The Ranch Club, now Somewhere gay bar, is part of Boise's history

Contents:

• THE RANCH CLUB, NOW SOMEWHERE GAY BAR, IS PART OF BOISE’S HISTORY
• YORK'S ONLY REMAG GAY BAR CLOS
• RANCH HILL SALOON, MONTGOMERY COUNTY GAY BAR, CLOS AFTER TWO S
• IS THE RANCH GAY IENDLY?

THE RANCH CLUB, NOW SOMEWHERE GAY BAR, IS PART OF BOISE’S HISTORY

“We are dog a gay bar for the LGBT muny here Boise, ” owner Rob Covert told BoiseDev. Drivg through Garn Cy, one might pse to wonr: Why is there a giant palomo rearg on top of a gay bar on Chn Boulevard?

YORK'S ONLY REMAG GAY BAR CLOS

The Somewhere Bar scrib self as “Boise’s only gay-owned LGBTQIA+ muny bar. It’s fely the cy’s only gay-owned bar wh a palomo on top. WE ARE an all-male clothg optnal bed and breakfast retreat terg to gay, bi, and straight men 21 years or olr.

Altlands Ranch, Sprg Grove, closed effective March 20, acrdg to s Facebook Ranch was the last remag gay bar York after the prr closgs of Velvet Rope and members say technology and mastream tegratn have led to cle of gay County's olst and last remag gay bar has closed, acrdg to the Altland's Ranch Facebook Sprg Grove bar ma the closg announcement Tuday night and thanked s many supporters over the years. Charl Krs, longtime -chair of Parents, Fai and Friends of Gays and Lbians (PFLAG) York, said he had worked at The Ranch for many years as a ok, barback and doorman, retirg last December. I don't see a bar York beg a gay bar.

"York County Enomic Alliance voic support for anti-discrimatn act for LGBT munyNo more safe haven: Members and supporters of the LGBT muny shared different viewpots on why York is now left whout any gay Tompks, of York Cy, said onle datg and technology has limed people's tert gog to bars. "There's nothg ( York) for (gay people); 's very sad, " Tompks said, addg that he also hoped someone else would reopen The, who was born and raised York County, said he kept the bar open as long as he uld bee he wanted the LGBT muny to have a place they felt gay bars to open and close York clu the Velvet Rope, Club XS and Lux Nightclub, which closed November 2014.

RANCH HILL SALOON, MONTGOMERY COUNTY GAY BAR, CLOS AFTER TWO S

Gay bars neighborg unti clu Tally-Ho Tavern Lanster and Stallns Club Harrisburg. Christopher said that knowg a gay bar existed York helped fluence her cisn to move here.

"Tompks, a 60-year-old lifelong York County rint, said the lack of an openly gay bar the unty is proof that "York isn't as open as claims to be.

IS THE RANCH GAY IENDLY?

"Louie Marven, executive director of the LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania, said the rctn populary of gay bars signifi more tegratn of the LGBT muny to mastream said the creased tegratn is part of the procs, but the loss of gay bars n still have negative effects.

Historil signifince: Barry Loveland, chairman of the LGBT history project for the center, said gay bars played a signifint role historilly that they were the first place for LGBT people to gather and fd other LGBT bars central Pennsylvania date back to the 1940s and '50s, Loveland said. The Neptune Bar, which had been operatg Harrisburg sce the early 1970s, jt closed a uple years ago, he cle gay bars started the 1980s wh rise of AIDS, Loveland said, and they have ntued to fall wh the growth of Inter stant munitn tools.