Property Record
506-508 E WILSON ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Herman Klueter Building |
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| Other Name: | Emily's / Cheri's Back East |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 100018 |
| Location (Address): | 506-508 E WILSON ST |
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| County: | Dane |
| City: | Madison |
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| Year Built: | 1871 |
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| Additions: | 1891 |
| Survey Date: | 19822019 |
| Historic Use: | grocery store/supermarket |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | East Wilson Street Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 4/3/1986 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 1/1/1989 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. City of Madison, Wisconsin Underrepresented Communities Historic Resource Survey Report: There were numerous gay bars and gay-friendly establishments in Madison in the 1960s and 1970s. However, there were very few that catered specifically to lesbians. Emily’s, a lesbian bar, operated at 506 East Wilson Street from 1983 and 1984. 506 East Wilson Street was built for Herman Kleuter and completed 1871. An addition was added in 1891. Emily’s was opened by women who “saw a need for a women’s place after Lysistrata, a lesbian/feminist restaurant at 325 W. Gorham Street, burned down.” After Emily’s closed, another lesbian bar, Cheri’s Back East, operated here from 1984 until 1990. Cheri’s hosted drag shows to benefit the Madison AIDS Support Network and the Gay Theater Project. |
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| Bibliographic References: |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |