Gaslight Tavern

The Gaslight Tavern was located at 1241 Oread (as in 13th & Oread on The Hill), just off the University Of Kansas campus in Lawrence, Kansas, and was right next (west) to the Abington Book Shop (the "City Lights" of the midwest[1]) that was owned by the beat poet, John E. Fowler (publisher of GRIST[2][3]) and wife Sara.[4] The Gaslight was a popular hangout for students and non-students alike over several decades, from the peaceful times of the Silent Generation to the more turbulent times of the Counter Culture.[5]

The Gaslight has been featured in poetry and fiction.[6] During the era of Folk music, the Gaslight opened the stage to local artists.[7] Later, beat poet George Edward Kimball held 'court' at the Gaslight. [8] George was noted for running for Douglas County sheriff in 1970 and losing the race; however, Phillip Hill was voted in, and removed from his office, as justice of the peace.[9]

KU student Nick Rice [10] was shot to death in front of the Gaslight [11] by local police during an anti-war riot in Summer 1970. On the night of July 16, 1970, KU freshman, Rick "Tiger" Dowdell was shot in downtown Lawrence.[10]

The building burned in the 70s, under suspicious conditions.[12][13][14][15] [16] The original location of the Gaslight is now a parking area for the KU Student Union which was burned in the 1970 riots.

In its heyday, the Gaslight, as a bar and grill, offered varieties of 3.2% American lager and adequate hamburgers. Entertainment consisted of juke-box music, pin-ball machines, and a pool table (and conversation). Live entertainment was not a regular event.

History

The establishment was known as Oread Cafe in 1918.[17]. It was Brick's Cafe in the 1940s and 1950s. In April 1948, Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) had a 'sit-in' at the Cafe. The protestors included black and white students. Counter protestors "physically removed the protestors from the restaurant."[18]

Gaslight Gardens

The Gaslight Gardens reopened on March 17, 2012[19] and uses a "European beer garden motif."

Earlier, the establishment was known as Gaslight Tavern for several years,[20] operated in north Lawrence, Kansas as a bar and coffeehouse [21] and offered live entertainment on a regular basis. While the interior only offered a capacity of 39, there was an unusually large patio area.

The Gaslight did not renew their lease for 2009 and was closed temporarily.[22] It reopened on July 3, 2009 [23][24] and closed, again on _ _, __.

References

  1. ↑ John Fowler on James McCrary
  2. ↑ GRIST On-line from GRIST
  3. ↑ McCrary, Jim (2017) "Grist" (via From a Secret Location)
  4. ↑ John E. Fowler
  5. ↑ Monhollon, R.L. ()"This is America"" The Sixties in Lawrence, Kansas
  6. ↑ The Beat Generation in the Heartland
  7. ↑ Heritage of the Great Plains, Kansas History website
  8. ↑ George Kimball
  9. ↑ November 3, 1970 – Yippie wins election for Justice of the Peace in Douglas County – (2006) via Douglass County Law Library
  10. 1 2 KU History July 16, 1970 A long weekend in a long hot summer
  11. ↑ ktka dot com /news/2010/apr/21/1970-racial-unrest-sparked-deadly-violence/ 1970: Racial unrest sparked deadly violence – stale
  12. ↑ LJ World July 15 25 Years Ago
  13. ↑ LJ World 1970: Memories of violence in city still strong
  14. ↑ kansan dot com /archives/2005/04/27/counterculture-at-ku/ _counterculture/ Counter culture at KU – stale
  15. ↑ mobile.ljworld dot com /news/1991/apr/18/hippie_tales/ Hippie Tales – stale
  16. ↑ Lawrence wants to have a say
  17. ↑ Lawrence Journal-World, October 2,1918
  18. ↑ Harvey, Douglas () "Its been quite a show tonight, hasn't it" University of Kansas website, KU History (via theClio.com)
  19. ↑ lawrence.com
  20. ↑ Turn on the Gaslight (includes photos of the current and the original Gaslights)
  21. ↑ Gaslight Tavern
  22. ↑ kansan dot com /news/2008/sep/30/gaslights/?news Extinguishing the last flame – stale
  23. ↑ lawrence dot com /news/2009/jun/29/re-ignited/ Reignited – stale
  24. ↑ lawrence dot com /places/gaslight/ The Gaslight Tavern – stale
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