From 1939 to 2010, the Cedar Brook Café in Westport, Connecticut quietly made history as one of the oldest continuously operating gay bars in the United States. Long before rainbow flags, nightlife districts, or legal protections, Cedar Brook opened its doors to generations of LGBTQ people who needed a place to meet, unwind, and exist openly — even if only inside its walls.
Tucked between small-town streets and the suburban everyday, it became a sanctuary for locals and weekend travelers alike. Drag shows, jukebox nights, and decades of regulars turned it into an unlikely landmark: unassuming on the outside, unforgettable on the inside. For many who passed through, Cedar Brook was the first place they ever felt truly seen.
A rare piece of LGBTQ history that survived multiple eras, shifting attitudes, and seventy years of American life — a reminder that queer community often thrived in the most unexpected corners.
(Cedar Brook Café • Westport, CT • 1939–2010 — one of America’s longest-running gay bars.)
