Jerry Garcia childhood home

Jerry Garcia spent the first five years of his life at 121 Amazon Avenue in the Excelsior District. This modest house served as the foundation for a musician who would later define the sound of the nineteen sixties counterculture. He lived here with his parents and older brother until his early childhood was interrupted by a significant family tragedy. While visiting a family cabin, a wood-chopping accident with his brother resulted in Jerry losing most of his right middle finger. This injury became a defining physical characteristic of the guitarist, eventually influencing the unique way he navigated the fretboard of his instrument for the rest of his career.