845 Jackson Street

Bruce was born on November 27, 1940 at Chinese Hospital, 845 Jackson Street, San Francisco CA 94133. In 1998, on the 25th anniversary of his death, a plaque was placed at the Chinese Hospital honoring his birth. This plaque was designed by Bruce Lee fan Jeff Chinn. In 2013 the original entrance to the hospital shown here was torn down (photo credit: Jeff Chinn).

When baby Bruce came home from the hospital he lived with his mother at 18 Trenton Street, San Francisco CA 94133. His father, Lee Hoi Chuen, toured the United States with the Chinese Opera Company for three more months before returning to San Francisco to take his family back to Hong Kong. This is the address on Bruce's birth certificate as well as baby Bruce's Immigration and Naturalization paperwork.

 When Bruce first returned to the United States in 1959 he lived at 654 Jackson St, San Francisco CA 94133 before moving to Seattle where he lived for several years. This is the address on Bruce's first California drivers license and selective service card.

In 1959 Bruce stayed in this apartment building with a friend named George Long. The apartments were located next to San Francisco's Grandview Theater. This was before he moved to Seattle.

838 Stockton Street is located at the left side front entrance to this building. There was a Chinese school in this building and Bruce taught Cha Cha lessons there in 1959.

  In 1964 Bruce gave a Wing Chun demonstration at the Sun Sing Theater (now the Sun Sing Center) at 1021 Grant Avenue, San Francisco CA 94133 (between Pacific St and Jackson St). This demonstration became controversial when some in attendance asserted Bruce had boastfully challenged anyone in the audience to prove they were a better martial artist than him. This resulted in the famous fight between Bruce and Wong Jack Man at Lee's Oakland martial arts studio in late 1964. Contrary to popular belief the fight was NOT about Lee teaching martial arts to non-Chinese.

 Bruce and Linda lived with James Yimm Lee (no relation) and family in the Maxwell Park area of Oakland at 3039 Monticello Avenue, Oakland CA 94619 (photo credits of Bruce: Barney Scollan).

 In 1964 Bruce opened the second Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute at 4157 Broadway, Oakland CA 94611.  The building is no longer there but stood near here where this car dealership is now located at 4145 Broadway. James Yimm Lee became his senior instructor.  There is some debate over whether Lee's school was located at 4157 or 4175 Broadway. However, the Oakland City Permit completed 7/20/64 confirms the 4157 Broadway address.The confusion over the correct location is evident even today by the fact that the official Bruce Lee website www.brucelee.com sells a t-shirt with the incorrect address of 4175 Broadway