San Fun-cisco trivia: Test your knowledge with 15 questions

Vika Gautham

How much do you really know about San Francisco and one of its famed neighborhoods?

SAN FRANCISCO — We’ve all heard of San Francisco and the Tenderloin. Perhaps you’ve talked about it amongst your peers, been there or even stayed there. But how much do you really know about the city and one of its famed neighborhoods? Grab something to tally your points and join Harker Aquila with these 15 fun trivia questions to see for yourself!

Q1: How large is San Francisco’s Tenderloin district?
A: 50 sq blocks

 

Q2: What is the name of San Francisco’s first gay bar?
A: Twin Peaks Tavern, located in the Castro district

 

Q3: From a neighborhood in which state does the Tenderloin take its name?
A: New York

 

Q4: In the 1960s, the Tenderloin was excavated to develop the BART/MUNI subway station at Civic Center. During the excavation, the remains of a woman were found. How old were these remains?
A: 5,000 years old

 

Q5: What was the name of the jazz club where Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan and other jazz greats recorded live albums for Fantasy Records in the late 1950s and early 1960s?
A: Black Hawk, located at Hyde and Turk Streets

 

Q6: After which war did the Tenderloin receive an influx of refugees?
A: The Vietnam War

 

Q7: Which famous crime novel was written in the boundaries of the Tenderloin at the corner of Hyde and Post?A: The Falcon Malteser, by Dashiell Hammett

 

Q8: In March 2011, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Vice President Tracy Reiman sent Mayor Ed Lee a letter proposing to rename the neighborhood. What “delicious cruelty-free food” did they nominate?
A: Tempeh (The Tempeh District)

 

Q9: On the evening of August 13, 1961, 103 gay and lesbian patrons were raided in the Tay-Bush Inn. As a response to police harassment, S.F. bar owners formed what gay association?
A: The San Francisco Tavern Guild

 

Q10: The Tenderloin was designated as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places in which year?
A: 2008

 

Q11: When was the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus founded?
A: 1978

 

Q12: What is the significance of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus?
A: It was the world’s first openly gay chorus.

 

Q13: When was the Golden Gate Bridge built?
A: 1933-37

 

Q14: What is the Golden Gate Bridge’s paint color officially called?
A: International orange

 

Q15: What is the name of the LGBTQ+ Holocaust memorial park in San Francisco?
A: Pink Triangle Park

 

A previous version of this article stated that the Golden Gate Bridge was built in 1917 instead of 1933-1937. The article has been updated on April 24, 2023 to reflect the correction of this error.