Gaslight Tavern

: "This article is about the Gaslight Tavern. For other meanings, see Gaslight (disambiguation)."The Gaslight Tavern [ [http://www.lawrence.com/news/2004/jul/16/turn_on/ Turn on the Gaslight] ] operates in north Lawrence, Kansas as a bar and coffeehouse [ [http://www.gaslighttavern.com/ Gaslight Tavern and Coffeehouse] ] and offers live entertainment on a regular basis. While the interior only offers a capacity of 39, there is an unusually large patio area.

History

The original "Gaslight Tavern" was located at 1241 Oread (as in 13th and Oread), just off the University Of Kansas campus in Lawrence, Kansas, and was right next to the Abington Book Shop (publisher of GRIST [ [http://www.thing.net/~grist/golpub/fowler/homejef.htm GRIST On-line from GRIST] ] ) that was owned by the beat poet, John E. Fowler and wife Sara [ [http://www.vlib.us/beats/#fowler John E. Fowler] ] . The Gaslight was a popular hangout for students and non-students alike over several decades, from the peaceful times of the Silent Generation to the more turbulent times of the Counter Culture. [ [http://www.continuinged.ku.edu/is/check/hist620_monhollon.html Lawrence Kansas, and the Making of the Sixties] ]

The Gaslight has been featured in poetry and fiction. [ [http://www.vlib.us/beats/dorn.html The Beat Generation in the Heartland] ] During the era of Folk music, the Gaslight opened the stage to local artists. Later, beat poet George Kimball held 'court' at the Gaslight. [ [http://www.vlib.us/beats/#kimball George Kimball] ] George was noted for running for Douglas County sheriff in 1970 and losing the race; however, Phillip Hill was voted in, and removed from his office, as justice of the peace. [ [http://6news.ljworld.com/section/gaymarriage/story/163551 1970s candidate promised same-sex marriages] ]

KU student Nick Rice was shot to death in front of the Gaslight by local police during an anti-war riot in Summer 1970.

The building burned in the 70s, under suspicious conditions. [ [http://www2.ljworld.com/news/1999/jul/15/jul_15_25_years/ LJ World July 15 25 Years Ago] ] [ [http://www.kansan.com/stories/2005/apr/27/features_kulture_counterculture/ Counter culture at KU] ] [ [http://mobile.ljworld.com/news/1991/apr/18/hippie_tales/ Hippie Tales] ] [ [http://www3.iath.virginia.edu/lists_archive/sixties-l/3342.html Oread Daily] ] [ [http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2004/oct/03/recent_past_marked/ Lawrence wants to have a say] ] The original location of the Gaslight is now a parking area for the KU Student Union.

In its heyday, the Gaslight was a classic bar and grill, except the bar only offered pale beer and the grill basically drummed up adequate hamburgers. Entertainment was via juke-box, pin-ball, and pool (and conversation). There was a lone TV set situated behind the bar. Live entertainment was not a regular event. Unlike many establishments of its type, the large windows of the Gaslight offered bright lighting during the day so that it was not uncommon to find someone using the Gaslight as a study area.

References

Reference #10 lost to [http://www.kansan.com/blogs/kansan_dot_com/2007/feb/28/welcome_back/ database failure] .

The student who was shot and killed was Harry Rice, not Nick Rice.

External references

Here until incorporated into References.
* [http://www.cjonline.com/stories/081799/mcc_the60s.shtml The 60s]
* [http://www.kansan.com/stories/2004/apr/07/intimate_music/ Intimate music] (Lost to [http://www.kansan.com/blogs/kansan_dot_com/2007/feb/28/welcome_back/ database failure] ).
* [http://www.loansenseplus.com/business/loans/douglas_county_ks_kansas.asp Small loan in 1972]
* [http://www.gaslighttavern.com/ Current website]