Bob Damron's Address Books

The Address Book: Mid-1966 Edition

In 1965, San Franciscan businessman Bob Damron published the first edition of a travel guide for gay men (and to a lesser extent, lesbian women) to find gay-friendly places in the United States. First published during a time when most states banned same-sex intimacy in public and private spaces, Damron's Address Book helped gay men find bars, lounges, bookstores, restaurants, bathhouses, cinemas, and cruising spots to find people like themselves.  

The Damron's Address Book is one of multiple gay travel guides that arose in the 1960s. Yet, Damron's publication was perhaps the most extensive and longest running, being published yearly from 1965 to 2021. The 56 annual publications provide information about spaces that gay men frequented, although it's important to note that the guides overlook large sections of LGBTQ community history. The Address Books understand the gay world from the perspective of Bob Damron - a white, gay man from San Francisco.  

Champaign is first featured in the 2nd edition of Damron's Address Book, published in 1966. From 1966-1980, Champaign appears in each publication of the book, listing multiple spaces like The Capitol, The Crystal Room in the Inman Hotel, Esquire, Wigwam, and a cruising spot in the basement of the Illini Union.

The first image is a guide for the letters displayed next to the locations, which are characteristics of the type of space. The most common for Champaign's listings are (M) for Mixed - Some Straights, (YC) for Young/Collegiate Types, (R) for Restaurants, and (G) for Girls, but seldom exclusively.