A small blue house sits at the top of narrow, inclined lot. There is greenery in the garden around it.

About this experience

The Lyon-Martin House

San Francisco, USA

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Published: 2025 (v2)

Story outline

  • The Lyon Martin House

    Welcome to the former home of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. Del and Phyllis were the first same-sex couple to be married in California in 2008. The two met in the early 1950's and purchased 641 Duncan Street together in 1955.

  • Stop 1. Who were Del and Phyllis?

    Del and Phyllis, pioneers in the lesbian community, purchased their shared home in 1955. Here they hosted social gatherings, worked on advocacy, and later became the first same-sex couple married in California in 2008.

  • Stop 2. Creating Privacy

    The large front window of Del and Phyllis's home, which initially attracted them to the house, was both a striking feature and a privacy concern, which lead them to cover it with curtains for years.

  • Stop 3. Social Action

    Their living room served as a welcoming space for countless gatherings and meetings, and provided a refuge for individuals looking to connect and join advocacy work for for lesbian rights.

  • Stop 4. Written Works

    The upstairs den was Del and Phyllis's hub for writing and activism, producing influential works on lesbian rights and broader social justice issues - including the founding of the Daughters of Bilitis.

  • Stop 5. Community Building

    Del and Phyllis fostered a sense of community through their partnership and activism and made themselves available to any women who might need to reach out by keeping their phone number public.

  • Stop 6. Daily Life

    The kitchen was central to Del and Phyllis's daily life where where they started and ended their days, enjoyed the view of their garden, and gathered with others to conduct advocacy work.

  • Stop 7. Growing Old

    651 Duncan Street was the heart of Del and Phyllis's life together, from the start of their relationship to their later years, where the LGBTQ community supported them by adapting the house for their needs.

  • Stop 8. Their Legacy

    Del and Phyllis's home was a vital part of their life together and played a crucial role in their success and legacy, supporting them as they left a lasting impact on the LGBTQ community.

Voices

  • An older woman with short, grey hair looks into the camera with an open smile. She wears thin metal glasses and a red sweater.

    Kendra Mon

    Daughter of Del and Phyllis

  • A photo of a man smiling into the camera. He has short brown hair, a short beard, and black rectangular glasses.

    Don Romesburg

    Professor of Women's and Gender Studies

  • A woman looks into the camera and smiles. She has short, sideswept blonde hair. She wears dangling earrings that are round and gold that match her black and gold blouse.

    Marcia Gallo

    Associate Professor of History, UNLV

Partners

About the Project

Located in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, the Lyon-Martin House is the former home of pioneering lesbian activists Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. Beginning in the 1950s, the home served as a community and meeting space for the first lesbian civil rights organization, Daughters of Bilitis, and was central to the couple's lifelong activism and partnership. For decades, their home transcended both their private and public lives, serving as both a safe space for queer communities and a meeting place for political action. Today, the home remains a touchstone for celebrating LGBTQ+ history and igniting ongoing activism in the fight for equality.

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Credits

A special thank you to Kendra Mon, Don Romesburg, Marcia Gallo, Susan Stryker, and Shayne Waston.