Event Type : Programs

As long as people have lived in SWFL, there have been LGBTQ+ folks living here too. From a gay governor and transgender pioneers, to disco churches and small town protests, SWFL has a long history of LGBTQ+ life. Learn more about local bars, hotels, and parks that were the center of LGBTQ+ life for decades, all hidden in plain sight.

Born and raised in SWFL, Adam always knew there was more to the area’s story than the murals and local history books, but it wasn’t until recently that they began seriously researching LGBTQ history. They wrote “Queer History in Southwest Florida” for the Florida Trust of Historic Preservation’s Preservationist magazine to help others research their local LGBTQ+ histories. Adam is also presenting two sessions at the Southeastern Museum Conference in November this year, one on disasters and the other on LGBTQ+ interpretation. Adam has worked at the Mound House since 2020.