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Harrisburg LGBTQ+ Bars of the 1970’s

So far, we have limited information on these LGBTQ+ bars in Harrisburg. If you have any archival materials or memories of these bars, please contact the LGBT History Project at history@centralpalgbtcenter.org or by calling (717)-920-9534. 
Class One

Class One opened in 1979 by Ron Boudreau in Harrisburg. It was themed like a New York Style Disco, and mainly a straight bar. It was not until around 1980 when Boudreau decided to host a “gay night” that the LGBTQ+ community started to patronize the bar.

It also led to Larry Wilson realizing that bigger bars were needed, and wanted, within the LGBTQ+ community in Harrisburg:

“So, they offer gay night on a Monday night. Well, you know, who goes out to a gay bar on a Monday night, it’s the slowest night of the week… Not a good night. It’s a work week, you have to work the next day, you know, who can come out on a Monday night? It’s crazy. But they started this gay night on Monday nights and within a couple of weeks, they had a crowd in there on Monday night that equaled a crowd in there on Saturday night… to me that was a wake-up experience in that the people of Harrisburg, the gay people of Harrisburg, are crying for something like this…” – Larry Wilson Oral History
​The Ark
•1974
•Harrisburg
•Owned by Al Kochek


Club 1031
•1975
•Harrisburg
•Owned by Jim Bortzfield


Orpheus
• 1979
• Harrisburg

• Owned by Jeff McDonald
Club 1031 Matchbook, circa 1975. Courtesy of LGBT-006. DCA.
Club 1031 Matchbook, circa 1975. Courtesy of LGBT-006. DCA.
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1306 N 3rd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
(717) 920-9534
info@centralpalgbtcenter.org

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  • Home
  • The Long Road
    • Beginning
    • Philadelphia >
      • Philadelphia Part 2
    • Harrisburg
    • Lancaster
    • York
    • Allentown
    • Montgomery >
      • Montgomery Part 2
    • Work Continues >
      • Acknowledgments
  • With Open Hearts & Open Arms
    • Gay LIfe in Pre-Castro Cuba/Homophobia/What's In a Name? Part 1
    • What's in a Name? Part 1 Continued/UMAP/Mattachine Society
    • Leftist Gays in the US/The Mariel Boatlift
    • The Mariel Boatlift Part 2/Resettlement Camps
    • Resettlement Continued/Press Coverage
    • Immigration/What's In a Name? Part 2
    • LGBTQ+ Organizing
    • The Mariel Generation/Life in PA
    • The Eromin Center/Impact of AIDS
    • AIDS in Cuba/LGBTQ+ Rights in Cuba
    • Acknowledgements
  • Stories of Discrimination
    • Hate Crimes >
      • Anita Bryant
      • Escalating Violence
      • Appalachian Trail
      • Bookstore Bombings
    • Employment Discrimination >
      • Blacklisted
      • "Moral Turpitude"
      • Elected
      • Traumatized and penalized
    • Transgender Discrimination
    • Housing and Property Discrimination >
      • Vision of Hope MCC
    • Conclusion
  • We Believe?
    • Early Expereriences >
      • Praying the Gay Away
    • Coming Out
    • LGBTQ+ Groups >
      • Religious Life
      • Social Life
      • Political Life
    • Faith and Identity
    • LGBTQ+ Clergy
    • Responses: Backlash >
      • Responses: Acceptance
    • Looking Forward
  • Duty, Honor, Pride
    • Vietnam War Era >
      • Investigations
    • Post-Vietnam Experiences
    • Closing >
      • Citations
  • Other Resources