Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Yaddo
Union Avenue (between racetrack and Interstate 87)
Originally the home of wealthy stockbroker Spencer Trask and his wife, Katrina, Yaddo was named by one of the Trask children – her mispronunciation of “shadow.” The Trasks had four offspring, all of whom died young, and Katrina’s grief made her try to envision a [...]
Archive for March, 2009
A “Shadowy” Queer Place
Posted in New York, artists, bisexuals, gay and lesbian, novelists, poets on March 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
A Gay Culinary Star
Posted in Oregon, chefs, gay and lesbian on March 21, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Portland, Ore.
James Beard home
2223 SW Salmon Street (private)
Now an apartment building, this site was once the home of culinary great James Beard (1903-1985). His mother operated a boarding house at this location – she was, in Beard’s words, “a strong-headed, opinionated woman, addicted to theater and the art of entertaining.” She also ran [...]
The Gay White House
Posted in District of Columbia, gay and lesbian, historic sites, political figures on March 16, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Washington, D.C.
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Oh, come on, you’re saying – the White House? A queer place?
Yes, the White House. The resident who comes immediately to mind is Abraham Lincoln, who, as a young lawyer in 1837, rode into Springfield, Ill., looking for a place to stay and found that storekeeper Joshua [...]
Notes on a Native Son
Posted in New York, bisexuals, gay and lesbian, novelists on March 13, 2009 | 1 Comment »
New York, N.Y.
James Baldwin home
131st Street and Fifth Avenue (private)
A housing project has been on this site in Harlem for almost 50 years, but the first home of writer James Baldwin (1924-1987) was once located here. Baldwin wrote vividly and movingly of the deteriorating neighborhood in his essay, “Fifth [...]
The Historic Castro District
Posted in California, gay and lesbian, historic sites, political figures, walking tours on March 11, 2009 | 1 Comment »
San Francisco, Calif.
Harvey Milk home and Castro Camera
573-575 Castro Street
While we’re on the topic of walking tours…
Cruisin’ the Castro is a popular walking tour of the oh-so-gay Castro district of San Francisco, led by community historian Trevor Howard. The tour includes stops at many sites associated with Harvey Milk (1930-1978), the [...]
Gay L.A.
Posted in California, gay and lesbian, historic sites, walking tours on March 9, 2009 | 3 Comments »
I received this press release today, so I’m excerpting it here – those of you living in Southern California, or visiting the area, will be interested, I’m sure:
Frontiers Magazine, Southern California’s oldest and largest gay magazine, will be launching a series of audio walking tours on the gay & lesbian history of Los Angeles beginning [...]
Elizabeth Bishop in Key West
Posted in Florida, gay and lesbian, poets on March 6, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Key West, Fla.
Elizabeth Bishop home
624 White Street
Poet Elizabeth Bishop (1911-1979) was born into a wealthy family from Worcester, Mass. After her graduation from Vassar, she used a family inheritance to live a nomadic life in New York City, Europe, Florida, and other places. In 1938, she and her lover at the [...]
The Queer King
Posted in Hawaii, gay and lesbian, political figures on March 1, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Maui Island, Hawaii
Lahaina
Brick Palace
Lahaina Harbor
The first royal capital of the Hawaiian Islands, much of the town of Lahaina has been given National Historic Landmark status. Facing the scenic harbor was the Brick Palace, which was the first royal residence of Kamehameha I (1758-1819), Hawaii’s queer king. All that’s left now are the foundations of what [...]
