Lgbt Landmarks--know Any Others?

Traveling in Our Fabulous World - A Tour of LGBT Landmarks
August 11, 2007
by Donald Pile & Ray Williams

When you are traveling around the country, besides seeing all the national landmarks, national parks, etc., why not look up some of the gay landmarks? Here are some of our favorites:


New York City

Stonewall Inn, 53 Christopher St., Greenwich Village. On June 22, 1969, Judy Garland was found dead from an overdose in her London home. On June 27, she was buried, and a wake was held by her gay fans at the Stonewall Inn in New York. In the early hours of June 28, the New York City police decided to raid the Stonewall. A series of violent conflicts between the police and groups of gays began that morning and lasted for several days. The clash, known as the Stonewall riots, was a watershed for the worldwide gay rights movement, as gay people had never before acted together in such large numbers to forcibly resist police. The actual Stonewall Inn bar was vacant and closed for most of the 1970s and 80s. It reopened after a renovation in the early 1990s. A second renovation in the late 1990s brought in new crowds to its new multifloor layout. The club remained popular until management lost its lease in 2006. Out of the ashes, the Stonewall Democratic Club was formed.

Oscar Wilde Bookshop, 15 Christopher St. Known as the world’s first gay and lesbian bookshop, it has been a vanguard of gay literature since 1967. Gay activist Craig Rodwell opened the Oscar Wilde Bookshop during Thanksgiving weekend of 1967 on Mercer Street in New York City. At a time when “gay bookstore” meant “porn store,” Rodwell refused to carry pornography and focused on gay and lesbian literature. He ran the store entirely by himself for the first 18 months. In 1973 the store moved to its current location at 15 Christopher St., a block from the historic Stonewall Inn. Rodwell died in 1993, and in 1996 the store went through a major renovation and expansion. In early 2006, Kim Brinster, longtime manager of the bookstore, took over ownership. The staff understands the importance of the Oscar Wilde to the LGBT community.

Harvey Milk High School, 2 Astor Place. Founded in 1985, the first public high school for LGBT students is named after San Francisco’s first openly gay city supervisor, Harvey Milk. He was assassinated in 1978, less than a year after being elected.


San Francisco

Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St. Built in 1922, the Castro Theatre is San Francisco’s only remaining movie palace. When not playing host to film festivals, this 1,550-seat house runs a repertory calendar heavy on film classics; there is no better place to see The Wizard of Oz, with everybody saying the words and hissing with the witch. The interior reflects the elegance of a bygone era. An imposing art deco chandelier hangs from the fanciful ceiling. Completing the effect is a mighty Wurlitzer organ that plays between evening shows. Ticket prices vary by show. Counterculture and movies came together at this historic Castro Theatre, an early champion of gay cinema and independent films. From drag-queen extravaganzas to camp classics, everything is shown there.

Twin Peaks Tavern, 401 Castro St. Before it became synonymous with David Lynch and dancing dwarves, the name “Twin Peaks” was already famous for pushing the envelope. In 1972 the Twin Peaks Tavern shone a light on gay pride when it became the first gay bar with transparent windows on street side. Still going strong today, it is right in the heart of the Castro district in San Francisco.

Daughters of Bilitis, 693 Mission St. The Stonewall riots may have set off modern gay activism, but the seeds were in place much earlier. In 1955, the Daughters of Bilitis (founded by Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin) became the first national lesbian political and social organization in the country.


Los Angeles

Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center, 1625 N. Schrader Blvd. The oldest and largest gay community center in the country began in 1971.

Metropolitan Community Church, 8714 Santa Monica Blvd. Founded in 1968, this branch was the first, giving worshipers a place to celebrate their spirituality without undermining their sexuality. The MCC now has 300 branches in 24 countries.


Boston

Massachusetts Supreme Court, John Adams Courthouse, One Pemberton Square. As the debate over gay marriage continues today, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts took a big step by becoming the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in May 2004.


Kansas City

Liberty Memorial, of course, right here in Kansas City, where many, many friendships have been made over the years.

We have been to all of these gay landmarks and have found marvelous history lessons for gays everywhere.

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Always remember to have fun when traveling, meet new people and talk to everyone! Traveling in Our Fabulous World is written by Donald Pile and Ray Williams, award-winning celebrity travel columnists who write for gay publications from coast to coast. You can e-mail them at: gaytravelers@aol.com or visit their Web page at: http://www.hometown.aol.com/gaytravelers






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