New York City's Oldest Gay Bar Becomes West Village Landmark

WEST VILLAGE, NY — Julius' Bar in the West Village, considered the longest-running gay bar in the city, was officially made a New York City landmark on Tuesday.

The building at 159 W. 10th St. was designated a landmark for the role it played in advancing the rights of gay and lesbian New Yorkers, the Landmarks Preservation Commission explained in a news release.

“The ‘Sip-In’ at Julius’ was a pivotal moment in our city and our nation’s LGBTQ+ history, and this designation today marks not only that moment but also Julius’ half-century as a home for New York City’s LGBTQ+ community,” said Mayor Eric Adams, in a news release. “Honoring a location where New Yorkers were once denied service solely on account of their sexuality reinforces something that should already be clear: LGBTQ+ New Yorkers are welcome anywhere in our city."

Julius' Bar, first opened in 1864, sits in the Greenwich Village Historic District just a few blocks away from the Stonewall Inn, which was made a New York City landmark in 2015.

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.

In April of 1966, Julius' Bar was the site of a "Sip-in" that challenged regulations banning serving LGBTQ people in New York City.

“As a gay man who enjoys countless freedoms that were unimaginable in their time, I owe enormous debt to the activists who made Julius’ Bar the site of their protest.” said Council Member Erik Bottcher, in a news release. “Landmarks should tell the history of all New Yorkers, including those from marginalized communities."

The designation is part of the Landmark Preservation Commission's ongoing work to "identify and designate places that reflect the important role New York City played in moving the LGVTQ+ civic rights movement forward."

Earlier in 2022, the LPC launched an interactive story map highlighting different places and people in New York City that made significant contributions to the LGBTQ+ community.

You can check out the day to day happenings at Julius' Bar on its website.