Everard Baths (1888-1986)

The Everard Spa Turkish Bathhouse- more commonly known as Everard Baths- was established by financier James Everard in an old church building in 1888. By the turn of the 20th century, the Everard Baths was patronized almost exclusively by gay men as a private venue to socialize and, most often, have sex. As a result, the bathhouse came to be humorously referred to as "Everhard Baths". Notable gay figures such as Truman Capote, Gore Vidal, Rudolf Nureyev, Alfred Lunt, Lorenz Hart, and Clifton Webb all spent time at the Everard. In 1977, a fire in the top two floors of the building killed nine patrons. Although the Everard Baths reopened after the tragedy, they were shut down permanently in 1986 during the AIDS epidemic by New York City Mayor Ed Koch.