Orange County Regional History Center Blog: St. Matthew's Tavern: Inclusive And Supportive

Press release from the Orange County Regional History Center Blog:

November 9, 2021

By Sarai Dai
2021 Oral History Intern, University of South Carolina

 This is part three of a three-part blog series in which we’ll share experiences of a few popular Central Florida gay bars through the lens of oral histories in the collection of the Orange County Regional History Center.

Orlando has long played host to a vibrant gay community. For many decades, individuals often found solace and solidarity in certain bars and nightclubs where they could connect with one another without fear. Partying, dancing, and drinking provided an escape from daily life that for some was fraught with tension in a culture that typically did not accept their authentic selves. Due to increased acceptance, the gay nightlife scene, as it was once known, has begun to diminish. However, the impact of historic LGBTQ+ venues on both gay and Central Florida history should not be understated.

St. Matthew’s Tavern has undergone multiple transformations throughout the history of the building on North Mills Avenue in Orlando. It is unique for welcoming a Catholic congregation on Sunday mornings just as warmly as it does its regular evening bar patrons. Since late 2013, St. Dorothy Catholic Community, a member of the National Catholic Church, has held its weekly mass in the building.

The arrival of the church coincided with renaming and rebranding the bar from Orlando Nights, which was never popular or well loved, to St. Matthew’s Tavern. However, it was just one chapter in the story. The building has housed a multitude of gay bars in the past, including the Silver Hammer, Cactus Club, and Paradise. Community leader Eric Rollings remembers the Silver Hammer fondly.

Today, while the tavern is not strictly a gay bar, its long history of welcoming the LGBTQ+ community has made it a gathering place. In the aftermath of the Pulse nightclub shooting, the tavern served yet another purpose – people looking to help any way they could gathered there. Some met their first gay person at St. Matthew’s Tavern, as Rollings recalls:

Copyright for all oral history interviews are held by the Historical Society of Central Florida.

This press release was produced by the Orange County Regional History Center Blog. The views expressed here are the author’s own.