LGBT History Study Group
Madison Senior Center 330 W. Mifflin St., Madison, Wisconsin 53703
press release: The LGBT Senior Alliance welcomes to our Madison LGBT History Study Group the former owner (with his brother Rodney) of the Hotel Washington, Gregory Scheel. The Hotel Washington was an important cultural center in south central Wisconsin during the 1970s through 1990s, and served as a destination and important venue for members of the LGBT community from Wisconsin and northern Illinois, until its destruction by fire on February 18, 1996.
Located at 636 West Washington Avenue in Madison, the Hotel was created at the Milwaukee Road railroad depot in 1885. Originally named the Commercial Hotel, it was a low-rent hotel and halfway house through most of the twentieth century, until it was purchased by Rodney Scheel in 1975 for $190,000. At the time, it also contained a "greasy spoon" restaurant called the HOT L Cafe. Rodney and his brother and business partner Greg converted the cafe into the Cafe Palms, a higher-end eating establishment. After Rodney Scheel's death in 1990,his brother, Greg Scheel, continued to operate the Hotel Washington with no break in continuity.
At the building's peak in the 1990s, several other businesses were located within the confines of the building:
Rod's, a historically significant gay bar
Club de Wash, a mixed use bar with regular live entertainment
Cafe Palms, a restaurant featuring omelettes, sandwiches, and desserts
The Barber's Closet, a basement bar that was a former speakeasy during Prohibition
The Barber's Closet Salon, whose shelf of barber's tools hid a second door to The Barber's Closet (bar)
The New Bar, a teen-friendly dance club
Cafe Espresso and The Micro Bar, a bar featuring craft beers
NOTE: The History Group normally meets on the 2nd Wednesday each month. Due to a scheduling conflict, we are meeting a week early for this month only. The next meeting on Lysistrata is November 11th.
For more info, phone OutReach at 255-8582 and ask for Steve or Angie. E-mail angier@lgbtoutreach.org