Valentine's Day is upon us. And whether you love it or leave it, these pictures of San Francisco couples canoodling through the ages—from the late 1800s to modern day—are guaranteed to give you the warm fuzzies. Here's to local love.
1880s or 1890s: Mr. and Mrs. Springgat decided to have their picture taken in San Francisco by Jones & Lotz at Elite Studio, 838 Market Street. (Courtesy of The Cabinet Card Gallery)
1910: Picnickers at Ocean Beach. (Photo courtesy of Outside Lands)
1911: People dancing inside the Barbary Coast's Spider Kelly's bar room on Pacific Street. Belly dancer Little Egypt is seen at far left. (Courtesy of San Francisco Public Library)
1923: Couples dance at the Palace Hotel Grand Ballroom. (Courtesy of Paris Hotel Boutique)
1943: A serviceman gifting his sweetheart jewelry during wartime (WWII). (Photo by Meith Hagel, LIFE Magazine, via vintage everyday)
1943: A Marine and his significant other walk hand-in-hand, next to the San Francisco Telenews Theatre at 930 Market Street. (Photo by Meith Hagel, LIFE Magazine, via vintage everyday)
1943: A member of the military pins a bloom on his girl in San Francisco. (Photo by Meith Hagel, LIFE Magazine, via vintage everyday)
From the book San Francisco: Portrait of a City 1940-1960: Smiles and flowers for another pair at the flower stand next to I.Magnin (now Louis Vuitton). (Photo by Fred Lyon)
1954: Marilyn Monroe married New York Yankees ballplayer Joe DiMaggio in San Francisco City Hall. (AP)
1955: Two cyclists spend some time in the sunshine at Ocean Beach, near the Cliff House. (Photo via blogspot)
1960s: A couple in Haight-Ashbury. (Photo by William Gedney)
1965: Catherine and Joseph Vecchio ride the Powell & Mason St. cable car. (Photo via shorpy.com)
1966: Love at the beach, San Francisco. (Photo by William Gedney)
1968: A date over some drinks. (Photo by William Gedney)
1970s: Couples in The Castro (Photo by Crawford Barton)
1974: Couple in Cow Hollow. (via shorpy.com)
1983: Couple at the Castro Fair. (Photo courtesy of Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art)
2000: Judd Winick and Pam Ling, who met on the '90s reality show "The Real World, San Francisco" in 1994. (Photo by Timothy Batt, San Francisco Chronicle)
2004: After more than 50 years together, partners and civil rights pioneers Phyllis Lyon (left) and Del Martin were the first to be married by then-Mayor Gavin Newsom at SF City Hall in 2004. This marriage was later voided by the state Supreme Court, and but the couple was legally remarried in 2008. Martin passed away later that same year at the age of 87. (Liz Mangelsdorf, The Chronicle)
