The Epicenter of the Hippie Movement

Haight-Ashbury is an iconic street intersection in the San Francisco, CA that was home to bright colors and Victorian architecture. The street name's original roots came from Henry Haight and Munroe Ashbury who were pioneers, exchange bankers, and San Francisco neighborhood planners. Haight-Ashbury was previously home to African Americans and Japanese residents during the '50s
== What attracted the Hippies? ==
A freeway was proposed through the neighborhood in the 1950s led to a further decline in property values. Due to the aftermath of The Depression, there was a drop in the prices of homes which resulted in an influx of people, specifically Hippies, moving into the area. Most people came to protest the war in Vietnam and the materialism of society. Some also came to “expand their minds” by means of psychedelic rock music and hallucinogens. The Psychedelic Shop was opened in January of 1966 which gave the community quick access to drugs by selling marijuana and LSD.
== The Downfall of Haight-Ashbury ==
In 1967, "The Summer of Love" occurred and the movement peaked. Haight-Ashbury attracted over 100,000 people to the area, quickly becoming an epicenter for free thinking and creative expression. The Monterey Pop Festival that attracted 60,000 people.Multiple musicians gave recognition to the street corner in their music, such as Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and The Grateful Dead. The song "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" by Scott McKenzie swept the nation which caused more people to migrate to be apart of the movement. The area lacked police authority and the usage of drugs was prominent which resulted in hunger homelessness, drug abuse, crime, and overcrowding. This caused most Hippies to leave and by October of 1967, the remaining residents held a mock funeral for “The Death of the Hippie.”
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