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The neighborhood surrounding Roosevelt was the first Gayborhood in Phoenix. Our very own, "Castro" neighborhood. In the 1970s, middle class Gay men moved in, improved it and made it their home. The area has been known as the Circuit and the Fruit Loop - it has been an active cruising spot for Gay men from the mid 40s through the 90s.This tour includes the 1964 raid on the Eighth Day Coffee House, historical LGBTQ spots, and highlights bars including Cruisin Central and 307. Steve Johnson and his wife owned the 30, Cruisin' Central, and Harley's. The latter is where LGBTQ bar owner Steve Johnson was murdered in 2002. Fun Fact:Monica Helms created the Trans Pride Flag in 1999 near 3rd Ave and Indian School.

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Momma Judy behind the Cruisin Central Bar

In 1960, this building was the Coronet Apartment Hotel, it sported a coffee shop that became the Mardi Gras Lounge. In 1976, the hotel under new management experimented with the lounge, creating a Go-Go bar featuring women dancers and a biker bar. These experiments were short-lived. In just a year later the lounge opened as Cruisin' Central which it remained until the early 2000's when it relocated and modified their name to Cruisin 7th St. located at 3702 N. 7th Street, Phoenix.



Cruisin' Central

Celebrate our community Pride by learning about a a few of the Downtown sites that are a part of our LGBTQ history 

Fruit Loop: Phoenix AZ LGBTQ+ Walking Tour 

LGBTQ Pride month commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Riots, also called the Stonewall Uprising. The riots began in the early hours of June 28, 1969 when the NYC police raided the Stonewall Inn and the patrons had had enough of police harassment. While the New York City Stonewall riots held the country's attention in 1969, there were earlier protests at the Black Cat Tavern in L.A.'s Silver Lake neighborhood in 1967 and nearly a decade earlier in 1959 at the Los Angeles Cooper's Donuts when a group of drag queens and hustlers fought the police.  These extreme reactions by the marginalized LGBTQ community were in direct response to the continual harassment and arrests by the police. Now when folks talk about these riots and demonstrations from 50+ years ago, many only highlight events from NYC, LA and San Francisco. The documented August, 1964 raid on the LGBTQ Social Club called the Eighth Day Coffee House provides evidence the LGBTQ community here in Phoenix, Arizona was also targeted by the police.

On early Sunday morning in 1964 Police raided an LGBTQ Social Club. Arrested were 23 person on charges of drunkenness to indecent acts. Names were printed in the newspaper, many lives were forever changed. The Mayor congratulated the Chief of Police for ridding the city of something that originally belongs in LA. 

Eighth Day Coffee House (demolished)

The neighborhood surrounding Roosevelt was the first Gayborhood in Phoenix. Our very own, "Castro" neighborhood. In the 1970s, middle class Gay men moved in, improved it and made it their home. The area has been known as the Circuit and the Fruit Loop - it has been an active cruising spot for Gay men from the mid 40s through the 90s. This tour includes the 1964 raid on the Eighth Day Coffee House, historical LGBTQ spots, and highlights bars including Cruisin Central and 307. Steve Johnson and his wife owned the 30, Cruisin' Central, and Harley's. The latter is where LGBTQ bar owner Steve Johnson was murdered in 2002.  Fun Fact:Monica Helms created the Trans Pride Flag in 1999 near 3rd Ave and Indian School.

LGBTQ+ Pride is held in June each year to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. Although the Stonewall Riots are not the first, it is recognized as the start of the LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Movement. The LGBTQ+ community held demonstrations, protests and riots in direct response to police raids and harassment. Arizona is not exempt from these activities. LGBTQ+ history in Arizona is under-documented in archives and libraries. We are actively tackling that issue by encouraging the documentation and the preservation of personal narratives, documents and other items that tell Arizona's LGBTQ+ history. Portland Street was the northern boundary of the area affectionately called, the Fruit Loop. The surrounding blocks were a well-known gay hangout for men to find men. The route was Roosevelt Street to the alley West of First Street, Portland Street and 3rd Street.

Rainbow crosswalk - one of two in Phoenix, unveiled the summer of 2018, the effort was organized by Phoenix Pride and other LGBTQ+ non-profits. It highlights the history of Roosevelt as the first Phoenix Gayborhood, and to this day, the neighborhood is home to the Parsons Center for Health and Wellness, Southwest Center for HIV/ AIDS, to One-N-Ten, Aunt Rita’s Foundation and several LGBTQ+ Friendly organizations.  

Phoenix Rainbow Crosswalk 

June is known as LGBTQ+ Pride month to commemorate the Stonewall Rebellion back in 1969. Though, not the first LGBTQ uprising, it's recognized as the start of the LGBTQ Civil Right Movement. These events were brought about because the marginalized LGBTQ Community had grown tired of harassment. Arizona was not exempt from this activity. LGBT+ history is under-documented in Arizona archives and libraries. We are actively trying to change that by encouraging the documentation and preservation of documents, narratives and other items that tell the state’s LGBT+ history.  Portland St was Northern boundary of a area affectionately known as the Fruit Loop. The blocks around were a well known hangout for gay men to find other gay men. The route was Roosevelt St, alley West of First St, Portland, and 3rd St.

This was a active cruising area starting in the mid 40s through to the mid 90s. If it was a busy night the loop might continue on Portland. The was one apartment building, long gone that was called Vaseline Alley. You know this desert climate can be hell on your lips, I'll assume this alley had  well moisturized lips. 

Also, popular were house parties. Since being discovered as a memeber of the LGBTQ community could be disatsterous. The filter of a house party was a welcomed respite away from prying eyes. Though sometime even those were raided.    

Fruit Loop 

Roy's Buffet opened in the late 1930s, by the mid 40s it was called the 307 Buffet because of its location at 307 E. Roosevelt. It's unclear when exactly the 307 became a place where the LGBTQ+ community would congregate, but it was very conveniently located on the route of the Fruit Loop. In the early 1950s, the building caught fire and the 307 Lounge physically relocated to 222 E. Roosevelt, keeping it's 307 moniker.


307 Lounge, Original Location (Demolished)

Please notice the inset plaque to commemorate the 307 Lounge. It relocated from 307 Roosevelt to this location in the early 1950s. Keeping the 307 name meant the current clientele as well as any newbies who had only heard of the place, could easily find the bar. The 307 name stayed with the bar through decades of changes in ownership. It officially closed in early 2000. In the 50s, Tucson artist Ted DeGrazia struck a bargain with the bar, artwork for drinks, this enabled him to drink on the cheap. At that time, he was a relatively unknown, later he would be called Arizona's Warhol. His mural depicted a moonshine still operation, can-can dancers and members of the local Yaquai community. Unfortunately, these one-of-a-kind murals were painted directly onto the plastered brick walls. The Tucson DeGrazia Museum tried to save the murals when the building was slated for demolition, but the artwork shattered during removal.  Legendary Drag Queens; Ms. Ebony, Pussy Le Hoot, Barbara Seville and Celia Putty graced the stage at the 307 Lounge.

307 Lounge (demolished 2015)

LGBTQ+ Pride is held in June each year to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. Although the Stonewall Riots are not the first, it is recognized as the start of the LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Movement. The LGBTQ+ community held demonstrations, protests and riots in direct response to police raids and harassment. Arizona is not exempt from these activities. LGBTQ+ history in Arizona is under-documented in archives and libraries. We are actively tackling that issue by encouraging the documentation and the preservation of personal narratives, documents and other items that tell Arizona's LGBTQ+ history. Portland Street was the northern boundary of the area affectionately called, the Fruit Loop. The surrounding blocks were a well-known gay hangout for men to find men. The route was Roosevelt Street to the alley West of First Street, Portland Street and 3rd Street.

The Dressing Room is a restaurant once next door to The 307 Lounge (when it was located at 222 E. Roosevelt). The 307 Lounge had a small bar and a stage, but lacked a dressing room for performers. In the early 70s, the 307 began hosting regular Drag Shows. Performers would use the space across the alley as their "dressing room", making a grand entrance through the side door of the 307. A few entertainers still performing around town appeared on the 307 stage; Pussy Le Hoot, Barbara Seville, and Celia Putty.


Fruit Loop: Phoenix AZ LGBTQ+ Walking Tour

Cruisin' Central

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Additional Information