User:SlimJim/sandbox/Shelly's Leg
Shelly's Leg was the first openly gay bar operated in Seattle, opening in 13 November 1973.[1] It remained in business until sometime between 1977-79.[2]
Founding[edit]
Shelly Bauman[edit]
Shelly Bauman was born in Chicago on 23 July 1947.[3] She studied classical dance as a young girl. Her parents divorced when she was 16 and she was subsequently kicked out of the house.[4] She performed striptease in Chicago, Hawaii, and Florida, moving to Rainier Valley, Seattle in 1968 to continue her profession.[5] She died in her home in Bremerton, Washington on 18 November 2010.[3]
Need new section title[edit]
On 14 July 1970, at the Seattle Bastille Day parade in Pioneer Square, Seattle, Bauman was among the crowd viewing the parade. At 10pm a parade consisting of a Dixieland band, two cars, and an old fire engine exited the Sinking Ship to begin a performance.[2] The water cannon on the fire engine was set up to fire confetti.[2] The cannon was fired, and somehow it did not shoot confetti, but rather a ball of wet paper which hit Bauman.[2] Bauman's lower abdomen was separated from her body and she lost her leg.[2]
When Bauman recovered, she pursued a lawsuit against the cannon operator, the parade organizers, and the city of Seattle.[2] Her case settled with her receiving US$330,000.[2] She used this money to found a nightclub which she named "Shelly's Leg".[2]
Nightclub[edit]
Bauman purchased a hotel in Pioneer Square, Seattle and in 1973 converted it into a gay bar and nightclub.[2] Bauman would attend parties there in her wheelchair.[6] Sometime between 1977-79 the club was closed, perhaps temporarily at first then definitely by 1979, for problems including failure to meet tax reporting standards.[2]
The sign from the nightclub is now an exhibit at Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI).[7]
References[edit]
- ^ Stevens, Jeff (13 November 2014). "November 13, 1973: Shelly's Leg". Retrieved 5 September 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Zwickel, Jonathan (26 September 2014). "Get Down Tonight". cityartsonline.com. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ a b SGN staff writer (3 December 2010). "Shelly Bauman, founder of legendary Shelly's Leg, dies". Seattle Gay News. 38 (49). Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ Burton, Lynsi (21 December 2010). "Shelly's left leg - Founder of Seattle's first openly gay bar spent the last eight years of her wild, tragic life in Bremerton".
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Burton 2010was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Lacitis, Erik (9 July 2000). "Beloved Seattle". community.seattletimes.nwsource.com. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
- ^ McNerthney, Casey (6 December 2010). "Woman behind gay bar, Seattle's first disco dies". seattlepi.com. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
External links[edit]
- Shelly's Leg, a four minute video presented by Seattle's MOHAI
- a history produced by the The Northwest Lesbian & Gay History Museum Project
Category:LGBT in Washington (state) Category:LGBT nightclubs in the United States Category:1973 establishments in Washington (state) Category:Culture of Seattle