History of Gay and Lesbian Life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Media - Print Media; Newspapers, Magazines, BarRags, etc. -
Chronology of Guides to Wisconsin Gay Venues
prior to local Periodicals

Visitors as well as "locals" often learn where to find like-minded people (whether at gay-friendly bars, restaurants, bath houses, or "AYOR" areas) via Gay Travel Guides. Best known of these are the Bob Damron and Spartacus Guides (widely distributed nationally and internationally), but there were others as well. We present here a chronology of national as well as some early local Guides targeted to the (primarily) gay community, some prior to or supplementing publication of local LGBT Periodicals. (Additional and more recent Guides to gay businesses and organizations can be found in some of the various local publications above. Look especially at the Cover Galleries of In Step and Questfor links to these.)

 
Year   Publication
(link goes to indicated page of that publication)
  Cover Image
(link loads image shown)
1965 International Guild Guide, 1965
(Copyright 1965 Guild Press Ltd.)

G-Guide, 1965
1970 International Guild Guide, 1970
(Copyright 1970 Guild Press Ltd.)

International Guild Guide, 1970
1971 Bob Damron's 1971 Address Book
"Seventh Edition, more than 1525 listings"
(Copyright 1970 by Bob Damron)

Bob Damron Guide, 1971
1971 Guide from an early issue of GPU News
(a local LGBT publication)
Click Here to view more information about GPU News.
from GPU News
1972 Guide from an early issue of Amazon
(a local LGBT publication)
Click Here to view more information about Amazon.
from Amazon
1975 Bob Damron's 1975 Address Book
"Eleventh Edition, approx. 3,000 listings"
(Copyright 1974 by Bob Damron)

Bob Damron Guide, 1975
1976 Guide in GLIB, Issue 1, August 1976
(a local LGBT publication)
Click Here to view more information about GLIB publication.
GLIB Guide, 1976
1977 Bob Damron's Address Book '77
"Thirteenth Edition, approx. 3575 listings"
(Copyright 1976 by Bob Damron)

Bob Damron Guide, 1977
1977 Gay Business Guide, 1977
(Copyright 1977 by Fantastic Voyages Inc.)

(Only part of the first issue of this locally/ Milwaukee-produced publication has been located, and only the inside pages: pages 1 thru 6 and 35-40 are missing; but the section that survives provides a rare glimpse of the city's gay life at that time: an accurate local listing of organizations and businesses, informational text about many of the bars, plus rare photos of the interiors of many bars. Additional issues anyone is able to locate are welcome!)

Gay Business Guide, 1977
1978 Bob Damron's Address Book '78
"Fourteenth Edition, approx. listings"
(Copyright 1977 by Bob Damron)

Bob Damron Guide, 1978
1978 Falcon World Gay Guide 1978

Falcon World Gay Guide, 1978
1980 Gayellow Pages 1980
Central United States & Canada Edition #1
(Copyright by Renaissance House)

Gayellow Pages, 1980
1980 Places of Interest - the map guide 1980
(Copyright by Ferrari Publications)

Places of Interest, 1980
1981 Bob Damron's Address Book '81

Bob Damron Guide, 1981
1981 GAIA's Guide - 1981
"Seventh Edition"

GAIA's Guide, 1981
1981 Gayellow Pages 1981
National Edition #11
(Copyright by Renaissance House)

Gayellow Pages, 1981
1982 Bob Damron's Address Book '82

Bob Damron Guide, 1982
1982 GAIA's Guide - 1982
"Eighth Edition"

GAIA's Guide, 1982
1982 Gayellow Pages 1982
National Edition #12
(Copyright by Renaissance House)

Gayellow Pages, 1982
1982 Places of Interest - the map guide 1982
(Copyright by Ferrari Publications)

Places of Interest, 1982
1983 GAIA's Guide - Winter 1983
"Ninth Edition"

GAIA's Guide, 1983
1983 Places of Interest 1983
MapGuide USA&Canada (Copyright by Ferrari Publications)

Places of Interest, 1983
1983 Places of Interest to Women 1983
USA&Canada
(Copyright by Ferrari Publications)

Places of Interest for Women, 1983
1984 GAIA's Guide - Winter 1984
"Tenth Edition"

GAIA's Guide, 1984
1984 Places of Interest 1984
Gay Guide With Maps, USA&Canada
(Copyright by Ferrari Publications)

Places of Interest, 1984
1984 Places of Interest to Women 1984
USA&Canada
(Copyright by Ferrari Publications)

Places of Interest for Women, 1984
1984+ Starting in the early 1980's there were more and more local gay and lesbian publications, most of them publishing guides regularly, typically toward the back of each issue or every other issue. Examples of these can be found on those various publications' pages on this web site. Just a very few samples are shown here.

Disclaimer-- Many of the publications reproduced here are made available without release because we have been unable to locate the copyright holders, if any. Their reproduction is intended to document and honor those who made such early contributions to the community and with full desire to include proper credit, if known. We will remove any reproduction immediately upon notification of or from its valid copyright holder.

Credits: Special thanks to the Gerber-Hart Library in Chicago for the use of their collection
in compiling this chronology of national guides covering Wisconsin LGBT bars and businesses.
Concept and format by Don Schwamb.
Last updated: May-2008.