Gaslight Tavern

The Gaslight Tavern was located at 1241 Oread (as in 13th & Oread on The Hill), just off the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence, Kansas, and was right next (west) to the Abington Book Shop (the "City Lights" of the midwest^[1]) that was owned by the beat poet, John E. Fowler (publisher of GRIST^[2][3]) and wife Sara.^[4] The Gaslight was a popular hangout for students and non-students alike over several decades, from the peaceful times of the Silent Generation to the more turbulent times of the Counter Culture.^[5]

The Gaslight has been featured in poetry and fiction.^[6] During the era of Folk music, the Gaslight opened the stage to local artists.^[7] Later, beat poet George Edward Kimball held 'court' at the Gaslight. ^[8] George was noted for running for Douglas County sheriff in 1970 and losing the race; however, Phillip Hill was voted in, and removed from his office, as justice of the peace.^[9]

KU student Nick Rice ^[10] was shot to death in front of the Gaslight ^[11] by local police during an anti-war riot in summer 1970. On the night of July 16, 1970, KU freshman, Rick "Tiger" Dowdell was shot in downtown Lawrence.^[10]

The building burned in the '70s, under suspicious conditions.^{[12][13][14][15] [16]} The original location of the Gaslight is now a parking area for the KU Student Union which was burned in the 1970 riots.

In its heyday, the Gaslight, as a bar and grill, offered varieties of 3.2% American lager and adequate hamburgers. Entertainment consisted of juke-box music, pinball machines, and a pool table (and conversation). Live entertainment was not a regular event.

The establishment was known as Oread Cafe in 1918.^[17] It was Brick's Cafe in the 1940s and 1950s. In April 1948, Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) had a sit-in at the Cafe. The protestors included black and white students. Counter protestors "physically removed the protestors from the restaurant."^[18]

From 1963 to 1969, the Gaslight Tavern was owned by Donald L. Ebeling who was known as Cueball. He died in Topeka in 2008.^[19] Reginald Scarborough bought the tavern in 1969.^[20]

The Gaslight Gardens reopened on March 17, 2012^[21] and uses a "European beer garden motif."

Earlier, the establishment was known as Gaslight Tavern for several years,^[22] operated in north Lawrence, Kansas as a bar and coffeehouse ^[23] and offered live entertainment on a regular basis. While the interior only offered a capacity of 39, there was an unusually large patio area.

The Gaslight did not renew their lease for 2009 and was closed temporarily.^[24] It reopened on July 3, 2009.^[25][26]

• Brick's Cafe, prior establishment, CORE attempted to integrate in 1948 (KU History is offline, for the time being)
• Long weekend in a host summer (1970), has photo of Nick Rice
• Photos from 1970, LJWorld.com: GEK III, Gaslight, Student Union burning, Lawrence High protest
• A Generation Ablaze The University Daily Kansas, 20 Apr 2010
• The 60s
• Current website