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At first it started off with close friends of the Hillyers but word traveled and it soon became a much larger group. The Hillyers sought to share this experience with other gays in the area. box in the name of Emma Jones and deliver the material to the Hillyers' house. Once a month a New Orleans lady friend would come to the area to check the P.O. They picked the name because they felt it was average, boring, and wouldn't draw much attention. box under the name Emma Jones to receive LGBT-related media such as One magazine. In an effort to network more with local gay men who felt they had no social outlet, the couple set up a P.O. Despite its name, it had no connection to the LGBT community. Regis Paper Company and Henry Hillyer worked in the display department at Gayfers Department Store. The radical pair moved to the area in the 1950s. The couple shared a last name, which was almost unheard of in those days. That's the way things were until Ray and Henry Hillyer decided to change the status quo.
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Parks and restrooms were the only places to meet. The police would raid any place they would congregate. The Advocate once described the celebrations as one of the "largest gay organized events in the country." That's pretty remarkable considering how conservative the Florida Panhandle is - even now it's still known as the "Redneck Riviera." While today the area has a handful of gay bars, back then, there was nowhere for the gays to go. When a reporter once went looking for the mysterious woman he was told, "Honey, the Emma Jones Society is you and me and every other faggot in this town, and nobody here gives a damn who Miss Emma Jones herself is."Įmma Jones turned out to simply be a cover for a regular gay gathering on the beach in Pensacola, Florida, starting on the Fourth of July in 1964. Im betting when the word got out it would be a popular attraction.Emma Jones was one of the greatest LGBT allies in the 1960s in northern Florida. Take one of those unused Saturdays a month (last one for example) and make it a Retro night 80s etc. The viewed average crowd age would match it. If only they played more 80s and 90s music. Bottom line is everyone from the Bear masculine to the Crossdressed Fem will enjoy what I call my home away from home. The outside deck is cozy and intimate lighted. The Operations crew are effective and tireless to get the job done. Bar staff bust their Azz to keep up with the crowd. The drink prices are standard and 90% of the time- made right and strong, the way they should be. Best $5 of entertainment in Pensacola! Monthly theme nights are a blast! See picture and the second Saturdays are Leather and Denim night followed by the Live DJ night, rarely miss. The drag shows are amazing for a small town place and draw a pretty good crowd. What I love is everyone seems to respect everyone weather they are their type or not. I visit here on average of 2 nights a week fully dressed (CD) and have never felt out of place, disrespected or not welcome. I love this place, is it perfect? No, is it elegant? No but it IS fun, cozy, and excepting of ALL types of genders and identifications.