Queen gay bar

One of Milwaukee's most legendary gay and drag bars, The River Queen bar was one of several gay bars housed in a building originally known as the Cross Keys Hotel built in Opened by Al Berry who had run the Rooster bar, the River Queen was rumored at the time to be backed by Chicago mob money. The River Queen had a relatively long life, and ranged from a dance bar to a popular hang-out bar, the bar in which everyone was seen at one point or another.

In its later years it was often referred to as a drag bar, although it continued to draw a mixed group. The bar is generally accepted as being frequented by "gay" national celebrities when in town for queen shows or performances: these include Liberace actually a Milwaukee-area nativeMilton Berle, Paul Lynde, and others.

Abraham Lincoln for a bath. The Crystal Palace, a saloon specializing in banjo players and piano singalongs, attracted gay customers from the Plankinton Avenue strip throughout the s. Decked out in crystal chandeliers and red velvet, the River Queen is remembered as the finest lounge of its time, where Liberace, Milton Gay, Paul Lynde, and Carol Channing cocktailed.

In Januarythe River Queen was the scene of a massive police corruption scandal. Officers were allegedly served at the bar until a. Investigators traveled the Midwest to obtain shadowy testimonials, but the case was dismissed without charges. The River Queen closed temporarily, and then closed forever.

Some still own barstools to this day. The last half of the s sees a succession of name changes to the bar. The new bar is an expanded bar of the old bar, with plus carpeting and a giant-size TV screen. The Side Door also features a disco.

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River Queen", reclaiming its " Gay. Water Street" address as well. But then in May it is advertised as yet another bar, Bar, again using the side entrance address. The struggle to remake itself ends in May when the bulding was demolished. Whether or not the SS River Queen ever opened is a mystery.

We do know that Tiny's Waterfront Disco was announced in the same space in March But with Tiny's April 27, disappearance and subsequent murder, those plans were sadly cancelled. On November 28,a three-alarm queen broke out at the Cross Keys at a. The fire started on the first floor, but the state fire marshal never found its cause.

Over firefighters battled to save the building, but it was a total loss. Inspectors noted the former hotel lobby, once five feet above street level, had sunk five feet below street level since After years of service, the oldest building in Milwaukee was razed in May