7 Photos Of The Secret San Francisco LGBTQIA Escape Tunnels From The 1940s

The LGBTQIA community has been fighting for visibility and equality for a very long time, but not long ago, many did not dare to do so publicly as being gay was strictly against the law. The community once used a secret network of tunnels beneath San Francisco as a way to flee police raids on LGBTQIA bars in the 1940s. The tunnels were discovered during development on Market Street where a hotel is to be built, but now activists are fighting to save this historical site from destruction.

Underground Escape

Although it may look like any underground site, activists claim to have found evidence that these tunnels were once used as an escape route from outlawed gay bars during police raids in the 1940s.

Historical Sites

The police often broke into bars like the Old Crow Bar, but the tunnels allowed the public to escape. Campaigners are trying to stop the development to preserve the tunnels that hold this history.

Violent Forces

Nate Allbee explains that the police would use violence when raiding LGBTQIA bars and take people away to prison. When a raid occurred, these tunnels were the safest way out.

Market Street

Once home to several gay bars dating back as early as the 1930s, Market Street is now home to many commercialoutlets. This quiet street was often targeted by forces whose goal was to take away the liberty of the LGBTQIA community.

Lack of Evidence

On top of Allbee's pictures, a TV crew went down to the store room to collect footage, but although the store fronts certainly were historic gay bar locations, there is no evidence that the underground area was once used as an escape route.