Paradise in Clark County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)
The Red Barn
The Red Barn opened in 1958 as an antique store near Tropicana Avenue and Maryland Parkway. In 1961 the store was converted into a club that was the first coffeehouse in Las Vegas and a popular hangout among local college students. The Red Barn hosted straight patrons during the day, but after midnight it catered to the gay community. By 1972 it was exclusively a gay club, one of only a few in Las Vegas.
Judy Bayley, co-owner of the Hacienda Hotel and Daydream dude ranch, hosted charity gay hayrides from ranch to the Red Barn…"everybody'd show up and was usually bombed outta their mind. To see some of these guys on a horse that'd never been on a horse was hysterical! I would be a wrangler on those rides (and) I ended up pulling some rescues.
The Red Barn offered popular drag shows such as Fabulous Fakes and RB Follies, and it provided a place for the gay community to socialize. The club also published the "RB Bag," one of the earlies gay magazines in Southern Nevada.
The Red Barn closed in March 1988, and the abandoned building burned down later that year. The only remaining piece of the renowned property is its neon martini class signage, whichvis now part of the Neon Museum's collection.
Erected by Fashion Show and Neon Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1988.
Location. 36° 7.583′ N, 115° 10.167′ W. Marker is in Paradise, Nevada, in Clark County. Marker is on South Las Vegas Boulevard, on the left when traveling north. Located along the walkway of the east-end facing Las Vegas strip of the Fashion Show Mall, and located at the foot of stairs just below Abercrombie & Fitch. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3200 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas NV 89109, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The "Bugsy Building" (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Shrine of the Four-Faced Brahma (approx. ¾ mile away); "Bugsy" (approx. ¾ mile away); The Wengert Mansion (approx. 2.6 miles away); Old Well Tower #10 (approx. 2.6 miles away); First Water Company (approx. 2.6 miles away); Mary Dutton Park (approx. 2.7 miles away); The Huntridge Neighborhood (approx. 2.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Paradise.
Additional keywords. LGBT, LGBTQ, 🏳️🌈
Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 1, 2018, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. This page has been viewed 1,317 times since then and 146 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 1, 2018, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.