Alfred E Clark Mansion & History of the Victorians (250 Douglass Street)

This 4 story mansion was built by an unlucky miner-turned-police officer in 1892 by the name of Alfred E Clark. It cost around $100,000 to build at that time. The architectural style reflects the eclectic fashion of the times but can be commonly described as Baroque-Queen Anne. It survived the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and subsequent fires that took down many of San Francisco’s Victorians. It was only briefly used as a home and by 1904 the building was the “California General Hosptial” - currently is houses 11 apartments.

WWII and the Victorians in San Francisco

World War II brought between 1-2 million US Military troops through San Francisco. Thousands of these young men were gay, and nearly all of them were extremely hidden about their sexual orientation. Arriving in San Francisco, they found that SF had a gay community in the city. Many returning soldiers left the city to start a family, buy a house, and buying cars. With the new freedom of cars, many moved out of the city. These large and beautiful Victorians ended up vacant. Then the 1960s happened, young people were rebelling against the strict codes of the 1950s and started experimenting with art, drugs, music, and writing. There was a new sense of freedom for the gay population. After the ’60s ended, many of these people went back to where they came from and the now out gay people couldn’t always return home. This neighborhood offered an opportunity