Come on, we're just asking a question!), in the end these 51 bars can - to the best of our research - lay at least some claim to the title of the state's oldest watering hole.
Caf Lafitte in Exile is purportedly the oldest gay bar in North America, and nearby, crowds spill out of two huge dance clubsOz and the Bourbon Pub which face each other at the corner of Bourbon and St. While records are scarce, debate fierce, and the laughter we received when calling state historical societies very real (not to mention, slightly hurtful. The French Quarter at the heart of New Orleans is also the heart of gay nightlife.
And still others, amazingly, remain the longest, continuous-running, liquor-pouring establishments in their great states, having weathered Prohibition by peddling turkey sandwiches and O'Doul's. Some bars opened, closed, and reopened again years later some burned down and were rebuilt others moved buildings, changed names, turned into post offices, or stopped serving alcohol all together. Now obviously, tracing bars through time is an admittedly inaccurate science, especially in a country that once banned booze. MacKenzie Moffat, MCIR Justice Squad But the Up Stairs Lounge arson in 1973 occurred before there was a national gay pride day, week or month, and when homosexual activity was a crime. "Spanning over 75 years and two locations, Cafe Lafitte in Exile is the oldest gay bar in North America in continuous operating since its founding.Because you love drinking, you love history, and, of course, you love the history of drinking, we've tracked down the oldest bar, tavern, or pub in each of the 50 states. A plaque in the sidewalk at the former entrance to Up Stairs Lounge in New Orleans commemorates the victims of an arson attack on the gay bar on June 24, 1973. Guests masqueraded as their favorite "exiles" in homage to displaced peoples around the world. The re-opening after the loss of the original property was a grand fete. Caplinger moved the establishment to its current location at the corner of Bourbon and Dumaine, renaming it "Cafe Lafitte in Exile." The bar was an art gallery and haunt for artists and writers, notably Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote, who were regulars. The entire lot was sold at auction in 1953, as Caplinger never procured an official deed to the property. Notable gay locals and residents included Tennessee Williams, who came here in 1938 and. /rebates/&.com252fAttractions-g60864-Activities-c20-t103-NewOrleansLouisiana.
During Labor Day Weekend, Southern Decadence draws more than 180,000 LGBTQ+ partiers to New Orleans. Caplinger reinvigorated the space into a home away from home for bohemians, artists, and alternative bon vivants of the French Quarter. The longest running gay event, the Fat Monday Luncheon, kicked off in 1949, and the oldest gay social organization, the Steamboat Club, was launched in 1953. Cafe Lafitte's proprietor, Roger "Tom" Caplinger, founded the establishment at the site of today's Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop (941 Bourbon Street) when the building was derelict and abandoned. Originally named Cafe Lafitte, the bar began as a quiet, humble haven for a stigmatized, clandestine community. Once the center of gay culture, gay bars were meeting places that provided safe havens and community centers for LGBTs of all ages. Show your moves on Funky Pirates 24-hour dance floor and check out Americas oldest gay bar. The number of gay bars in the United States declined 18.6 between 20 and fell another 14.4 from 2017 to 2019, according to business listings compiled by Greggor Mattson, a sociology. Since its founding in 1933, the infamous Cafe Lafitte in Exile has proudly served New Orleans' LGBT community. Head to Chris Owens Club for a one-woman show and a live revue. 1 of 5 Danielle Anderson hugs another bar patron (who declined to be identified) at the White Horse Tavern in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, May 7, 2013. In Exile is a fascinating read on the gay history of New Orleans and one of its oldest and best loved bars Cafe Lafittes in exile.