park during his visit in 1967.BuzzFeed 30 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 31 of 57Despite their dangerous reputation, the Hells Angels became entwined with the hippie movement. In fact, they were responsible for reuniting lost children with their parents during the Human Be-In.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 32 of 57The Huffington Post 33 of 57Communal-based economies sprung up inside San Francisco, with free clinics and grocery stores becoming central to the lives of those opting out of traditional modes of living.BuzzFeed 34 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 35 of 57The Leica Camera Blog 36 of 57World of Signs 37 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 38 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 39 of 57The Huffington Post 40 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 41 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 42 of 57A resident of Haight-Ashbury rests aside portraits of Jean Harlow and Marlon Brando.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 43 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 44 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 45 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 46 of 57"Free love” was the dictum of the decade, which meant hippies often eschewed traditionally monogamous relationships for polyamory.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 47 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 48 of 57The Huffington Post 49 of 57BuzzFeed 50 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 51 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 52 of 57A crowd awaits a concert in Golden Gate Park in 1968.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 53 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 54 of 57The never-ending show in Haight-Ashbury wasn’t enjoyed by the rest of San Francisco’s residents. Pressure from civic groups led to San Francisco taking stricture measurements about zoning, giving less opportunity for squatting and group homes.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library 55 of 57While the flame burned bright for much of the 1960s, pressure from the city government along with the increased presence of law enforcement eventually made San Francisco less of a destination for the hippie counterculture.Pinterest 56 of 57 57 of 57Like this gallery?Share it:
Share
1 of 57At the center of it all was the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. After experiencing sinking housing prices in the late 1950s, Haight-Ashbury became a destination for bohemians and beatniks, and soon thereafter, hippies.BuzzFeed
2 of 57The Leica Camera Blog
3 of 57Musicians and artists that would become national icons took up residence and became immersed in the culture of 1960s San Francisco. Above: Janis Joplin in Haight-Ashbury in 1967.BuzzFeed
4 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
5 of 57A woman attends a concert at the Avalon Ballroom, a venue that featured some of the most prominent psychedelic rock groups of the 1960s.BuzzFeed
6 of 57The Huffington Post
7 of 57Rediscovered in the early 1960s and popularized by figures like Timothy Leary and Aldous Huxley, LSD became perhaps the most popular drug of the decade. The powerful hallucinogen, along with marijuana, was among the strongest social unifiers of the hippie movement. The Leica Camera Blog
8 of 57Pinterest
9 of 57When apartments weren’t available, re-purposed vans and school buses were the favored mode of shelter.CNN
10 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
11 of 57The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, better known as the Hare Krishnas, successfully attracted thousands of new followers in the 1960s with a message of enlightenment, peace, and inner-reflection.The Huffington Post
12 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
13 of 57Writing for The New York Times Magazine in 1967, Hunter S. Thompson wrote “‘Hashbury’ is the new capital of what is rapidly becoming a drug culture. Its denizens are not called radicals or beatniks, but ‘hippies.’“David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
14 of 57Mother Jones
15 of 57Perhaps the most famous hippie event in San Francisco was the Human Be-In that featured mantras spoken by Allen Ginsberg, music from the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, and copious amounts of LSD provided for free by the event organizers.Mother Jones
16 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
17 of 57Police stings (or “busts”) to catch drug dealers and users became a frequent problem for those inclined to experimentation.The Huffington Post
18 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
19 of 57The Huffington Post
20 of 57CNN
21 of 57Allen Ginsberg takes in San Francisco during the Summer of Love.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
22 of 57The Huffington Post
23 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
24 of 57Formed in 1965, The Grateful Dead were revered mainstays of the San Francisco music scene. From left to right, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, Ron McKernan, Jerry Garcia, and Phil Lesh pose for one of their first band photos in Haight-Ashbury.BuzzFeed
25 of 57The Huffington Post
26 of 57The Huffington Post
27 of 57Free concerts in Golden Gate Park became a staple and a natural place of congregation of the counterculture scene.BuzzFeed
28 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
29 of 57George Harrison plays for a group at Golden Gate Park during his visit in 1967.BuzzFeed
30 of 57The Leica Camera Blog
31 of 57Despite their dangerous reputation, the Hells Angels became entwined with the hippie movement. In fact, they were responsible for reuniting lost children with their parents during the Human Be-In.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
32 of 57The Huffington Post
33 of 57Communal-based economies sprung up inside San Francisco, with free clinics and grocery stores becoming central to the lives of those opting out of traditional modes of living.BuzzFeed
34 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
35 of 57The Leica Camera Blog
36 of 57World of Signs
37 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
38 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
39 of 57The Huffington Post
40 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
41 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
42 of 57A resident of Haight-Ashbury rests aside portraits of Jean Harlow and Marlon Brando.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
43 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
44 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
45 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
46 of 57"Free love” was the dictum of the decade, which meant hippies often eschewed traditionally monogamous relationships for polyamory.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
47 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
48 of 57The Huffington Post
49 of 57BuzzFeed
50 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
51 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
52 of 57A crowd awaits a concert in Golden Gate Park in 1968.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
53 of 57David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
54 of 57The never-ending show in Haight-Ashbury wasn’t enjoyed by the rest of San Francisco’s residents. Pressure from civic groups led to San Francisco taking stricture measurements about zoning, giving less opportunity for squatting and group homes.David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
55 of 57While the flame burned bright for much of the 1960s, pressure from the city government along with the increased presence of law enforcement eventually made San Francisco less of a destination for the hippie counterculture.Pinterest
56 of 57
57 of 57Like this gallery?Share it:
Share
The Height Of Hippie Power: 55 Photos Of San Francisco In The 1960s View Gallery
The Height Of Hippie Power: 55 Photos Of San Francisco In The 1960s View Gallery
The Height Of Hippie Power: 55 Photos Of San Francisco In The 1960s View Gallery
The Height Of Hippie Power: 55 Photos Of San Francisco In The 1960s View Gallery
The Height Of Hippie Power: 55 Photos Of San Francisco In The 1960s
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As the organizers proclaimed:
If hippie culture fascinates you, watch the report below on Haight-Ashbury and the hippie movement by IT News in 1967:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSaAEtGBbMo
Enjoy these 1960s San Francisco photos? Check out our other posts on hippie communes, the history of the hippie movement in America and fascinating Woodstock photos.
