When the Stonewall Rebellion took place on June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Inn occupied two storefronts at 51 and 53 Christopher Street. Shortly after the Rebellion they closed. The space was eventually leased as two separate spaces. The current bar at 53 Christopher Street opened in 1990 and 51 Christopher had been vacant for a number of years.
AN HISTORIC DAY - JUNE 24, 2016
On June 24, 2016, President Barack Obama officially designated the Stonewall National Monument, making it the first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights.
The Monument boundaries encompasses a 7.7-acre area consisting of the Stonewall Inn, Christopher Street Park, and the surrounding streets where the Rebellion occurred. In October 2017, a rainbow LGBTQ+ flag was raised within the boundaries of the Monument.
The groundbreaking for the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (SNMVC) was held on Friday, June 24, 2022. The mission of the SNMVC is to preserve, advance, and celebrate the legacy of the Stonewall Rebellion. It will serve as a beacon for generations to come, by providing the unique opportunity to visit the very site where history was made, and the fight for full LGBTQ+ equality began.
The SNMVC will serve as an educational resource and a living and breathing experience that speaks to today’s generations, encouraging them to carry forward the Stonewall legacy and the fight for full LGBTQ+ equality. It will be a transformational experience to all who visit.
