Milwaukee gay bars history

Bars and Saloons in the History of Gay and Lesbian life, culture and society in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Included at the site are histories of organizations, clubs, bars and other businesses by and for the LGBT community; social and artistic events, people, and places that had significant places in the development of gay and lesbian life in the area.

For several years, Milwaukee's annual PrideFest festival, a two or three day event on the city's lake-front festival grounds, has displayed a "Milwaukee LGBT Timeline". The following encapsulates the contents of that display. WisLGBT Sidebar: PrideFest History displays Pre-Stonewall Private house parties and bars are the primary social outlets for Gays and Lesbians. The Mint Bar opens in

The Mint Bar ( West State Street) opened in and was, according to the Milwaukee LGBT History site, “an early beacon for gay men in Milwaukee.” The first openly gay bars began to appear in the s. The River Queen ( North Water Street) was one of the first, opening in the early s.

When nationally prominent, Milwaukee-famous drag star Trixie Mattel bought into the business in , she (and the bar) enjoyed international media attention. In recent years, This Is It became the longest-running gay bar in Wisconsin, one of the 10 oldest in the nation, and a Midwest tourist attraction.