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The
Montrose Mining Company
and the bars at 805 Pacific Street
With
the closing of EJ's at the end of June, 2014, the Montrose Mining Company
became Houston's oldest gay bar,
and that reign ended September 8, 2016, after over 38 years.
Photo
courtesy of Doug Barnes, late 1980s
It opened 3/25/78, but there's gay bar history at the 805 Pacific Street
location before that. In January 1977
Uncle Charlie's opened as a combination restaurant and bar, though its
ads gave the impression the restaurant
part was phased out as it later billed itself as "Houston's Newest
Cruise Bar," and it lasted just over a year.
But before that....ads in gay publications in February 1975 showed the
Pacific Street Station at that address,
not sure if it stayed in business until Uncle Charlie's took over the
space. And, there is one more, by late 1970
The Tattooed Lady was in that location. Again, unsure if it remained
until the opening of Pacific Street Station.
If anyone has additional early history, please
let me know. Here
they are in order...
The
Tattooed Lady
This
information is from the publication The Nuntius (1970 to ~1976), and
I have actually seen
very few issues of it, so I am piecing the info together. It was not
mentioned in the Sept 1970
issue, but was in Feb 1971. As it is often hard to document when a bar
closed, all I can
determine at the moment is that a new bar was at the location in August
1975. I can tell you
that no bars were listed at that location in the last issue of The Albatross,
Fall 1968.
Pacific
Street Station
The photo
of the outside is from the gay travel magazine Ciao, 12/74, so considering
the lead
times for articles like that, the club was open probably several months
before that date.
And at least at the time of the second ad (8/13/75), Pacific Street
Station was a show, or drag bar,
and shown are some very popular performers, like Tiffany Jones, Torchy
Lane and Eartha Kitt.
I do not know if the bar continued in operation up until Uncle Charlies
opened in January 1977.
This club is not to be confused with the bar Pacific Street that opened
later at 710 Pacific,
which at that time was the site of The Barn.
Uncle
Charlie's
The opening
in January 1977 got good coverage in This Week in Texas,
over just a few months the focus changed to being a cruise bar. The
club was short-lived, closing in March 1978.
 
 
The
Montrose Mining Company
The start
of an iconic bar in Houston, opening March 30, 1978 and closing September
8, 2016
 
...but,
WAIT....!
The Montrose Mining Company was ALMOST called The Nail!
I learned this from my own website, in my new Cruise Magazine section.....
in the March 1978 issue there was a full-page ad for The Nail, making
it appear
it was already open. I thought, wait, that's the address of The Mine...I
guess
there was a last minute change, too late for the magazine ad deadlines
for
March and April. By the July issue they had the correct name info....no
ads
though. The Dallas location was in business but it appears not for very
long.
Not sure if they were Frank Caven bars. It does not appear a version
in
Fort Worth ever opened, as there were no listings in the TWT Guide section.
 
below,
1980
1981
below,
ad from July 1981, and a reminder that these bars,
owned by Frank Caven were all connected, now including
the Cherry Creek Mining Company in Denver
[ I happened to visit the Denver bar in July 1981
can vouch that it was a totally different vibe than
the clubs in Dallas and Houston, more of a disco ]
1982
Montrose
Mining Company
Softball Uniform
Monstose Softball League (MSL)
probably from 1982
  
1983
Pride
Parade Entry, 1983
 
 
Pride
Parade Entry, 1984
above,
recent internet post of 1984 photo
Brian
Broussard DJ
Pride
Parade Entry, 1985
above,
Montrose Mining Company & JRs, in 1986 Pride Parade
1988
1989
1990
1991
 
 
Some
random photos from Facebook, year unknown
if anyone
knows the year for these, Please let me know
 
Closing
Announcment
there's
an error in the announcement, as the club was open for 38 years
above,
renovation 9/15/18...patio gone
below, 4/18/18, photos by Gary Jackson
 
photos
below by JD Doyle, 5/2/19
Finally,
it's ready...
photo by Jenn
Some
trivia you might not notice....for the Postino's street sign...
it's a definite nod to where they are, and simply says "Montrose,"
done deliberately in the same font as the first gay bar there,
The Tattooed Lady, early 1970s
From
OutSmart, June 2020
By Brandon Wolf
  
May
19, 2021
The
Montrose Mining Company Owners
Frank
Caven
Charles
Armstrong
In
1986 Charles Armstrong bought the Houston clubs Montrose Mining Company,
JRs and Heaven from Frank Caven. Heaven's predesor was called South
Beach, and
Meteor was also acquired later (closing in June 2016).
Armstrong was Pride Male Grand Marshal in 1989.
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