Neartown is an area located in west-central Houston, Texas and is one of the city's major cultural areas. The location has a distinctive character of eccentricity and a diverse population. The eastern–southeastern portion of Neartown is colloquially referred to as Montrose. Neartown is bounded by U.S. Highway 59 to the south, Allen Parkway to the north, Bagby Street on the east, and Shepherd Drive to the west. Once a magnet for the hippie movement, the area's characteristics are similar to San Francisco's the Haight-Ashbury and the Castro.