Community Corner
West Village Gay Bar Could Become Historic Landmark In Upcoming Vote
Julius' Bar 159 W. 10th St. could become an official New York City landmark on Tuesday. Here's what to know.
WEST VILLAGE, NY — The West Village might add another official New York City landmark on Tuesday as the Preservation Commission is set to vote on the designation of an iconic neighborhood gay bar.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission will vote on the designation of Julius' Bar Building at 155-159 W. 10th St.
Julius' Bar "is one of the city’s most significant LGBTQ+ history sites for the role it played in advancing the rights of gay and lesbian New Yorkers," the Preservation Commission wrote in a news release.
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On April 21, 1966, Julius' Bar was the site of a "Sip-in" that challenged regulations banning serving LGBTQ people in New York City.
On the historic day, activists from The Mattachine Society — inspired by the Civil Rights nonviolent activism in the south — invited press along for their act of protest.
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The bar refused to serve them, and the story appeared in most major New York City newspapers the next day.
The "Sip-In" took place three years before the nearby Stonewall Riots, which is generally considered to be the beginning of a new wave of LGBTQ activism.
A plaque presented by the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project was unveiled in April 2022 outside Julius' Bar to pay homage to the event.
Greenwich Village Preservation sent out a release about the impending vote, citing the 10-year campaign that has taken place to get the city to landmark the building.
A decade ago the organization (then known as the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation) filed a request for the State of New York to find Julius’ Bar eligible for the State and National Registers of Historic Place.
Julius' Bar is also considered the city's oldest gay bar.
“It’s been a decade-long effort, but Julius’ finally has the landmark status it deserves,” said Andrew Berman, Executive Director of Village Preservation. “This is a huge step forward in recognizing our city’s history as a refuge and home to the country’s largest LGBTQ+ community, and to our city’s crucial role in advancing civil rights movements and embracing and supporting marginalized communities.
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