Encyclopedia of Indianapolis

Thomas Carr Howe High School

Thomas Carr Howe High School opened in the fall of 1938, marking the culmination of years of struggle by the… Read More »Thomas Carr Howe High School

Drag Performances and Venues

Indianapolis’ contemporary drag scene traces its roots to the 1960s. However, drag queens, who were originally called female impersonators, could… Read More »Drag Performances and Venues

Talbott Street Night Club

The Talbott Street Disco was a popular dance club for Indianapolis’s LGBTQ+ community in the 1980s. Located at 2145 N.… Read More »Talbott Street Night Club

The Famous Door

The Famous Door was a popular Indianapolis entertainment venue that inspired future LGBTQ+ bars and clubs in the city by… Read More »The Famous Door

Shirley’s One Way

Shirley’s Place was a bar and restaurant in the neighborhood of Indianapolis from October 1983 to May 1994. At the… Read More »Shirley’s One Way

The 21 Club

The 21 Club, located on Indianapolis’s Talbott Street, was a 1980s gay bar and nightclub well-known for its oversized dance… Read More »The 21 Club

Damien Center

In Indianapolis, the first large-scale care center for people with HIV/AIDS was the Damien Center, which opened in 1987. The… Read More »Damien Center

The Varsity Lounge

The Varsity Lounge, located in Indianapolis’s historic neighborhood, is thought to be the city’s oldest gay bar and restaurant. Otto… Read More »The Varsity Lounge

Greg’s Our Place

Greg’s Our Place, an LGBTQ+ bar and nightclub at 231 E. 16th Street in Indianapolis’s neighborhood, started as a one-room… Read More »Greg’s Our Place

Uptown Connection

The Uptown Connection bar and restaurant operated from October 1981 until 1989, serving primarily the LGBTQ+ community. A corporation of… Read More »Uptown Connection