Cuomo: Julius' Bar in the West Village Should be a Historic Landmark

In a meeting today, Governor Andrew Cuomo recommended Julius' Bar be designated a historically significant site in New York State. Julius' — the oldest gay bar in New York City — was the setting of the famous 1966 "Sip-In" where activists of the Mattachine Society drank in defiance of State Liquor Authority regulations that prohibited bars from serving gay patrons. As DNAinfo notes, Cuomo cites the famous April 21, 1966 protest in his recommendation that the tavern receive landmark status.

Julius' Bar is already part of the Greenwich Village Historic District, which means any changes to the building must first be approved; and in 2012, the state found Julius' eligible for landmark consideration adding it to the National Register of Historic Places. Now, with Cuomo's endorsement, the 152-year-old bar is being considered for a National Historic Landmark. If approved, Julius' will join The Stonewall Inn which received its landmark status in 2015.