Central Florida History and Events
02 July, 2007 Written by David Bain The following is an approximate timeline of the events, organizations, and businesses through the past decades. Accuracy of the dates can not be guaranteed. It has been developed as a guide to assist in the research of our past. It is our hope that it will stir a memory or two that you might wish to share with us. If you have knowledge, photographs, newspaper clipping(s), or artifacts about anything below, please help us out by sharing it with us. If we've listed a business, and there is numbered address, that means we've found published references to it. Same goes for opening date, if there is a specific date after any listing (in parenthesis), that means we've seen a published opening date. Otherwise, the decade listed is our best guess based on the memories of those who have submitted it. If you have a flyer, or advertisment that mentions a grand opening date, we hope you would consider donating it to the cause. Did we forget something important or get something wrong? Please let us know by adding a comment.
Updated August 14, 2007
1950s
Tropitan (1949-1954)
1960s
Below Zero - Lamar Hotel
Cactus Room – Orange Avenue
1970s
Annex - 60 N Orange Ave
Cactus Room - 121 N Bumby Avenue
Café Society
Changes - A Wimmins's Newsletter
Diamond Head Lounge - 134 S Magnolia Avenue
End Zone – 4910 N Edgewater Drive
FTU Gay Student Association – UCF GLBSU
Gay Skate at Semoran Skateway
Gay Social Services (GSS)Gay Hotline (THE-GAYS)
Hanks - 2825 N Orange Blossom Trail
Last Spot – 4908 N Edgewater Drive
Mack Meiner's Country Store - 921 N Mills Avenue
Michaels of Florida Clothing – 410 N Orange Blossom Trail
Moon Parties
Night Owl - 1000 Humphries
Odds and Ends Runabout - 4910 Edgewater Drive
Sunday Club at Park Avenue - N Orange Blossom Trail
Palace Club - 4910 Edgewater Drive
Palace Club - 1000 Humphries
The Parliament House - 410 N Orange Blossom Trail
San Juan / Grand Central Hotel - 55 N Orange Avenue
Savage Connection - 1124 S Orange Avenue
Silver Hammer Saloon - 1300 N Mills Avenue
Tuesday Night Rap Group
1980s
Act Out Theatre
AIDS Coalition Endowment (ACE)
AIDS Resource Alliance (ARA)
AID Orlando (1987-1988)
Bierboard - 912 N Mills
Bistro - 857 E Semoran
Blue Parrot - 410 N Orange Blossom Trail
Boxcars - 140 Fernwood Boulevard
Brat Band
Cell Block M – 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
Central Florida AIDS Unified Resources (CENTAUR)
The Center - 931 N MillsThe Center Newsletter
The Centerfold Newspaper
Central Station - 140 Fernwood Boulevard
Circle J's - 4910 Edgewater Drive
City Bath Club - 1877 S. Orange Blossom Trail
Cell Block M - 3700 N Orange Blossom Trail & 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
Dignity OrlandoThe Dugout - 410 N Orange Blossom Trail
Face to Face/Faces - 4910 Edgewater Drive
Frogg’s Restaurant –2918 N Orange Avenue
Flamingo Lounge - 7124 Aloma
Full Moon Saloon - 500 S. Orange Blossom Trail
Gay AA (Lambda Central)
Gay and Jewish Social Group
Gay Community Services (GCS)
Gay Escape I
GCS Calendars
GCS Newsletters
Hank's - 5026 Edgewater Drive
Headdress Ball
Hope and Help Center
Joy Metropolitan Community Church
Key Largo - 6900 N Orange Blossom Trail
Kulture Klub - 5101 E Colonial Drive
Lazy Pig - 3421 S Orange Avenue
Loving Committed Network (LCN)
The Loading Dock - 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
Lucky Ladies Bowling League (Bowl America Fairvilla)
The Mix Band
Midnight News - 410 N Orange Blossom Trail
Moorefield's - Orange Avenue
Murphy Jim's - S.R. 436
New Direction Newspaper
Noches De Lion - 921 Mills Avenue
Orlando Flowers – 1916 Corrine Drive
Old Plantation - 140 Fernwood Boulevard
Orange Blossom Bowling Association (OBBA) - Bowl America Winter Park
Or-lambda Sentinel
The Paper
Paradise Cafe - 2417 E South Street
PFLAG
Phoenix/New Phoenix - 7124 Aloma
Pride Picnic - Turkey Lake Park, Lake Whipporwill, Central Florida Fairgrounds
Queen of Clubs – 1607 Orlando Ave, Maitland
San Francisco Book and Boutique – 2926 N Orange Blossom Trail
Sapphos - 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
Savage Connection - 1124 S Orange Blossom Trail
Sherri's Place - 912 N Mills Avenue
Silver Hammer Saloon - 1300 N Mills Avenue (1982-1984)
Southern Changes/Nights - 375 N Bumby Avenue
Studio 441 - 3300 S Orange Blossom Trail
Thunders - 3700 S Orange Blossom Trail
Tom Woodard Forced to Resign
TransAID Support Services (1988-1997)
Triangle Newspaper
Zion U.C.C.
1990s
3000 Club – 3000 N Orange Avenue
Absolute Leather
Acting Studio
AT&T LEAGUE of Central Florida
Alliance at Disney
Bears of Central Florida (July 25, 1992)Bear Bust (1992)
Big Bang – 102 N. Orange Avenue (1992)
Bistro – 857 E Semoran Boulevard
Bunz – 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
Cactus Club - 1300 N Mills Avenue
The Cave - 1517 N Orange Blossom Trail
Crews – 4716 S. Orange Avenue
Central Florida Softball League
City Lights – 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
Club Firestone - Orange Avenue
Club Orlando - Compton
Club Quest – Bennett Road
Compu-Who? Computer Bulletin Board
Connections – 1517 N Orange Blossom Trail
Delta Youth Alliance
Digital Queers
Eagle Leathers
Family Values Talk Show
Fantasy – 1877 S.O.B.T. (1992)
Gay Day at Disney World
Gay & Lesbian Parents Orlando
Gay & Lesbian Parents Adopt Portion of Colonial Drive
Gay Pride Flags Fly at Gay Pride Parade
Gays and Lesbians on Water Skis (GLOWS)
Galleria – 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
House of Flowers – Mills Avenue
Harmony
Hat Box Revue
JW’s 3400 Complex, S.O.B.T.
Lambda Liaisons, Inc.
Latinos Unidos Contra Sida Lucs
LEAGUE at Lake Buena Vista
The Leather Closet - 498 N Orange Blossom Trail
Little Orphan Andy's
Log Cabin Republicans
Long Yang Club
Mad Hatter’s Ball (1996 – 1st ball)
Mad-Lyns - Mills Avenue
Metropolitan Business Association (MBA)
New Image Fitness Center – 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
Orange Blossom Tennis Association
Orlando Eagle – 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
Orlando Front Runners & Walkers
Orlando Gay & Lesbian Film Series
Orlando Gay Chorus
Out & About Books
Out Loud Radio Show
Port Au Prince – 912 W Colonial Drive
Prime Timers of Central Florida
Ragazzi Clothing - Edgewater Drive
Rainbow City
Rainbow Democratic Club
Ritzy Rags/Baubles by Leigh
Romans – 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
RosenconeGallery
Ruby Slipper – 664 S Highway 17-92
Sadie's Tavern – Highway 17-92
Secrets – Bennett Road
Some Place Else – Fairbanks Avenue
Tom Woodard Reinstated
Tracks Orlando – Lee Road
Trident International Central Florida
Twisted Palms - Mills Avenue
Uncle Walt's - 5454 International Drive
Union Café – 337 N Shine Avenue
Video Express - 3400 S Orange Blossom Trail
Watermark
Wyldes - 3557 Orange Avenue
2000s
Blue Bistro and Grill – 815 N Mills Avenue
Chapter 57 Passed
College Connection – 4453 N Edgewater Drive
First Street Lounge - Sanford
Friends Restaurant – 1326 N Mills Avenue
Gay Film Festival
GLBT Democratic Caucus of Seminole County
Greater Orlando Couples
Juno Foundation
Lava - Orange Avenue
Orlando Black Pride
Orlando Gay Parents
Patty Sheehan Elected
Paradise – 1300 N Mills Avenue
Peacock Room – 1321 N Mills Avenue
Pulse - Orange Avenue
QUACK Florida
Reflections
Savoy – 1911 N Orange Avenue
S.O.E.L. (Sisterhood of Ebony Lesbians)
Sista Circle
Studz - 1300 N Mills Avenue
Stonewall - 740 W Church St
Womyn Here and There (W.H.A.T.)
What’s Happening
2010s
Zebra Youth (2012)
2020s
District Dive
Stiffy's
Island Time
Ritzy Rags (College Park)