Leather Memoir

You are standing in Ringold Alley, which served as a crucial nocturnal hub for San Francisco's gay and leather community for decades. Before the AIDS crisis, this secluded path provided a space for men to gather after the nearby bars on Folsom Street closed for the night. The area was once known as a secondary rendezvous point, forming part of a wider sexual geography that defined the South of Market neighborhood. Today, this space is preserved through the Leather Memoir installation, which officially designates the alley as the San Francisco South of Market Leather History Alley.