The District’s seventh commemorative plaque was installed on Wednesday, March 11, at 1147 Folsom Street.
This location was the site of Folsom Street Barracks and the Red Star Saloon in the early 70s. Most recently, it went by Bloodhound, which closed in 2024.
Unfortunately, the careers of the Barracks and the Red Star Saloon were cut short by a fire in October 1976. The lot was sold, and the new owners planned to build a new hotel. However, on July 10, 1981, a disgruntled employee returned and set the site on fire. The fire quickly spread to nearby lots, and 27 buildings were consumed, and 116 people were displaced (including 27 children). Fortunately, there were no deaths. Then fire chief Andrew Casper described it as “perhaps the greatest fire [in San Francisco] since 1906.” The memory of these SOMA icons are rekindled with this seventh plaque.
Many thanks to the SF Public Works for installing our plaques as part of the ongoing Folsom Streetscape Project.