Our Hamptons

Club Swamp, Wainscott.


Listen Later

Esperanza and Irwin explore the rich history of the Swamp, the iconic gay nightclub.   From the time Bill Higgins opened the Swamp in 1977 and its sister restaurant The Annex next door, he made his policy clear.  This is a gay male club said the sign outside the door.  The writer Steven Gaines said "Higgins thought having women around ruined things".   But the history of gay nightlife on eastern Long Island goes back even further.  Gay friendly night clubs in Wainscott dated back to the 1940's, including Out Of This World, a dance hall geared to the theater crowd.   While the Swamp survived until early 2001, the AIDS epidemic took its toll.  After Higgins death, partner Brent Newsom tried to admit more women and straight couples.  But the Swamp never regained its former energy.  Subsequent reincarnations to the Star Room and Swa did not have staying power.  By 2018, the buildings were demolished and the property purchased via the Community Preservation Fund with a contribution from Friends of Georgica Pond.  It's new life is as the Rick Del Mastro Memorial Park.  Efforts by Hamptons Pride to memorialize the site as a homage to the Swamp are in the planning stages.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Our HamptonsBy Our Hamptons

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

20 ratings


More shows like Our Hamptons

View all
This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,421 Listeners

The Bowery Boys: New York City History by Tom Meyers, Greg Young

The Bowery Boys: New York City History

163 Listeners

The Long Island History Project by Chris Kretz

The Long Island History Project

41 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,671 Listeners

The Tim Dillon Show by The Tim Dillon Show

The Tim Dillon Show

12,527 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,814 Listeners

Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist by Willie Geist, Sunday TODAY

Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist

4,385 Listeners

The Bulwark Podcast by The Bulwark

The Bulwark Podcast

11,104 Listeners

27Speaks by The Express News Group

27Speaks

25 Listeners

SmartLess by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett

SmartLess

57,101 Listeners

Who’s Here in the Hamptons by Schneps Broadcasting

Who’s Here in the Hamptons

12 Listeners

Happening In The Hamptons - Real Estate Podcast by Saunders & Associates

Happening In The Hamptons - Real Estate Podcast

25 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

14,859 Listeners

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade by Audacy

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

12,556 Listeners

Critics at Large | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

Critics at Large | The New Yorker

555 Listeners