Gay bars elmira

By Rachel Dworkin, Archivist. Today, such establishments are generally known as gay bars, even though they cater to more than just gay men. In the United States, there are a number of bars all claiming to be the first gay bar, most of which date back to Prohibition and the s or 30s. It was owned by Mrs. Marion Stumpf and opened on November 2, Westervelt himself was gay and wanted to create a space where people could come and be themselves.

In addition to offering drinks and some food, The David hosted drag shows by the Legendary Children, a local troupe of drag performers. The bar closed in when Westervelt retired. Historically, gay bars across the nation were heavily involved in the gay rights movement.

The Starlite Room

When the gay rights movement began in the late s, homosexual acts were criminalized in every state except Illinois. Gay bars were frequently raided by police. Gay bars became a place, not just to drink and meet people, but to organize and resist. Bar owner John Westervelt was himself part of the movement.

During the s, he participated in a series of panel discussions about homosexuality and the gay rights movement at Elmira College. It was huge in the drag scene, regularly hosting shows as well as the annual Mr. It closed in The club offered dancing, drinks, and regular drag shows.

Gay took over the Mr. The club regularly participated in local Pride events as well. As a child on a field trip to a history museum, I remember being awestruck as I walked around a dugout canoe. It seemed larger than canoes floating in a nearby lake, and the texture of axe marks almost looked like a pattern with a secret message.

I wondered who made it, why they made it, and where they might have traveled with it. It was a mystery and I wanted to learn more. Each minute visit to the museum means that our small staff of five, including the Executive Director, Elmira, Curator, and Office Manager drop everything and join me to help out.

We want students to feel welcome, that they belong here at the museum, and we want them to see themselves connecting to bar history. Knowing that for many students it will be their first time visiting a museum, we give them the tools to understand what museums are and what a history museum holds.

Visiting each class multiple times helps to build trust in the students and teachers who work so hard. The six visits culminate at the end of their second grade with a field trip to the museum.