Columbia Hall / Paresis Hall 1890s | Historic NYC Gay Bar Heritage T-Shirt

Columbia Hall / Paresis Hall 1890s | Historic NYC Gay Bar Heritage T-Shirt

Before Stonewall, before the modern gay bar, there was Columbia Hall.

At 392 Bowery in New York City, an establishment known to many as Paresis Hall became an important gathering place within the emerging queer social world of the 1890s.

Operated by James T. “Biff” Ellison, the hall attracted men, female impersonators, and gender-nonconforming New Yorkers seeking company and opportunities for social connection.

While nineteenth-century investigators described the establishment through the language of vice and scandal, other historical accounts reveal a more meaningful story.

Above the saloon, members of Cercle Hermaphroditos gathered for mutual support and protection against persecution. Their activities represent an important early chapter in the history of gender diversity, community organizing, and LGBTQ+ solidarity in America.

The Front — Columbia Hall

• The front artwork takes inspiration from the elaborate commercial signage of nineteenth-century New York.
• Ornamental gold scrollwork surrounds a vintage billiard-table illustration, framed by bold engraved lettering announcing COLUMBIA HALL.
• The historic address, 392 Bowery, New York City, anchors the composition in the neighborhood where this history unfolded.

The Back — Paresis Hall

• The back artwork celebrates the establishment's better-known historical name.
• An elaborate Victorian illustration depicts an imagined late-nineteenth-century saloon filled with conversation, companionship, and social activity.
• Rich gold ornament, deep blue accents, and decorative typography create the impression of a surviving piece of Bowery nightlife ephemera.
• Together, the two designs honor the formal and familiar names of an establishment that helped shape New York's early queer social world.

Why This Design Matters

• Commemorates Columbia Hall, also known as Paresis Hall.
• Features the documented historical address, 392 Bowery.
• Celebrates early LGBTQ+ gathering spaces in 1890s New York.
• Recognizes the historical significance of Cercle Hermaphroditos.
• Features original, coordinated Victorian-inspired front-and-back artwork.
• Part of the Walt & Pete® Historic Gay Bars Collection.

This independently created historical tribute is not official merchandise and is not affiliated with the currently operating Monster in New York City.

Walt & Pete® preserves the people, places, and gathering spaces that helped LGBTQ+ communities find one another.

Forgotten Moments, Forever Remembered.

THE SHIRT — AS COLOUR 5082 HEAVY FADED TEE

This design is printed on the AS Colour 5082, a substantial heavyweight T-shirt selected for its vintage character and structured, contemporary silhouette. Made from heavyweight carded cotton, it has the weight and presence of a favorite concert or heritage shirt designed to become more personal with wear.

• Heavyweight 7.1 oz fabric
• 100% carded cotton
• Boxy, oversized fit
• Garment-dyed for a softly faded, lived-in appearance
• Durable construction
• Tear-away label

FIT

The AS Colour 5082 is intentionally boxy and oversized. Choose your usual size for the intended relaxed silhouette. Consider sizing down if you prefer a closer, more traditional fit. Please consult the size chart before ordering.

GARMENT-DYED CHARACTER

Each shirt is dyed after construction, creating subtle fading around seams and edges. Natural variations in shade, fading, and color distribution are part of the garment’s vintage character and make every shirt slightly unique. These variations are intentional and are not considered defects.

CARE

Wash separately before wearing. Wash inside out with similar colors using cold water. Because the garment is pigment-dyed, some color transfer may occur during the first few washes. Do not bleach. Tumble dry on low or hang dry when possible. Do not iron directly over the printed artwork.

EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY

Product information: AS Colour 5082, two year warranty in the EU and Northern Ireland

Warnings, Hazard: For adults

Care instructions: Machine wash: cold (max 30C or 90F), Non-chlorine: bleach as needed, Tumble dry: low heat, Iron, steam or dry: low heat, Do not dryclean