What is Janis Joplin's Apartment (122 Lyon Street) known for?

It is the only documented residence of Janis Joplin in San Francisco, as the address 122 Lyon Street, #3 appears on her California driver's license issued in August 1967.

Can I tour the apartment?

No, the home is privately owned and no public tours are available.

The apartment is located in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, situated between the Panhandle and Buena Vista Park, and is four blocks from the intersection of Haight and Ashbury streets.

Who lived there with Janis Joplin?

Joplin shared the apartment with her friend and roommate Linda Gravenites. Additionally, musician Country Joe McDonald stayed there briefly while he and Joplin were dating.

What does the building look like?

The building is a turn-of-the-century, four-level Queen Anne Victorian. The specific apartment featured a curved balcony, a long entry hall with a tiny kitchen, and a dark bedroom.

What should I check before going?

Use Gyde for context, then check official sources for current hours, tickets, construction, and closures.

Janis Joplin's Apartment (122 Lyon Street) in San Francisco

Janis Joplin's Apartment (122 Lyon Street)

The only officially documented San Francisco residence of rock icon Janis Joplin, a turn-of-the-century Queen Anne Victorian in the heart of the Haight-Ashbury district.

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What to know

Located in the Haight-Ashbury district, 122 Lyon Street is a turn-of-the-century, four-level Queen Anne Victorian house. This building served as the first apartment Janis Joplin rented in the city, specifically unit number three. She lived here from June 1967 through April 1968, sharing the space with her friend and roommate Linda Gravenites. The apartment was a one-bedroom unit, which eventually led the pair to move to a home on Noe Street because of the limited space. This address is historically significant because it is the only residence of Joplin's in San Francisco that appeared in official documentation, as it was listed on her California driver's license issued in August 1967. During her residency, the apartment became a hub of the 1960s counterculture scene. Musician Country Joe McDonald, the frontman of Country Joe and The Fish, stayed here briefly while he and Joplin were dating. According to biographer Myra Friedman, the interior of the apartment featured a quaintly curved balcony that caught the afternoon sun, a tiny kitchen located off a long entry hall, and a bedroom that was dark and draped with emblems of seduction. Today, the property remains privately owned and is not open for public tours. In 2014, the entire building was put up for sale by Vandermade Realty with a list price of $1.7 million. It sits in a prime location between the Panhandle of Golden Gate Park and Buena Vista Park, just four blocks from the intersection of Haight and Ashbury streets.

Visitor tips

Respect the privacy of the current residents as this is a privately owned home.
Combine this stop with a walk through the Panhandle of Golden Gate Park, which is located just above the house.
Look for the classic Queen Anne Victorian details on the exterior of the building.

Nearby context

The apartment is situated in the historic Haight-Ashbury district, four blocks from the intersection of Haight and Ashbury streets, and is positioned between the Panhandle and Buena Vista Park.

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