A Map of Austin's Queer Bars From the Fifties to Today

Did Sarah and Beth's history of Austin's LGBTQ movement feature story get you walkin’ down memory lane?

Maybe you spotted an old stomping ground of yours on our “Incomplete Compilation of the Gay Bars Austin Has Loved and Lost,” or perhaps your favorite hangout was missing. Now you can talk about all the queer places in Austin you love on the Queer Austin interactive map.

In a similar manner as the “Queering the Map” project, a community-generated interactive map where people anonymously post anecdotes from certain places, the Queer Austin map is meant to be a living collection of LGBTQ memories and histories where Austinites can share pictures, stories, and recommendations for local queer spaces. The map was created by Elizabeth Green, a University of Texas undergrad who spent this summer compiling a list of roughly 250 queer establishments in Austin from the 1950s (oh hey The Manhattan Club, which opened in 1958!) to present day. Green consulted LGBTQ travel guidebooks like the Damron Guides and Spartacus International Gay Guides, advertisements from queer magazines This Week in Texas and Ambush, and various other publications archived on the JD Doyle LGBT History and Music site. Inspired by the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, Green wanted to bring attention to Austin’s vibrant queer history which they say is too often invisible. Whether your memories include laughter or tears, all are welcome to be shared.

And don't forget, Qmmunity is also looking for your gay/lesbian/queer bar memories to make our list as complete as possible. See details here.