Information on
LGBTQ culture among the settlers of the Washington Territory (and within United States as a whole) in the 19th Century is sparse. While there are certain high-profile historical figures who are known (or were rumored) to have been LGBTQ in America and in the Washington Territory, LGBTQ Americans largely kept their sexual minority status private during this century. (though it was still subject to
federal sodomy laws). It would not be until 1893 that a sodomy law was put in place in Washington State,
Pioneer Square venues The original hub of the LGBTQ community in Seattle was the
Pioneer Square neighborhood, where many of the
underground spaces could covertly cater to the LGBTQ community. When the
Prohibition era ended in 1933, the LGBTQ presence had grown intense enough to see dedicated social spaces arise to serve the community.
Smith Tower had a gay bar in the basement called the Submarine Room.
The Casino,
Double Header, and Spinning Wheel also opened in the 1930s. at 1213 First Avenue) opened in 1946, becoming the first gay-owned cabaret in Seattle. These early gay bars and cabarets provided cultural and social outlets for Seattle's LGBTQ community. Same-sex dancing was popular where allowed, and
drag was integral to cabaret shows at these venues.
Steam baths Multiple
steam baths in Pioneer Square – baths which predated the emergence of the LGBTQ community – later came to cater largely to gay men by the 1940s. Public baths were considered an important space for both social communion and
sexual congress for gay men, so much so that some Seattle baths catered exclusively to gay men during the mid 20th Century. and Atlas Steam Baths). The South End Steam Baths were located in the Terry-Denny Building (at 115 1/2 First Avenue a
Blue Law that prevented the operation of most businesses during Sunday. The Sabbath Breaking law compounded with regulations instituted in 1933 by the then-newly-formed state Liquor Control Board, regulations which mandated that no alcoholic beverages could be sold on Sundays, The "Sabbath Breaking" law was repealed statewide by a 64% majority vote in November 1966, which was anticipated to lift the statewide prohibition on alcohol sales but ultimately did not. The Liquor Control Board weakened their Sunday sales restriction in 1967, 1970, and finally lift the prohibition completely in 1976. ==Post-Stonewall==