Garden of Allah, Entertainment venue in Pioneer Square, Seattle, US
The Garden of Allah was an entertainment venue located in the basement of the Arlington Hotel in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood. It featured a stage for live performances and a Wurlitzer organ that provided musical accompaniment throughout the space.
It started as a speakeasy during Prohibition in the 1920s, then transformed into one of America's first gay-owned bars when it reopened in 1946. After operating as a major entertainment hub for about 10 years, the venue closed in the mid-1950s.
Female and male performers took the stage nightly, turning the place into Seattle's hub for LGBTQ+ entertainment and self-expression. The venue welcomed an open-minded crowd that came specifically to see these shows and enjoy a space where such performances were welcomed.
Access to the venue required going down into the basement, so visitors had to descend stairs to enter the space. The underground location created an intimate setting with limited capacity, making performances feel close and personal.
When the Wurlitzer organ was removed in the early 1950s, workers discovered silver dollars hidden beneath the beer-soaked pedalboard left as tips by grateful audiences. These coins remain a tangible reminder of how audiences showed appreciation to the performers.
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