Above photo LEFT 2017 per Wikimedia, “The historic Franz Building (built 1878), at 122–126 Southwest Yamhill Street in Portland, Oregon, is a contributing property in the Portland Yamhill Historic District, which is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.” Ad LEFT is from the FLASH newspaper March 1980.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yamhill_District,_Portland_-_Franz_Building_(2017).jpg

Per papers that called Chronology of Portland’s Gay Bars – author unknown, “Sept 1958-Oct 1960 and 122 SW Yamhill (Nov 1960-1981) owners – Eugene Kennedy Jr (1958-1960), Eugene Kennedy Sr (1960-1975); Ray Willitson  (May 15, 1975-July 29, 1981); building burned, now occupied by Yamhill Market Block, one of the longest running gay bars, also known as “The Tavern”. Williston opened a new bar called it “Ray’s Ordinary Bar & Grill on NW Broadway.”

Per Sister Paula Nielsen in her book “The Trans-Evangelist, page 98, “In the mid 1950’s, there was a notorious bar, the Harbor Club on SW 2nd Avenue & Yamhill Street. The Harbor Club housed a street level restaurant and bar which catered to straights and gays, while upstairs was a bar frequented exclusively by gays at nighttime…Harbor Club was off limits to soldiers and sailors.  Nearby was a tavern at SW 1st Ave & Morrison St, The Half Moon. [Page 123] in the late 1950’s, I hung out at the Harbor Club and the [Half Moon Tavern. During the city’s annual Rose Festival celebration, several Navy ships docked at Portland’s waterfront. The Half Moon would be jam packed with Canadian sailors. Sometimes military men would patronize the Harbor Club in civilian clothes. / 5 Most of the military men went to gay bars to find sexual encounters. However, a few would lure gay men away from the bar, their buddies waiting outside to rob them and sometimes beat them up. In those days, there was a strong bond between masculine women and effeminate men. Many of them hung out at the Harbor Club, forming strong friendship bonds. It was there that I met a lesbian couple, Jacki and Esther. Jacki (the “e” was intentionally left off the end of her name) was the butch (masculine) partnering their relationship. On page 185”1973, Portland had more than just two gay bars where homosexuals could be open. Besides the bar scene, other I munity activities for gays and lesbians were forming. While conservative as it was in the 1950’s, Portland was still on its way to becoming a progressive city. The old gay hangout, the Harbor Club, was no longer Since its closure in 1965, many other bars catering to gays had come into play.”

This was one of the bars singled out in the tavern licensing controversy of 1964-65 (Oregonian, Nov. 28, 1964, p. 11), and contemporary vice reports are quite hilarious to read years later, noting how one particularly good-looking vice officer “got a pat on the behind” while undercover here.  It is unclear when the gay history of the Half Moon began.  There is an article in the Oregonian concerning two male patrons slashed by a visitor in an “unprovoked attack,” Oct. 19, 1952, p. 50.  Sophia Cereghino, owner of the Half Moon beginning in 1939, died in 1955.  It isn’t known whether the gay nature of the place began with new owners after her death or was in place during her lifetime. In November 1960,

A police report on the Half Moon similarly noted that "the activities are such that the males pair up, sitting around and conversing and in a sly manner, will caress and fondle each other ... " 418 However, Puckett claimed that employees expelled any people that they observed "fondling. "419 419 Portland City Council, Minutes, 3 December 1964. Cited in Gay Bars, Vice, and Reform in Portland, 1948-1965 https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/2961/

Sometime around 1958 (or ’59? - nobody seems to know for sure)—the first Queen Eugenie I (alias Sam) was self-proclaimed in the Court of Transylvania.  This mythical court allowed for a whole plethora of other regal titles to come about including a Lord High Sheriff, and a number of other drag queens including Sr. Mary Wanna (Michael Patrick Dillon, who later got caught in a 1963‑1964 sex scandal; see the Oregonian, Oct. 25, 1963, p. 26; Mar. 25, 1964, p. 13).  In the back of the bar was erected a throne for the Queen (who would later become known as Empresses).  An unbroken line of succession was created to the present day—with the earliest Empresses declared by someone (but who knows who?), and later by community-wide elections held in the city’s bars.  Beka Smith, Portland State University

Per the Alternative Connection, page 19, October 1991 – A BIT OF COURT HISTORY by Philip Staley

The guy, who’s wearing I dress, and the gal who’s dressed to it obsess and the jewels shining up to finesse, that’s entertainment. The folks who arrive in a Rolls and the Tux which Izis fit for a stroll and the rest who just got off from parole, that’s entertainment.”

 Wait a minute… wait a minute! Before any more lyrics of lore, let’s go back and see just how all this hoopla began … and where the begins have a beginning h In or around 1958, within the hallowed halls of the original Half Moon Tavern, a group of humorists created what is, for history’s sake, the oldest “Court” on the West Coast; the Court of Transylvania. Complete with Queen Eugene I, some princes and princesses, a regent here, a regent there, and one Lord High Sheriff.

These merrimakers of old strutted their stuff in and around Portland, impressing few, nevertheless, they existed. This band of renegades lasted a mere five years, give or take a year, finally disbanding with disgruntled title-holders except Queen Eugene I. She appeared to be the object of affection.

Things became too quiet following the demise of Translyvania, so without Warning, in a little house secluded amongst the trees of Upper. College Drive, another group of ambitionists plotted to take Portland out of the twilight into the Day. The Pruitts emerged and began plans for a Halloween Ball to be held at Pri – Beaver Hall, entitled “Road to Ruin” and it did. A “Queen of the Ball” would be chosen by audience appreciation, although the judges seemed to hold the wand for the winner. More shows were to follow. While some of these “Queens” prefer to remain anonymous, 1967 chose Kissy Dickie as Queen, the numerical backing of some may come later in this digest. In the fall of that year, at Gracie Hoyt Hotel, Ginger Bob became another victim of the scepter. The Pruitts boiled victim of the scepter. The Pruitts boiled another batch of frothy mirth in the sunken ballroom of the Masonic Temple; “The Days of Wine and Roses.” Rochelle was crowned X, the numbering system a year later.

The following Halloween, the Pruittes engineered their final effort; “Anything Goes.* The Pruitts did. They disbanded and scattered. This final effort produced Scarlet, Queen XI.

In the auspicious name-sake year 1969, the Portland Forum was formed. They changed, through no plausible reasoning, the title of Queen to Empress. While they might be, they would bear the title of Empress or else. Lisa Jean became the first Empress crowned by the form as Lisa Jean XII of the Inland Empire.

A yearly Ball which selected an Empress added still another rite: A Spring Spree which would select a Princess Royal or backup Empress. The banner below hangs at Darcelle XV Showplace backstage photo taken 2022.

 While certain freedoms began to spring up around the community, ie: City Hall and the like, so within the Gay Community changes became abundant. The Empress would be chosen by public balloting, not by prejudicial judges. Tracy St. James, Empress XIV, was the first selected. This Empress turned to Vanessa of Royal Regentry titledom, stripped her of this, and so proclaimed Vanessa to be Empress XIII …filling in the gap by the long deported Telanie.

The update is well-known history, but Darcelle XV; 1973 Doni Lame XVI (proclaimed by the end of her reign to (proclaimed by the end of her reign to find a male image as Emperor…no trees, no forest; 1974 Elsa Daniels; 1975 Mona Greer (her first Emperor, Kim C.) 1976 Backstage all these glorious chaotic Set decorations must be placed to a tee, Nerves run rampant. Nevertheless, the participants pull off some of the most exquisite productions available for your entertainment pleasure.

“The guys, and the dolls, the short, and the talls, the effects which is the best of them all, you’ve got it!”

Below LEFT article from The Oregonian newspaper, Oct 24, 1963. Below RIGHT article about party at The Hoyt Hotel in Oregon Journal May 4, 1971, page 3.

Article below LEFT is from the Northwest Gay Review, page 5, June 1975 GAY PRIDE.

Per an interview with Duane Frye that was printed under GLAPN’s Reflections section of the 1993 Portland Gay*Lesbian*Bi*Trans Pride Parade & Festival June 20-21, 1993, page 11 and 19. who frequented the Music Hall at this time, recalls: “There were other gay places at that time as well. The Cupboard located next to the Broadway Theatre, a beer bar and later named the 19th Hole. The Pantry wasn’t strictly gay but had a mixed clientele and frequented by many gays as they could buy cocktails there and also have dinner; however, it didn’t last too many years. Bob Saunders opened the Tel and Tel Tavern on Oak Street, and I worked there a short time as beer tender. Later, it was sold to Derek and went by that name until it became The Family Zoo. The Harbor Club and Dahl and Penne were liquor bars and very popular and. Had huge crowds. The space was somewhat limited at the Harbor club and there were often long lines waiting to be allowed in, so as not to flaunt the fire code. Leo Kennedy owned the Half  Moon Tavern and it was a popular meeting place until the property sold and is now Riverside West. I worked there part time for at least six years and also when it moved to Second and Yamhill. Many years later it was destroyed by fire and never restored.

“Fire was the demise of the place, also known as The Tavern”, the building was eventually restored as part of the Yamhill Marketplace. Ray opened Ray’s Ordinary Bar and Grille in 1981”

The Tavern is listed in GAY PLACES 1971 International Guild Guide – telephone number: 227-9241 with the connotations of G,B, H, LJ,  Gay, Beer, Hustlers, Leather Jacket it was also listed in Guild Guide 1973 USA & International. It also stated “Older crowd” and on the southside of Yamhill between SW First and Second Avenues).

Per the GLAPN - A Walking Tour of Downtown Portland: A Century of Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Historic Sites June 1999:

(1950’s-1960) Dates back to the 1950’s, Duane Frye recalls working here as a bartender before moving to its later location on Yamhill. Sometime around 1958 (or 59?) nobody seems to know for sure-the first Queen Eugenie I (alias Sam) was self-proclaimed in the Court of Transylvania. This mythical court allowed for a whole plethora of other regal titles to come about including a Lord High Sheriff, and a number of other drag queens including Sr. Mary Wanna (Michael Patrick Dillon who later got caught up in the 1964 Comacho-Vega sex scandal). In the back of the bar was erected a throne for the Queen (who would later become known as Empresses), and an unbroken line of succession was created down to the present day with the earliest Empresses being declared by someone (but who knows who?) and later by community wide elections held in the city’s bars. The Half Moon Tavern was located on Front Street right at the Morrison Bridge approach (now the RiverSide Inn). It was owned by Eugene Kennedy and his son Les. In November 1960, “The Half Moon Tavern was moved to 122 S.W. Yamhill St. where it continued under the Kennedy’s ownership until 1975. This was one of the bars that was singled out in the Tavern Licensing Controversy of 1964, and contemporary vice reports are quite hilarious to read 35 years later, noting how one particularly good-looking vice officer “got a pat on the behind” while going undercover here.” Below LEFT is an article from The Oregonian, Nov. 28, 1964, p. 11. Below RIGHT is an article Oct. 19, 1952, p. 50.

Per article in Cascade Voice, October 1983 “Thoughts from Paula “ TIM BOWMAN/A CUTE BARTENDER About seven years ago Tim played piano at the Embers. From there he moved on to Half Moon Tavern where he bartendered for four years, until a fire in the building casued the establishment’s demise. Many regular customers at The Tavern patronized it because of Tim. He was friendly, treated everybody with dignity and respect and, at same time, made sure that “house rules” were followed to the letter. Ray Wilston, owner of the Tavern, has plans to open another establishment in the future and says that the first person he approaches to come to work for him. [portion of article]

Ray went on to open a bar called Ray’s Ordinary.

The photos below source needs to be identified.