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Shadows


​​Opened in 1980 at 704 N. 3rd Street in downtown Harrisburg, Larry Wilson opened Shadows in response to the desire and need of the LGBTQ+ community in Harrisburg to have more full-time gay bars.

“When I bought it, I called it Shadows because, in keeping with this, you know, philosophy of gay bars being dark, you know, I wanted, you know, this is—when you go in there you see your shadows in the distance.But what I told the general population of the community, shadows meant that this bar sat in the shadows of the capital.” – Larry Wilson Oral History


Shadows provided another space for the LGBTQ+ community to conjugate up until 1984, when Wilson closed the bar to focus on his new, larger bar space: The Archives. ​
Shadows Bar sign, circa 1980s. Courtesy of LGBT-010, DCA.
Shadows Bar sign, circa 1980s. Courtesy of LGBT-010, DCA.
Shadows Matchbook, circa 1980. Courtesy of LGBT-023, DCA.
Shadows Matchbook, circa 1980. Courtesy of LGBT-023, 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