Come Out Seattle

12/04/2025

Come Out Seattle | Shelly’s Leg Fire

At 1:00 AM on Thursday, December 4, 1975, the dance floor at Seattle’s wildly popular gay disco Shelly’s Leg was packed. The music was thumping, the crowd was alive, and the night felt unstoppable. Then tragedy struck. A tanker truck carrying 4,800 gallons of gasoline hit a guardrail on the Viaduct. The tank broke loose, ruptured, and sent a river of burning fuel cascading off the viaduct in a sheet of flame.

Directly across the street, Shelly’s Leg caught fire—but in a stunning miracle, everyone escaped safely out the back entrance. Nearly 50 years later, the story of Shelly’s Leg remains one of resilience, community, and the spaces that shaped Seattle’s LGBTQ+ history.

Come Out Seattle is committed to preserving these stories and the spaces that helped our community thrive.

Help us keep this history alive:
Donate to Come Out Seattle:
https://give.seattleparksfoundation.org/campaign/710790/donate

Purchase the Shelly’s Leg Limited Edition T-Shirt:
https://www.bonfire.com/shellys-leg-limited-edition-t-shirt/

100% of proceeds benefit Come Out Seattle.

Thank you for helping preserve our shared history.
www.comeoutseattle.org

12/01/2025

World AIDS Day Remembrance

Today, we honor four LGBTQ+ bar owners whose leadership shaped Seattle’s nightlife—and whose lives were cut short during the AIDS crisis. They built places of safety, joy, and connection when bars were our refuge and our family. Their impact still echoes in every space that welcomes us today. Their legacies live on.

Patrick Harrison — Tugs Belltown (1951–1995)
https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=SGN19950526.1.19
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8dff42589e124c89a5e83f95ab4dd6b3

Scott Rodriguez — The Cuff Complex (1965–2000)
https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=SGN20001201.1.52

John David “Dave” Morgan — Sparks (?-1985)
https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=SGN19850726.1.2
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8dff42589e124c89a5e83f95ab4dd6b3

Chester “Chet” Michael Herald Jr. — Madison Pub (1939–1997)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/
https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=SGN19860704.1.10

Thank you to Come Out Seattle for Preserving LGBTQ+ Bar & Tavern History
https://www.comeoutseattle.org/

12/01/2025

Come Out Seattle Cyber Monday – Make it Count!

Come Out Seattle announces our limited-edition fundraiser tee honoring Shelly’s Leg — one of Seattle’s earliest and most celebrated gay discos (1973–1978). The bar burned on December 4, 1975. Miraculously, no one was injured. On the 50th anniversary of that fire, remember Shelly’s Leg with this t-shirt! All proceeds benefit Come Out Seattle’s LGBTQ+ history project!

Grab your tee here → https://www.bonfire.com/shellys-leg-limited-edition-t-shirt/

Learn more → https://www.comeoutseattle.org/

By purchasing this shirt, you directly support Come Out Seattle’s work to document and preserve LGBTQ+ history across Seattle — the bars, stories, memories, and images that shaped our community. Your support helps ensure this history is protected and shared.

11/26/2025

Just in time for the holidays!

Come Out Seattle is releasing a Limited-Edition T-Shirt honoring Shelly’s Leg, Seattle’s very first gay disco (1973–1978). Shelly’s Leg burned on December 4, 1975—and miraculously, no one was injured. On the 50th anniversary, we’re commemorating this historic space and raising funds for our LGBTQ+ history project.

All proceeds support Come Out Seattle and our mission to preserve the stories of Seattle’s LGBTQ+ bars, taverns, and gathering places

Purchase your shirt here: https://www.bonfire.com/shellys-leg-limited-edition-t-shirt/

comeoutseattle.org

08/06/2025

Seattle's gay history comes alive as Union bar owners launch Come Out Seattle archive. By Hannah Everman & Eddie Galdamez, KOMO News

Capitol Hill gay bar veterans Steve Nyman and Nathan Benedict have seen the "Gayborhood" evolve over the decades and now they're doing their part to preserve...

08/06/2025

KIRO7 highlights Come Out Seattle’s mission to document and preserve the rich LGBTQ+ history of Seattle.

​From historic bars and taverns to personal narratives, the initiative aims to celebrate the community's vibrant past and ensure that these stories remain accessible for future generations.

“For gay people, it was really the bars, the bars created the safe space where people anybody could come in, meet, grow, establish themselves.”

08/06/2025

Step Back to 1974: Seattle's Vibrant LGBTQ+ Bar Scene Comes Alive Again with ‘Come Out Seattle’

A flashback to 50 years ago... into the bars and taverns at the heart of Seattle's Gay community.

08/06/2025

Seattle’s Legendary ‘Mo’: How the Mocambo Bar Shaped the City’s LGBTQ+ Community!

The Mocambo, located at 203 Yesler Way, was the "go-to" bar for men from the early 1950s to the late 1970s.

08/06/2025

These picture and document galleries serve as a community archive of the safe spaces these businesses provided which allowed our community to develop and grow within their walls.

Each image or document captures a moment in time, a page of history, showcasing the evolution of our spaces, along with the events and milestones that have woven together to form our collective experience.

Join us as we explore the untold stories and honor the legacy of these essential gathering places that have shaped our experiences throughout time.

We are building the galleries continuously.

08/06/2025

Share Your Memories: A Call for Image and Story Submissions

We invite you to be a part of preserving and celebrating the rich and vibrant history of LGBTQ+ bars and taverns in Seattle by sharing your memories and visuals. Together, we aim to create a comprehensive collection that honors the legacy and significance of these spaces in our community.

Send us your stories and images. Whether you've got a collection of vintage photos, memories of unforgettable nights, or stories about the resilient individuals who shaped Seattle's historic gay bars, help us document this vital aspect of LGBTQ+ history.

Use the portal at: https://www.comeoutseattle.org/

​We look forward to hearing from you!

Come Out Seattle is dedicated to documenting, exploring, and preserving the dynamic history of LGBTQIA+ spaces in our city. These community spaces may be physical such as bars & taverns or social such as organizations. We want to ensure that our stories and history are not only preserved but celebra...