Before it was a landmark, it was a pair of horse stables, built in 1843 and 18461. In 1930 the buildings were combined behind a single facade and reopened as a restaurant, Bonnie's Stonewall Inn1. The restaurant closed in 1966, and the next year the building became a gay bar named the Stonewall Inn1.
In the early hours of June 28, 1969, a police raid on the bar sparked six nights of resistance that would ignite the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement2. On the first anniversary, activists organized the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, widely regarded as the first Pride march in history2.
The honors followed: the National Register of Historic Places on the uprising's 30th anniversary in 1999, National Historic Landmark status in 2000, and New York City landmark status in 20152. On June 24, 2016, President Barack Obama designated the Stonewall National Monument1.
When we listed it, our note said it had reopened under new management. It's still at 53 Christopher Street, with drag shows, DJ nights and karaoke, open until 4 in the morning on weeknights3. In its own words, it's still a living, breathing bar, not a museum behind glass2.
Researched October 2026.