The Stonewall Inn was the site of the Stonewall riots in 1969, which are considered the birth site of the Gay Rights Movement in the United States. In the 19th Century, the building was used as horse stables before its conversion to a restaurant in 1930. The Stonewall Inn restaurant opened in 1967 and due to its mostly gay clientele, was frequently raided by police. After the riots in 1969, the restaurant closed for nearly 20 years before reopening.