Originally published on CaliforniaHomeDesign.com

Many of the places important to American lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history were established in secrecy and, unless officially documented, could fade to obscurity. A fight is being waged to remember the places important to the LGBT movement, and San Francisco is the epicenter of the battle. Recently, the GLBT Historical Society and San Francisco Architectural Heritage sponsored “These Walls Can Speak,” a panel discussion about the spaces that illuminate the history of these groups. “The sites of important moments in LGBT history were often secret, because gathering in public was illegal,” says panelist Gerry Takano, an architect and preservation consultant. “People can tear down or remodel a building without realizing it has historical significance.” Takano stresses that the current panel is simply advocating documentation, not restrictions or safeguards. “We just want to make sure history is not lost,” he says.

Click here to see all 19 of the most important LGBT landmarks in America!