While the physical doors of This Is It! closed March 9 of last year, the legacy of Wisconsin’s oldest gay bar will be permanently etched into the city’s landscape.
On Wednesday, State Preservation Officers officially approved a State Historic Marker for the landmark business, making it only the second LGBTQ landmark to receive such recognition from the State of Wisconsin.
“For decades, This Is It was part of Wisconsin’s cultural landscape, serving as an important gathering place for the LGBTQ community,” said Angela Titus, assistant deputy director and chief program officer for the Wisconsin Historical Society. “This new historical marker will ensure that the story of this beloved community space, and the role it played in the state's history, will be preserved for future generations.”
The news of the marker arrives as the community continues to process the loss of what many described as a “second home.” When the bar’s closure was first announced, emotions were raw and shockwaves moved through the city — even prompting an impromptu farewell celebration in Cathedral Square Park, where patrons gathered with DJ equipment and a generator to dance, cry and share stories just a few hundred feet from the shuttered venue.
For nearly 57 years, This Is It! served as a vital sanctuary. Founded by June Brehm and Michael Latona in August of 1968 — almost a year before the Stonewall Uprising — the bar was born from Brehm's desire to create a space where gay people would feel safe, welcome and respected. Despite being discouraged by friends who feared she would get in trouble, her response was, “Let them come for me.”
The marker, which will be installed this summer outside 418 E. Wells St., ensures Brehm's spirit and the stories of generations of customers are never forgotten.
The project is the result of a collaborative effort between the Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project, the property owner, the East Town Association, the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, the City of Milwaukee and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Funding for the marker is being provided entirely through private donations.
As Sarah Freiheit, June’s granddaughter, reflected: “This historic marker honors a place that my family worked very long and very hard to build, sustain and protect for Milwaukee. When the outside world believed gay men had no place in the world, my grandmother vowed to create one for them.
“For decades, This Is It was the go-to destination in times of crisis, in times of celebration, and those times when just being with your community was the best possible comfort. While the bar is gone, we hope that this State Historic Marker — and June’s story — will inspire others to step up as allies, take righteous action and create positive change.”