Gay bars clubs tulsa oklahoma

Creator Tim Turner. Publisher Tim Turner. Date About Contributor Tim Turner.

Tulsa's LGTBQ-Friendly Itinerary

When you look at some of the photos from the Playroom Club era, toit almost seems as though everyone was happy and gay during that period in time. From what I remember, we were. We worked hard and we played hard, like most Americans at that period in history. The end of the Free Love Era certainly was not evident in the gay club scene in the late 70's.

AIDS was pretty much unknown, at least in our part of the world, life was good AroundI got to hear great stories of the first known gay bars in the Tulsa area. Tim Warren, his life partner tulsa years his younger, was later murdered and his gay discovered in Mohawk Park. The murder was never solved, as well as most gay murders in our city as I recall.

The Camelot was sold out for this event for one of the few times in it's history, it was said, and was never the same afterwards. The entire event was, to say the least, amazing We could talk about it for hours over cocktails sometime. The Milwaukee Tavern, a 40s and 50s lesbian bar located at about 15th and Cincinnati; Bishops Bar, 40s and 50s located downtown with a mixed crowd, but a popular gay hangout; The St.

Moritz 40's and 50s located on South Main which was THE place to go and was closed down after a oklahoma, in anticipation of Liquor by the Drink Little Mexico, late 50s, owned by Thurman Glynn. The Doghouse, owned by Bob Johnson. Then there club the clubs I have personal memories of. At 20 years old I actually had no idea there were nightspots that were frequented by crowds of gays.

I actually thought that there might be at least ten other gay people in the whole State of Oklahoma. Tracy has always been somewhat of my mentor as far as the club business. He ran a tight ship and a good bar. He worked hard and loved giving the kids a safe place off the streets.

Friends Lounge was famous for it's Friday night drag shows and was a coming out place for hundreds over the years. Unfortunately, much of the potential profits went for court costs and attorney fees over time. Frequent police raids and obvious, blatant incidents of harassment were much too frequent and it was my first personal experience of bigotry, political and social intolerance.

I was amazed to realize that at the same time I had discovered a multitude of others of the same sexual orientation, I was also unknowingly transcending from a safe, accepted majority into that of an often misunderstood and shunned bar.