History of LGBTQ+ Bars in Central PA

From at least the early 20th century in the U.S., LGBTQ+ people have been creating or appropriating spaces for them to meet, socialize, romance and organize community structures. Outside of private homes hosting parties, these first community spaces were typically bars, night clubs and social clubs.

In central Pennsylvania, the first LGBTQ+ spaces appeared perhaps as early as the late 1930’s, but more likely by the 1940’s or 1950’s. The Clock Bar which opened in 1938 in Harrisburg is believed to be the first LGBTQ+ bar in the region, although we cannot be sure at what point it became exclusively LGBTQ+.

Harrisburg being the state capital and an anchor to the region was an expected nexus of early LGBTQ+ spaces. But by the 1960’s, these spaces began to appear in other small cities of central Pennsylvania, such as Lancaster, York, and State College.

The 1970’s ushered in the disco era and larger spaces with dance floors became popular. Many of the larger night clubs rode that popularity through changes in dance music through the end of the century.  About this time, some alternative LGBTQ+ spaces began to be created by organizations, but much of the focus of the community remained on bars and clubs.

In the 21st century, we have seen the gradual decline of bars and clubs as the main focus of LGBTQ+ communities and the rise of a wider variety of alternative LGBTQ+ spaces such as community centers, organizations, churches, and events. We have also seen the “mainstreaming” of LGBTQ+ people into straight or mixed bars and clubs. At the same time, we have also seen the increasing role of the internet as hosting “virtual” LGBTQ+ space.

In 2020 with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen the further decline of bars and clubs as they struggle to survive amid closings and restrictions on hours and numbers of patrons. Will LGBTQ+ bars and clubs survive? Much of this story is yet to be written, but as LGBTQ+ bars and clubs have come and gone over many decades, their history is an essential piece of the story of the creation of LGBTQ+ community space in central Pennsylvania. 

The Clock Bar was opened in 1938 by George Dare. Once George Dare Sr. passed away, it was then run by his son Stuart and Stuart’s wife Maureen. The Clock Bar was the first known LGBTQ+ bar in Harrisburg, and the first iteration of LGBTQ+ bars at the 400 N 2nd Street building.

“It was called the clock bar because it had clocks on the wall set to different time zones around the world like Moscow, London and you know, that’s why it was called The Clock Bar.” – James Bortzfield Oral History 

 Bar etiquette at the time was dictated by the Liquor Laws that were in place. One law was the number of patrons in a bar had to match the number of seats in the bar. 

“If you had a liquor license, you had to have a seat for every person in the bar, and if you only had 50 seats then you could only have 50 people because everybody had to have a place to sit down.” – Larry Wilson, 1960s Group Oral History

So how would patrons meet each other without losing their seats? If a patron wanted to “talk” to someone, they would send a drink to their intended interest and if the receiver gave a positive response, the sender would go over to talk while the bartender saved the sender’s seat. Bartenders, and other patrons, would keep tabs and hold seats for others when they would get up to talk to one another. 

What you did then was you went through the third-party bartender and sent him a drink…somebody would get up, that’s your seat. Bartender knew that. People around you knew that. You could get up and be over there and you would do something, and someone would come over and say ‘that’s Larry’s seat’” – Frank Pizzoli, 1960s Group Oral History

Unfortunately, the Clock Bar was raided in 1965 which led to the closure of this iteration.  

Image: Earliest photo of The Clock Bar, circa 1940. George Dare, second from the left. Courtesy of Sabrina Dare Bledsoe.