Just in time for the Holidays, Come Out Seattle is excited to offer this Limited-Edition T-Shirt commemorating Shelly?s Leg, Seattle?s very Gay disco which opened Dec. 14,1973.

With money from a tragic accident when a cannon misfired and blew off Shelly's leg and lower abdomen during a Bastille Day celebration, three friends (Shelly Bauman, Pat Nesser, and Joe McGonagle) decided to open a disco like Seattle had never seen. Located ?at the foot of main? street in Seattle?s Pioneer Square, it was famous for its trend setting mix of dancing, gayness, and glamour. Now known world-wide for its famous sign announcing, ?Shelly?s Leg is a GAY BAR?, the owners installed the sign as its popularity exploded, and the disco was flooded by straights. A back door was set up for the Gay community to avoid the lines and maintain its gayness. Shelly?s burned on Dec.4,1975; miraculously no one was injured in the fire! It reopened only to close in 1978 as the scene moved on. Read the full story at the Shelly?s Leg location found on our interactive map.

On the 50th Anniversary of that fire, we are releasing this t- shirt as a fundraiser for our LGBTQ history project, Come Out Seattle! All proceeds to benefit Come Out Seattle!

Come Out Seattle is dedicated to documenting, exploring, and preserving the dynamic LGBTQ+ history of our city, including community spaces such as bars, taverns, and social organizations.

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Our aim is to ensure that our stories and history are not merely preserved but also celebrated, with personal narratives and memories, archived news stories/ads, and images playing a pivotal role in weaving this vibrant tapestry!

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To kick off this initiative, The Seattle Gay Bar History Project delves into the history of LGBTQ+ bars and taverns in Seattle, creating an archive of pictures and stories using an interactive map.

To support this project, please donate here!