This turned up as a FB Notification for me from ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives. It's actually from KCETLink, specifically KCET Public Broadcasting and of course their web site for Los Angeles and so much more.

I can't save it as a readable PDF and I don't think their Terms of Service allow me to copy it here without asking permission. Here's the link I hope you'll read:

A Guide to Gay Los Angeles, 1965

..and also a short excerpt, like the bloggers do:
It's a great read, going on to explain how Damron first created his "Address Book" of 35 places in the LA area on a mimeographed sheet. Having run a bar himself in the '50s, Damron knew how then as now they changed, appearing and disappearing. After Stonewall through the '70s the Address Book kept expanding on to at least the '80s, my years coming out. I had a couple of Damron's books, different years in college and grad school.

And then there was AIDS, and somehow that didn't make it into the article, nor that the Damron Company still exists, publishing several titles, and has a large web site. The Damron site's Frequent Asked Questions page actually suggests that those looking for cruisy places come here to CRUISING for SEX, presumably the Sex Listings.

So. If you had or used Damron's Address Book, how about sharing your story and recollections of it?

And do read the article. It has some photos of the contents and covers which are remarkable to see now.

A side note: Just as Damron's early Address Books have been preserved for us to see now, I've realized this year more and more the importance of preserving CFS, even all that old outdated information, Sex Listings cruisy places reviews, and Message Board discussions.

Just as Damron showed who we were and a part of how we lived in his time, so did Keith with CFS with the change from print (STEAM Magazine) to the Internet (CFS!) beginning in the 1990s.

And here we are, still with CFS somehow today, not to mention all those other Apps and web sites, too.

~ Bob S., Manager/Editor

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