Quote:
Originally Posted by rick m
Where to begin on old downtown's gay scene-- Well prior to WW2 there was furrier-owned Maxwell's (in'56 city st.dir.as M Cocktail Lounge) that startd qietly on first floor of the Currier Bldg(adj to east side of Bradbury Bldng)which is absurd cuz city's detective/vice dept was ensconced inside that blng on 2 floors) Maxwell's was THE mjr spot for the many occupants of the surrounding hotel-apts - But it eventually became rowdier - so the dressier element found the Crown Jewel (n/e corner of 8th & Olive) more to their liking.The owner there had a large open basement bar area ringed by a mezzanine and a grand-entrance-providing central stairway for the dandy crowd. Other bars(usually another dozen or so at any one time) were definitely tougher scenes/locations.Dancing was not even possible until the 60s started. Pershing Square's dense banana groves had its own outdoor fans since the depression - others met more discretely at the central fountain - The park had 2 tavers on the east side on Hill (Red Horse andBlue Rail) and the big Donut Chalet(5th n Hill) and a City Chicken hangout for the under 21 set- and Rechy verified that the Googies Coffeeshop on corner of Olive n 5th in the sometimes gay-run San Carlos Hotel was a spot to relax and cruise .Some hotels in their doddering years eagerly took in male trysting pairs
|
Just back frm Sundays Hwd farmers mkt - smack dab centered @ Selma n Cosmo where 2 1930s gay speakeasies once were- B.B.B.s and Jimmy's Backyard - also the just closed Spotlite and Ivar St.'s eurodive Sewers Of Paris/in basement of Ivar Theatre!--Anyhoo- the 3 downtown hotels noted as okay to use in very early gay guides were the Lankershim once on 7th, the Hayward, San Carlos "adverts in 1970 Advocate" and the Dover Hotel&bar next to tThe Waldorf -500 block of S.Main-LAPD murder scene of a hustler..