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The bar was named “Faces” to reflect its welcoming nature. The Sacramento Bee highlighted the growing visibility of the community, noting that gay couples were becoming common in areas like Curtis Park and Land Park. The crosswalks are maintained and supported by the Midtown Association, which is committed to ensuring Midtown remains a thriving center for culture, creativity, and vibrancy.
In 2017, a documentary was released about a woman who founded the Sacramento LGBT Community Center (then called the Lambda Community Center) after bringing a successful lawsuit against a reverend.
These grassroots efforts laid the foundation for a more visible and cohesive LGBTQ+ presence. The bar was also known for its rainbow-colored triangular sign, which read, “You are entering a gay bar! As an organization, SGMC strives to provide a warm, safe place where all are welcome.
This helped pave the way for some of the earliest gender non-conforming communities. Join us in celebrating and supporting the vibrant culture that makes Midtown and Lavender Heights so unique!
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In 2019, the Sacramento LGBT Community Center moved into its forever home at 1015 20th street, in the heart of the Lavender Heights district.
The free, hour-long inclusivity training sessions for grant recipients was led by WEAVE in a virtual format to focus on three primary topics: educating interested businesses about gender identities, gender rights in the workplace and beyond, and the importance of pronouns that go well beyond he/him/his and she/her/hers to include gender-neutral or inclusive pronouns.
The Center’s website provides several links to community resources including Advocacy, Arts and Culture, Community, Social, Health & Wellness, and more.
Rainbow Chamber: The Sacramento Rainbow Chamber has a member directory of LGBTQ-owned and ally-owned businesses in Sacramento. These performances helped lay the groundwork for the more open and visible lgbtq+communities that would later emerge in neighborhoods like Midtown and Lavender Heights.
In the 1940s and 1950s, growing interest in medical and psychological research led to increased awareness of gender and sexual identities that challenged societal norms.
Respect us, and we’ll respect you!”
Today, all three bars—The Merc, The Depot, and Faces—remain open and continue to serve as key landmarks in Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ community.
This blog only scratches the surface of the Historic Context Statement. To explore the full report, including detailed narratives, historic sites, maps, and more, you can read the complete Historic Context Statement below.
Read Full Historic Context Statement Here
Highlights from the Sacramento LGBTQ+ Historic Experience Project:
LGBTQ+ identities have long been part of Sacramento’s story, even if they went unrecognized for much of the city’s official history.
Below see a brief timeline of LGBTQ+ history from 1978 to today!
In 1978, just nine years after the Stonewall Riots, the Lambda Community Fund, now known as the Sacramento LGBT Community Center was originally incorporated as a special assistance program based in Midtown, Sacramento. The establishment of Faces paved the way for other LGBTQIA+ businesses to open in the immediate area, which earned its name Lavender Heights.
1986, the Lambda Community Center opened to serve the broader cross-section of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.
The colorful banners were specially designed to demonstrate and celebrate #MidtownLove, acceptance, and inclusion in the heart of Lavender Heights. At the time, most gay and lesbian individuals stayed closeted to avoid social or professional consequences. The neighborhood is rich with the history of Sacramento’s vibrant community; and attracts local and regional residents and tourists to the area’s many LGBTQIA+ owned clubs, restaurants, salons, galleries, and retail stores.
Bars, businesses, and gathering places began to appear in West Sacramento, which was unincorporated at the time and therefore less tightly regulated. They [were] paranoid about who [knew they were] gay.”
The emergence of a visible LGBTQ+ community in Sacramento during the late 1960s through the 1980s was shaped by a combination of social, economic, and cultural factors.
As suburban development drew wealthier residents out of the city, housing in the Central City became more affordable. Plus, our LGBTQ+ support services and resources make sure you're seen and supported no matter where you go. Lavender Heights is located at the heart of Midtown at 20th and K Streets and is the home of our weekly Midtown Farmers Market.
It became especially known for creating a welcoming space for gay Black men at a time when many other bars were not as inclusive.